The New England Patriots went out this offseason and got second-year QB Drake Maye a No. 1 wide receiver.
Stefon Diggs doesn’t come without questions, though. He’s coming off a serious knee injury, and he’s getting up there in age.
Will it work out?
ESPN’s Ben Solak calls Diggs the X-factor for the Pats’ season, but he also thinks the idea that Diggs has fallen way off is exaggerated.
“Diggs is recovering from a torn ACL in Week 8 last season, but reports of his demise have been greatly exaggerated,” Solak writes. “He was averaging 2.0 yards per route run last season on a 25.3% target rate, both above league average for an NFL wide receiver (minimum 200 routes). True, he wasn’t used as much downfield (8.7 air yards per target, a career low). But he was a reliable winner in the short-to-intermediate areas, and some of that usage can be explained by the roles of his teammates, Nico Collins and Tank Dell.”
Maye looked solid even without a WR1 as a rookie.
“The Patriots got a very encouraging rookie season out of quarterback Drake Maye, who looked the part as a processor and as a playmaker, especially as he endured a terrible offensive line, terrible receiver play and not much better offensive coordination,” Solak writes. “The new Patriots brass was heavily involved in the veteran wide receiver market this year, eventually landing on 31-year-old Diggs to be the WR1 as they look to keep Maye on his positive developmental track.”
Diggs will get a chance at a couple AFC East clashes with his former team in Buffalo. And after an offseason that may have been a bit more party-filled than the Patriots would’ve liked, Diggs has looked sharp in camp.
“Diggs needs to be hidden from press and protected from vertical routes more than a dream WR1,” Solak writes. “But if he can remain a winner on breaking routes, then Josh McDaniels can use formation and motion to hide him from physical corners at the line. If Diggs is humming in this offense, the Patriots’ passing game should see a much higher floor.”
New England drafted an explosive running back in the second round, TreVeyon Henderson out of Ohio State. His addition paired with Diggs should help the Patriots’ offense take a big step forward.
