The New England Patriots are beginning to shape their plans at wide receiver after releasing Stefon Diggs on Wednesday. Reports suggest the team is preparing to pursue Alec Pierce of the Indianapolis Colts as a potential addition to their receiving corps. However, CBS Sports reporter Ryan Wilson believes the Patriots might be better served targeting a different player.
ESPN Insider Adam Schefter reported on Wednesday that wide receiver and return specialist Rashid Shaheed is not close to reaching a long-term agreement with the Seattle Seahawks and will likely explore free agency next week.
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That situation has caught Wilson’s attention, as he believes the Patriots could emerge as an ideal landing spot after parting ways with Diggs.
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Wilson noted that Shaheed’s ability to stretch defenses and contribute on special teams could help improve Mike Vrabel’s roster.
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“I would love for (Shaheed) to make his way to Foxborough because he is a deep threat through and through. He also is a dangerous return guy,” Wilson said on Wednesday. “We saw that not only this year, once he arrived in Seattle, but we’ve seen it throughout his career when he was in New Orleans. And one thing the Patriots don’t have is a ton of possession receivers.
“They don’t have anyone that can stretch the field. I know Kayshon Boutte did that at times last year, but that’s not really his game,” Wilson added. “So I love the idea of getting Shahid. He’ll come relatively cheap, quotation marks. He won’t cost as much as Alec Pierce is gonna cost.”
Signing with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2022, Rashid Shaheed has developed into a dangerous deep threat and return specialist.
Across his NFL career, he has totaled 153 receptions for 2,243 receiving yards and 13 offensive touchdowns. He has also been a major contributor on special teams, recording 2,336 return yards and five return touchdowns.
During the 2025 season, the 27-year-old was traded from the Saints to the Seattle Seahawks in a midseason deal that sent a fourth and fifth-round pick in the 2026 NFL draft back to New Orleans.
Alec Pierce vs. Rashid Shaheed: Who holds the higher free agency value?
As free agency approaches, Indianapolis Colts wideout Alec Pierce has made it known that he intends to test the market. The New England Patriots are reportedly monitoring the situation closely, while also being linked to Seattle Seahawks receiver Rashid Shaheed.
Pierce significantly boosted his value during the 2025 season, leading the NFL in yards per reception for a second consecutive year and eclipsing 1,000 receiving yards for the first time in his career. Projections from Over The Cap suggest Pierce could earn over $27 million per year on his next contract.
As for Shaheed, he could see a 2026 salary around $14.1 million, according to Spotrac, though ESPN’s Brady Henderson estimates his market value could reach $18 million a year.
Shaheed totaled 15 receptions for 188 yards across nine games for the Seahawks last season. He also returned two punts and a kickoff for touchdowns, including a 58-yard punt return in Week 16 against the Los Angeles Rams and kickoff return score in the divisional-round of the playoffs against the San Francisco 49ers.
Edited by nagpaltusharn25
