Patriots' Stefon Diggs Has Honest, But Uncertain Injury Timeline

The New England Patriots signed wide receiver Stefon Diggs knowing full well that he was in the process of recovering from a torn ACL he suffered back in October, and they know there is a chance he won't be ready for Week 1 next season.

However, at his introductory press conference on Friday, Diggs seemed very optimistic about his status heading into 2025 and provided a blunt answer when asked when he would be ready to practice.

“When the whistle blows, we'll see," Diggs said.

The Patriots signed the 31-year-old to a three-year, $69 million contract, which features $26 million in guaranteed money. That deal blew away the initial projections for Diggs, who was widely expected to land a one-year pact worth around $15 million.

Considering all of the money New England will be paying Diggs, you can bet that it will be treating him with kid gloves throughout his recovery. They want him to be ready for the season, but that isn't a guarantee.

"I’m ahead of schedule," Diggs said. "I’m trying to stay ahead of schedule. I’ll pretty much take it day by day. I’ll try not to put the carriage before the horse. But here we are — here’s the horse right here. I’ll let you know, though. We’ll keep playing it by ear. I’m gonna stay ahead of schedule for now and I’ll let y’all know.”

Diggs kind of contradicted himself just a bit there, first saying he would be prepared immediately and then backtracking to essentially say that he isn't really sure.

That type of answer is to be expected from a hyper-competitive athlete, so really, Diggs didn't say anything we didn't already know. That being said, the Patriots will want him out there when they open training camp and eventually the season. As Maye's new WR1, he almost needs to be. That being said, there's a ton of uncertainty when it comes to the situation.

The University of Maryland product caught 47 passes for 496 yards and three touchdowns in eight games with the Houston Texans this past season. He had previously earned four straight trips to the Pro Bowl prior to 2024.