Throughout the Patriots' dynasty, there was never a time when analysts or fans legitimately believed the team would have a losing season. As long as Tom Brady was quarterback and Bill Belichick was head coach, they would surely be successful and probably end the season in the Super Bowl.
The same cannot be said since both have moved on in their careers, with Belichick leaving after the 2023 season. He struggled after the quarterback left for the Bucs four years earlier, and the team is yet to recover from constant losing and poorly constructed rosters. The hope is that the addition of Mike Vrabel will change that, coupled with some impactful free agent signings and a slam-dunk 2025 draft class.
The new head coach surely accomplished part of that with the defensive players signed in free agency, most notably CB Carlton Davis and DT Milton Williams. The same cannot be said for the offense, with the best signing being the most recent, with the three-year contract awarded to WR Stefon Diggs.
Fortunately, Diggs' arrival in Foxboro is garnering far more excitement and optimism than just within New England circles. Even NFL executives believe he immediately puts Drake Maye in another stratosphere ahead of his second NFL season.
NFL executives believe Stefon Diggs could bring more success to the Patriots in 2025 than some would believe
Because the Diggs signing was somewhat unexpected for the Patriots, even if they were the only team he had visited, it has sparked a lot of conversation about how the offense will look and how beneficial the receiver will be for Maye's career moving forward.
Mike Sando of The Athletic covered that subject in a piece detailing the latest moves across the NFL, with one executive believing Diggs could help the Patriots beat a couple of tougher teams this fall, like maybe even the Bills.
“That is not an accident. The number for Diggs is not problematic. That is the difference in having a coach like Mike Vrabel, who is not going to be scared off by a player like Diggs. You watch, they will make a mark this year and be a tough out. They will beat a Buffalo or someone like that.”
It's probably safe to assume Diggs would love to seek some revenge on his old team; that's undeniable. Things didn't end so sweetly for him in Buffalo. Now, he will have the chance to roast their defenses twice a year for the next three seasons, with the Patriots benefiting from his impressive performances instead of dealing with the consequences.
Work still needs to be done across the rest of the offense, especially on the offensive line, so it's hard to say with any certainty that the executive's prediction is realistic. However, because the Patriots are in line to get their next starting left tackle in the draft, they could be much closer to accomplishing the unthinkable than we think.
Diggs' presence improves the offense more than just one year ago, even more so with Mack Hollins in the mix and the hopeful second-year jumps from receivers Javon Baker and Ja'Lynn Polk. They could form a formidable group, even if the flashiest name is Diggs alone, and surprise the NFL with how good they work together, eventually pulling off a dramatic win like the prediction says.
We'll have to wait and see, but this makes the upcoming season more fun to look forward to.