Stefon Diggs is a free agent, was just found not guilty of assault charges by a Massachusetts jury, and played for the Minnesota Vikings for five seasons a decade ago. According to Bleacher Report, he could be a prime target for the Vikings, a club with a WR3 vacancy.
The reunion would bring production, familiarity, and experience.
Diggs’s free agency will likely heat up now that his legal woes are in the rearview. Minnesota cannot be ruled out of the sweepstakes.
Diggs Joins a Crowded List of Vikings WR3 Options
Would you welcome the reunion?
BR: Vikings Make Sense as a Diggs Landing Spot
Right after the draft, BR’s Joseph Zucker sized up Diggs’s employment options in 2026, and the Vikings were mentioned.
He wrote, “The Kansas City Chiefs are in a much different spot organizationally. They’re aiming to contend despite quarterback Patrick Mahomes recovering from a torn ACL. Like the Raiders, the Chiefs didn’t take a receiver until Day 3. Cincinnati’s Cyrus Allen went in the fifth round, so signing Diggs to a short-term contract makes sense for Kansas City.”
“Would one of Diggs’ old teams consider a reunion? Jordan Addison has yet to make a true breakthrough with the Minnesota Vikings. The team’s depth really falls off once you get past him and Justin Jefferson as well. The Vikings have one quarterback on a one-year contract (Kyler Murray) and another who may be heading into a make-or-break season (J.J. McCarthy). Bringing Diggs back to Minneapolis has some merit.”
The Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins might make sense for Diggs, as well.
Vikings’ Need for a WR3
The Vikings had a WR3; his name was Jalen Nailor. But he’s from Las Vegas, and when the Raiders dangled a fat contract in front of him in March, Nailor dipped. He’s a Raider. Then, the Vikings, equipped with nine draft picks in 2026, picked zero wide receivers last month, despite extensive scouting of the position.
That leaves Tai Felton, a 3rd-Rounder from last year, who, based on draft stock, should be ready to roll as the WR3. There’s one problem: Kwesi Adofo-Mensah selected him, meaning he could be another example on a long list of draft gaffes. Felton played 26 offensive snaps last year. It’s unclear if that was by design, with the Vikings ready to peel off the tape in 2026 — or if Felton looked like a buffoon behind the scenes.
No Nailor. No rookie WR draft picks. A mixed outlook on Felton. Those elements create the theoretical need for a WR3.
Sporting News‘ Billy Heyen on the Vikings’ WR3 stakes: “The top of the depth chart is awesome, of course, with Justin Jefferson. The good news for the Vikings is that free agency still includes multiple veteran WRs who have yet to sign anywhere. Those are the three big names left, and while Diggs, Jauan Jennings and Deebo Samuel likely could go elsewhere, they’d have to feel pretty good about their chances of playing ample snaps in Minnesota.”
“They’d also be joining the Vikings’ new QB, Kyler Murray, who is in prove-it mode himself. It’d be a shock to see Minnesota make it to the new season without some kind of WR addition. At this point it’s a matter more of ‘who’ rather than ‘if.’”
Diggs’s Production Last Year
Diggs made an immediate impact in his first season with New England. Less than a year after tearing his ACL, he started every game and quickly became Drake Maye’s go-to target, catching 85 passes for 1,013 yards and 4 touchdowns. Such immediate and high-level production typically leads to a swift contract extension.
Retaining Diggs would have provided the Patriots with a valuable bridge to the future, particularly if they aimed to draft a rookie wide receiver. The strategy is common across the NFL: pairing a young receiver with an experienced veteran to foster their development together.
Even in 2025, Diggs remained a game-changer. Among all NFL wideouts who ran at least 50 routes, he ranked eighth in total EPA (Expected Points Added), a key metric for offensive impact. Players delivering that level of production are rare, even at 32 years old.
If he popped off for 1,013 yards last year in New England, he can for damn sure tabulate 700+ this year in Minnesota. New England may also make it simple and re-sign Diggs, now that he beat the allegations.
The WR Options
If Diggs is a nonstarter for Vikings’ free agency options, the good news is that plenty of other reputable alternatives are on the open market. In addition to Brandon Aiyuk, who could be gettable via trade with the San Francisco 49ers, these options remain for Minnesota and other WR3-needy clubs:
- Keenan Allen
- Tyreek Hill
- DeAndre Hopkins
- Jauan Jennings
- Deebo Samuel
Almost all, including Diggs, would bring a degree of excitement and past Pro Bowl flavor.
Diggs’s free agency should heat up as soon as now.
Editor’s Note: Shortly after this article was published, Jennings signed with the Vikings.
