It wouldn't be a proper offseason in New England if there weren't some sort of controversy dominating the headlines at some point. That was believed to be a thing of the past with Mike Vrabel now running the show, but unfortunately, the Patriots could not escape the negativity for too long and are now dealing with ugly coverage surrounding one of their biggest free agent signings.
A lot of talk over the past few weeks has surrounded the addition of Stefon Diggs into the offense, becoming Drake Maye's immediate WR1. Although he isn't able to fully practice at OTAs, as he is recovering from ACL surgery, the excitement about his potential with the young quarterback and Josh McDaniels has been inescapable.
That remains true even with the latest drama involving his Memorial Day shenanigans while attending a party on a yacht. It sparked conversation about potential extracurricular activities, as there are allegations suggesting he was passing out illegal substances in a now-viral video, and has gained national coverage because of it.
Because reporters were allowed at OTAs again this week, it was inevitable that Vrabel would be asked about the situation, and he made his stance clear.
While this doesn't necessarily mean much, as it aligns with Vrabel's comments this offseason, it doesn't make Diggs' future in Foxboro look clear of obstacles.
Mike Vrabel could soon regret taking a chance with signing Stefon Diggs
Upgrading the offense was a priority for the new regime this offseason, and they followed through on that promise with free agent additions and an offensive-heavy draft class. It has immediately propelled Maye into superstar conversation and prompted a lot of talk about how Vrabel and Co. made the right decisions with the players they chose to sign.
Diggs is near the top of the list because of his impressive resume and being the first likely 1,000-yard receiver since Julian Edelman was last on the team in 2019. However, this drama, sparked by his attendance at a celebrity party, appears to be the first sign that perhaps the Patriots made a mistake in taking a chance on him.
Although nothing has been concluded from the video and Diggs' alleged involvement in any illegal activity, it still presents a bad look for the new head coach and the receiver hoping to continue his impressive career with a new team. Vrabel is very vocal about wanting good players who make good decisions on the team, and this puts a giant dent in that early on.
The hope, of course, is that this will turn out to be nothing, and most won't remember anything about it in a week. However, knowing that the NFL has caught wind of it and considering their history of making things difficult for the organization, it wouldn't be at all surprising if this comes back to haunt Vrabel at a later date.