They’re now going to have to go against Stefon Diggs twice a season, but things might have been different for the New York Giants if “messages” between the seven-time 1,000-yard wide receiver and general manager Joe Schoen had gone any further.
Diggs signed with Big Blue’s NFC East rivals the Washington Commanders on Wednesday, August 5, and New York Post reporter Ryan Dunleavy revealed “nothing ever really progressed to ‘contract talks.’ Not the right fit for either side financially.”
The Giants couldn’t push a deal down the line, but the fit was a good one thanks to Schoen’s time in the front office for the Buffalo Bills. He saw Diggs become an All-Pro and earn two of his four trips to the Pro Bowl.
Diggs’ pedigree is what the Giants are still missing at wide receiver, despite their best efforts to rekindle the magic with fan favorite Odell Beckham Jr. It means second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart’s receiver corps lacks a credible No. 2 receiver to ease the burden on go-to target Malik Nabers, whose status remains uncertain amid his ongoing recovery from a torn ACL.
The Giants couldn’t afford a receiver with Diggs’ track record, so they need a playmaker or two to emerge from their less-heralded options. Meanwhile, Schoen and new head coach John Harbaugh may rue spending money elsewhere.
Stefon Diggs a Missed Opportunity
One reason the Giants couldn’t bring Diggs on board might have been ex-Baltimore Ravens boss Harbaugh’s decision to reunite with $40 million tight end Isaiah Likely. The latter is tipped for a breakout campaign, but Likely’s never posted more than 477 receiving yards in a season.
His modest production is in sharp contrast to Diggs, who has become almost a guarantee of a four-digit statistical season. The 33-year-old tallied his latest 1,000-yard haul to help the 2025 New England Patriots reach the Super Bowl.
In the process, Diggs was consistent on a “MASSIVE” scale, according to Warren Sharp of Sharp Football Analysis. He credited Diggs as “#1 catch rate (83%) #1 accurate target catch rate (89%) #1 lowest WR error rate (2%) and only 2 drops all season!”
Those numbers show how Diggs would’ve helped Dart fix the stats he needs to improve most. Instead, Harbaugh and Schoen are counting on Dart establishing a rapport with a hotchpotch of retread and unproven receivers, while at the same time banking on Nabers getting and staying fully healthy.
Giants Still Searching for Credible No. 2 Receiver
Nabers will be the primary weapon in this passing game once he’s back to full speed, but he’ll still need a viable supporting act. Somebody to take coverage away and make the tough grabs in clutch situations.
Diggs was the ideal fit based on how efficient he was with in a supporting role for the Pats. Numbers from ESPN’s Fields Yates show “Diggs finished 12th in catches and 16th in receiving yards in 2025 while playing just 55% of the Patriots’ snaps.”
Perhaps Beckham can turn his recent productive streak at training camp into a credible role, but the 2014 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year is still not a lock for a final roster spot. Not when he’s 33, hasn’t played in the league since 2024 and has twice torn his left ACL.
OBJ is also just one member of a crowded group that also features a favorite of new offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, along with a Super Bowl winner dealing with injury. More injury woes, albeit “minor” ones, per Dan Duggan of The Athletic, extend to 2026 NFL draft third-round pick Malachi Fields.
The former Notre Dame standout has been stretching the field during most of offseason work, and there’s upside to Fields’ game, but he’s also a rookie. In other words, far from the proven and prolific established name the Giants still lack at this key position.
It’s a problem sure to haunt them more if Diggs burns the Giants for a resurgent Commanders’ passing game.
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