Upgrading the wide receiver room was one of the New England Patriots' top priorities to begin the offseason. Although the team has done little to address that need outside of signing Mack Hollins, the Patriots did one step closer to securing a WR1 by hosting former All-Pro wideout Stefon Diggs for a visit on Thursday.
Diggs left Foxboro without finalizing a contract, but that hasn't stopped Patriots fans from feeling optimistic about him potentially returning to the AFC East. NFL insider Jordan Schultz has since reported that the two sides "intend to remain in contact" after getting to know each other, meaning it might not be long before a contract is signed.
In fact, Diggs' latest social media activity hints that a deal might be imminent.
Patriots Free Agency Rumors: Stefon Diggs Follows Drake Maye on Instagram After New England Visit
On Friday, Patriots Beat's Ben Belford-Peltzman reported that Diggs has officially followed New England quarterback Drake Maye on Instagram. Belford-Peltzman added that the pair hadn't been following each other as of last week, meaning something likely changed since Thursday's meeting.
On one hand, Diggs following Maye might not be much. The duo possibly met for the first time in person earlier this week and decided to keep in touch whether the five-time Pro Bowl playmaker makes his way to New England or not.
On the other hand, Diggs' recent Instagram activity might be the first step toward a partnership between him and Maye. Patriots QBs have a history of courting potential offseason targets off the field, including when Mac Jones had dinner with Ezekiel Elliott shortly before the veteran runner signed in New England.
Assuming that he's ready to sign with the Patriots, it'll be interesting to see what version of Diggs shows up in a potential AFC East return. Even though he's dazzled fans to the tune of 10,491 receiving yards and 70 touchdown grabs across his 10-year career, the 31-year-old WR is coming off an ACL career that cut his 2024 campaign with the Houston Texans short.
Having said that, Diggs proved that he still had juice in the tank by turning 47 catches into 496 yards and three TDs before his season ended. If he had stayed healthy, the former Maryland Terrapin was on pace for a 100-1,054-6 state line in 17 games, which would've marked his seventh consecutive 1,000-yard performance.
A signing isn't official yet, meaning Patriots fans should still wait before potentially buying a Diggs jersey. Things can change quickly in the sporting world, and it's always possible that a deal may fall through no matter how close it is to being finalized.
Nevertheless, all signs seemingly point Diggs toward N
