Now that the Atlanta Falcons have cut Darnell Mooney, they're on the prowl for some more receiver help. They're going to look long and hard at the position in both the NFL Draft and free agency, but none of the available options jumped off the page until a shocking move went down on Wednesday.
On Wednesday afternoon, it was reported that the New England Patriots are releasing star receiver Stefon Diggs, which is likely being done so the Pats can target a new WR1. But over 10 years after that fateful night in Super Bowl LI, they just gifted the Falcons the perfect fix to their receiver woes.
It doesn't atone for all of the heartache, but it's a step in the right direction. Diggs is a polarizing player, and the Dirty Birds typically don't chase players like that, but this is a special situation, as he's pound-for-pound the most talented wide receiver the Falcons could realistically sign in free agency.
If the Falcons are looking at veteran receivers to replace Darnell Mooney, Stefon Diggs makes sense
The 32-year-old has surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in each of the last seven seasons he played in the majority of games. And even though he entered 2025 coming off of a gruesome ACL tear, he still didn't lose a step, as he was Drake Maye's top receiver for a Patriots team that made the Super Bowl.
The issue with signing Diggs is that he'll command a lot of money (which the Falcons don't have) and he's a massive diva, but he's a damn good football player. Now that he's on the wrong side of 30, maybe Atlanta could swing him at a discount, but knowing how he rolls, that feels wildly unlikely.
The four-time Pro Bowler has been a top receiving option for Kirk Cousins in Minnesota, Josh Allen in Buffalo, and Maye in new England. And this doesn't account for his season with C.J. Stroud in Houston, which was cut short due to that knee injury, yet looks stellar almost two years later.
At the moment, the Falcons only have two receivers under contract in Drake London and Casey Washington, so not only does Diggs solves that problem, he brings a lot to the table. He's a battle-tested option that despite his flaws, would help open up a new element of this offense for Michael Penix Jr.
Signing a guy who has worked with so many great young QBs could be another step in prioritizing Penix's development, which Kevin Stefanski was hired to do in the first place. Besides, signing a veteran like Diggs and drafting a receiver on Day 2 of the 2026 Draft is the best way to add WR depth.
Given he only cost around $21 million per year on his last contract, it's not unreasonable to suggest Stefanski and Ian Cunningham could try and sign him for cheap. He isn't the player he was five years ago, but is a great route runner and downfield threat who would be a perfect complement to London.
It's not be the most popular option, but if the finances work out, the Maryland product is clearly the most sensible alternative to Mooney as a dynamic new receiving option for Penix, which could be enough for him to turn a corner in 2026.