Patriots Pivot Predicted to $13.7 Million Receiver If Cooper Kupp Too Expensive

The New England Patriots on Friday introduced the newest member of their receiver corps, 31-year-old Mack Hollins who was the Buffalo Bills leading touchdown-pass catcher in 2024. The Patriots signed Hollins on Monday, completing a busy day of free agent shopping for the six-time Super Bowl champions who are now trying to rebuild after back-to-back 4-13 seasons.

But other than Hollins, the Patriots’ focus in the free agent market was primarily on defense. With a group of receivers whose productivity ranked at the bottom of the NFL last season, New England is still in need of talented pass-catchers to receive the ball from second-year quarterback and 2024 No. 3 overall draft pick Drake Maye. Fortunately for the Patriots, the Los Angeles Rams this week released their eight-year veteran and 2021 NFL Offensive Player of the Year Cooper Kupp.

Kupp Expected to Decide on Next Team as Early as Friday

According to media reports, the 31-year-old Kupp is expected to make his decision as early as Friday as to where he will play the 2025 season. That location could be New England. Per a report by MassLive Patriots writer Karen Guregian, “The Patriots are in on the Cooper Kupp sweepstakes. But at the right price.”

If the Rams had kept him around, Kupp would have entered the final year of a contract that paid him $12.5 million for the season, plus a bonus of $7.5 million if he had still been on the Rams roster on March 16, according to Guregian. Presumably, Kupp would be looking for a similar deal, but that price may be “a bit too steep” for the Patriots, the MassLive reporter wrote.

“The Patriots have the money and the cap space. They have the need for upgrades in the receiver room. But they might not be willing to overpay for a player who’s past his prime,” Guregian wrote.

So what do the Patriots do if Kupp will not come down in price to catch passes from Maye and play under new head coach Mike Vrabel and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels? According to a prediction by Wrightway Sports Network, New England would pivot to another free agent still on the market, 10-year veteran and four-time Pro Bowl selection Stefon Diggs.

Diggs Could Seek Revenge on Bills With New England Deal

“Diggs left the Buffalo Bills on the not the greatest terms and has shown frustration towards the organization, head coach Sean McDermott and superstar quarterback Josh Allen,” Wrightway wrote. “Diggs’ hatred of the Bills currently could entice him to sign with their divisional rivals the New England Patriots to try and go off on his former team. Diggs wants to be on a winning team, but only if he is the reason behind why they are winning.”

The sports business site Spotrac projects that Diggs will land a one-year contract worth $13.7 million in free agency. That’s less than what Kupp would have made, including his roster bonus, with the Rams. The average annual value of Diggs’ salary throughout his career has been $12.8 million, according to OverTheCap.com, roughly the same as Kupp’s base salary for 2025 had he not been released.

But Diggs, who spent last year with the Houston Texans, is coming back from a torn ACL suffered in an October 27 game against the Indianapolis Colts. The injury limited Diggs to just eight games last year, after playing at least 16 in each of the last four seasons for the Buffalo Bills — and that factor may bring his price down to well below what Kupp would cost New England.