The Patriots reportedly added four-time Pro Bowler Stefon Diggs, giving New England’s it’s most talented wide receiver in more than a decade.
Here are six thoughts after the reported signing:
The Patriots have finally helped their QB
Adding Diggs is the first move to help second-year quarterback Drake Maye. While it shouldn’t be and likely won’t be the only one, it’s nevertheless a big deal. Especially given Mac Jones, who was not nearly as physically gifted but still a QB that New England had on a rookie deal, never benefited from the same. You have to go all the way back to Randy Moss when reflecting on last time the Patriots added a legitimate game-changing receiver. The league is different now.
No risk, no reward
Diggs is entering his age-32 season and coming off an ACL tear. The injury, which occurred Oct. 27 in Week 8 of the NFL season, marked the first major injury of his career. There’s obvious risk due to those factors. It would be wise to temper some expectations, despite the reporting which states Diggs is ahead of schedule and could even be on the field in Week 1. All that said, the Patriots needed to take the risk. It was time to roll the dice, and doing so on an ultra-competitive four-time Pro Bowler who was on pace for his seventh consecutive 1,000-yard season in 2024 is a worthy one.
It’s a justifiable contract offer
Did the Patriots overpay for Diggs? Sure, it’s fair to believe that. A three-year, $69 million deal with $26 million guaranteed is legitimate money. Money that wasn’t expected given the aforementioned risks. But New England, which met with Diggs last week, could afford it and jumped when other teams passed. Good for them. Also, there’s a pretty decent gap between the $26 million guaranteed and $69 million in total value so there’s a decent chance Diggs doesn’t see the full $69 million. Lastly, all it took it money. It didn’t take any trade assets like some others would have. That alone is a win for a rebuilding team with plenty of cap space.
Who deserves the credit? Well, that’s obvious
This doesn’t happen if Mike Vrabel isn’t running the show. Bill Belichick certainly isn’t making this move and a combination of Eliot Wolf and Jerod Mayo wouldn’t have been ballsy enough to make it either. And even if Wolf/Mayo tried, they probably aren’t enticing enough to land the plane. Vrabel pledged the Patriots would be aggressive, and he followed through on Milton Williams and Diggs.
Diggs could change the narrative in Foxboro, Mass.
No, we’re not talking about the “They don’t spend!” narrative. That does apply, however. But in order for the Patriots to attract wide receivers down the line, they need to have a proof of concept. If Diggs comes in and elevates Maye, which we fully expect, New England shouldn’t have the same troubles luring in future pass-catchers. Patriots owner Robert Kraft won’t have to blame Calvin Ridley’s girlfriend, for example.
New England’s biggest draft need no longer debatable
Diggs vastly improves the talent in the wide receiver room, but he’s a short-term solution. The Patriots still need to target a wide receiver with a premier pick. However, there’s now even more separation in the biggest-need race. The team’s biggest need is left tackle, not wide receiver, and it’s no longer debatable. If blue-chippers Abdul Carter and Travis Hunter are off the board at fourth overall, the Patriots absolutely should draft a left tackle with its first selection.
