{"id":861066,"date":"2026-04-08T14:54:57","date_gmt":"2026-04-08T14:54:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/861066\/"},"modified":"2026-04-08T14:54:57","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T14:54:57","slug":"vikings-linked-to-famous-old-friend-in-free-agency","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/861066\/","title":{"rendered":"Vikings Linked to Famous Old Friend in Free Agency"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"PatriotsFeb 2, 2026; San Jose, CA, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs (8) speaks to the media during Opening Night for Super Bowl LX at San Jose Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

Stefon Diggs hasn\u2019t played for the Minnesota Vikings since the 2019 season, so a seven-year gap, but he could evidently bring his career full circle if CBS Sports has it right.<\/p>\n

Diggs is back in the rumor mill, and Minnesota has a clear reason to pay attention.<\/p>\n

Garrett Podell sized up the top remaining free agents on the open market<\/a> last week, and on Diggs, the Vikings were mentioned as the best landing spot.<\/p>\n

Minnesota\u2019s WR3 Search Has a Familiar Twist<\/p>\n

Would you support a Diggs reunion at the WR3 spot<\/a>?<\/p>\n

\"StefonOct 19, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs (8) loosens up during pregame routines before facing the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium, moving through drills as teammates take the field around him in final preparations ahead of kickoff in a key midseason matchup. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

CBS Sports: Vikings Are the Best Landing Spot for Diggs<\/p>\n

It\u2019s the Diggs portion of the Vikings\u2019 offseason, which was probably inevitable the moment Diggs left New England and WR3 became a roster need for Minnesota.<\/p>\n

Podell wrote late last week<\/a>, \u201cDiggs\u2019 legal trouble is likely why he remains available. He pleaded not guilty to felony strangulation and other criminal charges following an alleged assault of his personal chef. Diggs\u2019 attorney, Mitchell Schuster, claims his client is \u2018completely innocent.’\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf Diggs\u2019 legal process is resolved, a homecoming to the Minnesota Vikings makes plenty of sense. Jalen Nailor departed for the Las Vegas Raiders in free agency, so there\u2019s an opening at Minnesota\u2019s WR3 spot after 2022 NFL Offensive Player of the Year Justin Jefferson and former first-round pick Jordan Addison.\u201d<\/p>\n

Diggs was famously the co-architect of the Minneapolis Miracle<\/a> in 2017.<\/p>\n

Podell added, \u201cKevin O\u2019Connell wasn\u2019t the coach in Minnesota when Diggs departed to the Buffalo Bills via a 2020 trade request, and he needs to get Minnesota back to the playoffs in 2026 after a disastrous 2025 with J.J. McCarthy at quarterback. Providing Kyler Murray with three high-caliber wideouts would certainly be helpful toward that cause.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPlus, Diggs wouldn\u2019t have to work as hard to get open as he ages playing alongside Jefferson and company. Ideal landing spot: Minnesota Vikings.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Need for a WR3<\/p>\n

Without Nailor, the Vikings have three options at WR3, the spot Nailor held in 2024 and 2025. Foremost, they can promote Tai Felton<\/a>, a rookie from 2025 who hardly saw the field on offense. The plan all along may have been to red-shirt the speedster in Year No. 1 and let it rip in 2026. It would explain letting Nailor leave. <\/p>\n

Second, the Vikings could draft another wide receiver. Interim general manager Rob Brzezinski has nine picks this month, with four in the Top 100. Plenty of wideouts will be available from Rounds 1 through 4, some even ready to plug-and-play as a WR3 in 2026.<\/p>\n

Finally, there\u2019s free agency, and that\u2019s where Diggs enters chat. Minnesota could sign Diggs for a year or two \u2014 or explore a different free agent like DeAndre Hopkins<\/a>, Deebo Samuel, or Tyreek Hill. All are waiting for a phone call. Brandy Aiyuk might even be available by summer.<\/p>\n

Would the Wilfs Green-Light It?<\/p>\n

Diggs left Minnesota under a cloud of controversy, skipping practice in 2019 and getting fined a whopping $200,000. He stuck around that season as a favor to former general manager Rick Spielman<\/a>, as the two agreed on an off-ramp via trade in the 2020 offseason. Spielman lived up to his word, trading Diggs to Buffalo and using the draft pick from that deal to secure Justin Jefferson a month later. A Spielman masterclass. <\/p>\n

\"StefonFeb 5, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs (8) addresses reporters during a media session at the Santa Clara Marriott, standing at the podium and answering questions as cameras and microphones surround him during a busy Super Bowl week press availability. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

It is unclear if the Vikings\u2019 owners, the Wilfs, are chomping at the bit to have Diggs back in the mix. He must also resolve the strangulating allegations that emerged a couple of months ago, though he claims total innocence.<\/p>\n

The 2025 Production<\/p>\n

In his first season with New England, Diggs tallied 85 receptions for 1,013 yards and 4 touchdowns. Starting in every game, he quickly became Drake Maye\u2019s primary target, a remarkable feat after Diggs\u2019s torn ACL in 2024.<\/p>\n

Retaining Diggs should have been an obvious choice, assuming no off-field concerns existed. Doing so would have allowed the Patriots to develop a rookie wide receiver alongside him using a 1st- or 2nd-Round pick<\/a>, a common strategy when veteran receiver options are limited.<\/p>\n

\"StefonJan 4, 2026; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs (8) stands on the sideline before a game against the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium, scanning the field during pregame moments as players stretch and prepare for a late-season divisional matchup. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Among wide receivers in 2025 with at least 50 routes, Diggs ranked eighth in total EPA (expected points added), a statistic that measures a player\u2019s impact on scoring. Players with that kind of game-changing ability are invaluable, even at age 32.<\/p>\n

The draft is 15 days away, and if Minnesota doesn\u2019t leave the event with a new wide receiver before the end of Round 4 or so, Diggs and his free-agent pals will take center stage in the Vikings\u2019 rumor mill. Or \u2014 it\u2019ll be the Felton show at WR3.<\/p>\n

Diggs will turn 33 in November. The upcoming season will be his 12th in the pros. <\/p>\n

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