The New York Giants were rumored to be in the hunt for Stefon Diggs this offseason, but a deal never materialized.
Instead, the seven-time 1,000-yard pass catcher signed with the Washington Commanders on Wednesday, giving the Giants a twice-a-year reminder of what might have been in the NFC East.
New York Post reporter Ryan Dunleavy reported that preliminary contact took place between Diggs and the Giants. General manager Joe Schoen, who previously worked with Diggs during their shared time in Buffalo, was involved.
“Heard there were some messages exchanged between #Giants and Stefon Diggs (Joe Schoen was in Buffalo with Diggs) but nothing ever really progressed to ‘contract talks.’ Not the right fit for either side financially,” Dunleavy wrote.
The financial gap proved decisive. Diggs arrived in Washington after a strong 2025 campaign with the New England Patriots that helped the team reach the Super Bowl.
He posted another 1,000-yard season while ranking among the league’s most efficient receivers, according to advanced metrics tracking catch rate, target accuracy, and drops. Those numbers would have provided second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart with a reliable complementary option alongside primary target Malik Nabers, who continues recovering from a torn ACL.
Instead, the Giants directed resources elsewhere, notably reuniting new head coach John Harbaugh with tight end Isaiah Likely on a substantial contract. Likely has yet to clear 500 receiving yards in a season, a sharp contrast to Diggs’ consistent production.
The Giants’ remaining wide receiver group features familiar names and recent draft picks but lacks a similarly established No. 2. Odell Beckham Jr. has shown flashes in camp, yet questions linger about his availability and durability after multiple knee injuries and time away from the field.
Other options, including veterans and younger prospects, remain unproven at the level Diggs has sustained for years.
Schoen’s familiarity with Diggs from their Buffalo days made the potential fit intriguing on paper. Diggs thrived as a featured weapon there before continuing his production elsewhere.
For a Giants offense still searching for consistent secondary targets to ease the load on Nabers, the missed connection leaves questions heading into the season.
Diggs will now line up for a Commanders team that had a clear need at the position, while New York hopes internal development and health can fill the same void. The messages exchanged never advanced far enough to change that outcome.
