For the Patriots this offseason, there has been no bigger question mark than wide receiver Stefon Diggs. While his abilities, at his best, are obvious–he had six straight 1,100-yard receiving seasons before 2024–the reasons to doubt are obvious, too. His status as a leader is offset by off-field shenanigans, as the Patriots saw with his video on a boat back on Memorial Day weekend.
We know, too, that the Patriots tried to acquire at least two other potential WR1s (Chris Godwin and DJ Metcalf) before settling on Diggs. New England gave him a three-year, $63 million contract but, significantly, only $25 million is guaranteed, and the Patriots can wriggle out of the deal after this season.
But the biggest question for Diggs has been health. He suffered a torn ACL that ended his season in Week 8 last year, and with surgery sometimes requiring as much as a year to return from, it was not certain that Diggs would be available to start the season. There were reports that he was ahead of schedule, but with ACL tears, being ahead of schedule doesn’t matter until a player is back on the field.
And on Tuesday came the final word: Diggs will not only be on the field for the start of the season, he will be on the field for the start of training camp this week, putting his recovery time at 10 months.
Patriots Hope for a Big Boost From Stefon Diggs
That news comes from Dianna Russini of The Athletic, who wrote on Twitter/X on Tuesday morning: “Patriots WR Stefon Diggs has been cleared for full participation at training camp, per sources. While New England will monitor his reps early on, Diggs has looked strong in his return after tearing his ACL last October while taking team reps with second-year QB Drake Maye.”
It is a huge development for the Patriots, who have long sought a true outside WR1 but have not had one since, arguably, the brief Randy Moss era ended in 2010. Since then, the team’s receiving unit has been dominated by slot guys.
Diggs is different. He had 47 catches for 496 yards when he was injured last year with the Texans, and was on pace to top 100 catches and 1,000 yards for the seventh straight season. At age 31, and with a relatively slight frame (6-0, 191 pounds), there are concerns about health and durability.
But second-year man Maye needs a reliable top target after last year’s top receiver was 5-foot-8 slot man Pop Douglas, with 66 catches and 621 yards. Even if Diggs was not the first choice, he is capable of filling the role.
