One of the main objectives of the 2025 offseason for the Patriots was to acquire a wide receiver, particularly a game-changer who would immediately bolster their offense to new heights. Prioritizing surrounding Drake Maye with improved talent was said to be the focus of the new regime led by Mike Vrabel, which Patriots fans were excited to see come to fruition.
Unfortunately, they're still waiting, as Mack Hollins is the only receiver who has been signed so far. Making matters worse is the mounting losses in signing free agents like Chris Godwin or successfully trading for top names who were made available, like D.K. Metcalf and Deebo Samuel.
The news of Stefon Diggs visiting Foxboro last week turned some of that pessimism about Mike Vrabel addressing the biggest offensive need around, mainly since the former Bills receiver hadn't visited with any other team since free agency began, only for the news of him departing without a contract to bring fans back to reality once again.
Because of that, the latest intel from NFL insider Jeremy Fowler suggests the Patriots are now eyeing another free-agent veteran who could help Maye; he's just not the name that most fans would hope to be that guy.
NFL insider says the Patriots have now shifted their focus away from Stefon Diggs to another free-agent receiver
After what seemed to be a successful meeting with Diggs last week, the Patriots are still without a wide receiver, as they didn't offer the four-time Pro Bowler a contract. That has apparently shifted their interest to recently released Tyler Lockett, who spent his entire ten-year career with the Seahawks.
That's according to Fowler, who shared the latest update during an appearance on SportsCenter last week. Because the Patriots need a receiver, it makes sense that they'll look at all of their options, but this also suggests that Diggs is not a priority despite the recent visit.
"The Patriots have scoured the Earth for receiver help. They were prepared to pay Chris Godwin big money had he gotten to them in free agency -- he ended up re-signing with the Buccaneers. They're looking at players like Diggs, Tyler Lockett I know is on their radar as well. They're also looking for some trade options for something that might work for them down the road."
While adding Lockett to the offense isn't a terrible idea, they already have players on the roster who play the way he does, so how much help would he really be? He would undoubtedly add veteran experience and leadership to the locker room, but he doesn't bring the "it" factor that the team currently lacks.
It also makes you question what went wrong in the meeting with Diggs to put him on the back burner for a different player. Although he's recovering from an ACL injury from last season, he's recovering well ahead of schedule by all accounts, making his recovery not seem like an issue.
Was it that Diggs wasn't legitimately interested in signing with the Patriots and instead using them as leverage to garner interest from other teams? Or were the Patriots not willing to pay him the salary he demands? Could it be somewhere in between?
No matter what, the new regime's situation is not ideal, given how crucial it is that they add the much-needed talent to the receiving corps this offseason. Relying on the draft is too risky, and sitting on the amount of cap space they had to utilize is irresponsible.
They need to make a bigger splash to acquire a wide receiver than they're currently doing, and at this point, it doesn't seem like that will happen anytime soon.