Even after the 2026 NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs are still skating on thin ice at wide receiver. The months of May and June figure to be quiet for the franchise. The last campaign is a thing of the distant past, premier free agents have already signed, and the 2026 NFL Draft has wrapped up.
That doesn’t mean there aren’t still holes on the roster to fill. General manager Brett Veach, despite a draft deemed solid by many analysts, can still make small, targeted moves to round out the group. One minor late-spring or early-summer pickup would make major waves in Chiefs Kingdom: signing former New England Patriots wideout Stefon Diggs.
Before diving into the on-field calculus, it’s important to address the off-the-field situation. Accusations of assault, battery, and strangulation involving his former chef had cast a dark cloud over the four-time Pro Bowler’s free agency. Diggs has since been found not guilty and cleared of all charges, removing that cloud just this week.
On the field, the case for Diggs is compelling. He rebounded from a 2024 torn ACL with the Houston Texans to deliver a very impressive season in New England. Diggs hauled in 85 passes for 1,013 yards and four touchdowns. He also posted his highest yards per touch mark (11.9) since 2022 with the Buffalo Bills.
The efficiency numbers are elite. Per SumerSports, Diggs’ 83.33% catch rate led all receivers with at least 250 routes run in 2025-26. In that 94-player group, he ranked eighth in total EPA with 98.65. ESPN’s receiver score analytics graded him as the second-best overall pass catcher in the sport.
Three legitimate questions remain.
First, how much does he have left in the tank? At 32 (turning 33 in November), Diggs produced just 14 catches for 110 yards across four postseason games when it mattered most. Second, how much money will he command? The NFLPA’s public salary-cap report lists the Chiefs with $6.7 million available (before rookies are signed), meaning any deal would likely be at or near the veteran minimum.
Finally, scheme fit. Via Pro Football Focus, Diggs is now splitting his snaps nearly 50-50 between outside and the slot. A full 69.2% of his targets last season came behind or within nine yards of the line of scrimmage (compared to Rashee Rice’s 75.4%).
Yet the fit with Kansas City’s current group is intriguing. Xavier Worthy is entering a make-or-break year. Tyquan Thornton returns as a vertical threat after thriving on high-difficulty, high-variance targets in his 2025 breakout. Diggs excels over the middle of the field — music to head coach Andy Reid’s ears — and would slot in as the fourth member of a rotation regardless of exact hierarchy.
The current wide receiver room carries risk. Rice cannot be relied upon for durability or consistent off-field decision-making. Worthy is tough but underwhelmed for much of last season. Thornton, while explosive, remains a boom-or-bust proposition. For every reason this group can be good, there is also one or two reasons it can fall flat.
That is precisely why signing Stefon Diggs — even at this stage in his career — would be a smart move. Patrick Mahomes would gain a veteran beast who simply catches everything, delivering the league-best 83.33% catch rate that turns good offenses into great ones and gives the Chiefs’ passing attack the reliable veteran anchor it has been missing. In a quiet May or June, this one low-cost addition could be the difference between skating on thin ice and gliding toward another Super Bowl run.
