Matthew Stafford’s Los Angeles Rams connected to $157 million New England Patriots wide receiver

The 32-year-old former New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs’ NFL career began in 2015 when the Minnesota Vikings drafted him in the fifth round as their 146th overall pick. The Maryland alum played five seasons for them before being acquired by the Josh Allen-led Buffalo Bills in 2020.He played four seasons for Buffalo before being traded to the CJ Stroud-led Houston Texans in 2024. But he suffered a torn ACL in his 2024 season with Houston. Despite that, the Patriots signed him as an unrestricted free agent to a three-year, $63.5M contract in March 2025.He recorded 85 receptions for 1,013 receiving yards and four touchdowns in 17 games for New England. But to avoid a sizeable $26.8M cap hit in 2026, they released the veteran wideout in March 2026 and saved more than $16M in cap space.First things first, why did New England release Diggs? He is 32, and the Patriots may be hesitant to commit to a long-lasting, hefty-value deal. Secondly, throughout the regular season, his performance was at its peak, but in the bigger games, it saw a sharp dip. This may have caused New England to question his overall value.Thirdly, off-gridiron concerns. Diggs is involved in a lawsuit with his personal chef. The pretrial hearing will begin on April 1 at Dedham District Court in Massachusetts. Despite these many factors, some analysts still believe in the player.Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reports Diggs’ signing could happen in the next month or so. He is in the phase of his career where he may acquire a one-year deal somewhere. He can still bring a lot to a team. He brought a lot to the Mike Vrabel's Patriots. He became a real leader in the receiver room for them and a resource for the younger players. Breer reports that before offseason programs kick off, he may land a one-year deal somewhere. Yahoo Sports’ Matt Harmon projects Matthew Stafford’s Los Angeles Rams for Stefon Diggs.Five days into March, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported that the Rams had “moved on” from trade talks for Philadelphia Eagles WR AJ Brown. This shows that Los Angeles is probably looking for veteran wideouts, someone beyond their pass-catching corps: Puka Nacua and Davante Adams.The Rams acquired two-time Super Bowl champion cornerback Trent McDuffie from the Kansas City Chiefs. They had a close call at the NFC championship in 2025. In 2026, they thoroughly wish to make a recall. And for that, they may need someone who has been to the Super Bowl. Enter: Patriots’ wide receiver Stefon Diggs.According to Harmon, Diggs could be a “fallback plan” for the Rams if they miss out on their 13th overall pick in the draft. He is a smart player who can quickly pick up Los Angeles’ offense.The analyst further reports that at this stage of Diggs’ career, the wideout may be looking for a Super Bowl ring more than targets. However, the Rams may have competition. Some analysts predict Diggs for other franchises like Tennessee or Baltimore.Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox reports the Titans could be a strong landing spot for Diggs. Second-year QB Cam Ward could use more receiving corps help on the perimeter.Another connection is the presence of Tennessee’s new offensive coordinator, Brian Daboll, who coached Diggs in Buffalo. He had a solid impact on Drake Maye in New England, and he could have the same on Ward.As for the Lamar Jackson-led Ravens, Knox reports that the Patriots star WR could be a strong complement for Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman. Diggs could be a great go-to target for Jackson.Amid Tennessee and Baltimore, a fourth target has emerged for Diggs: Buffalo. NESN's Aaliyan Mohammed reports that Bills WR Keon Coleman did not live up to the expectations, and Diggs could be a reliable target for Josh Allen. Allen is familiar with him. And D.J. Moore is new to the franchise.According to Spotrac’s calculated market value, Diggs is projected to sign a two-year, $27 million contract, giving him an average annual salary of $13.8 million. His total career earnings over 11 years are $157 million. Los Angeles’ cap space is approximately $28.35 million. NFL Insider Tom Pelissero reports Diggs may have to wait a little bit in free agency. He may have to wait a little longer because of his age [32], high salary demands, and lingering legal issues. Would the Rams sign him? Or would Baltimore and Tennessee intervene? Diggs is looking for a bounce-back season. Only time will tell…