The New England Patriots may have waited longer than most expected before finding a new No. 1 wide receiver for Drake Maye, but they got their guy after agreeing to a three-year contract worth almost $70 million with former Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs.
Diggs, who spent last season with the Houston Texans before a torn ACL quickly ended his run with CJ Stroud, will be the unquestioned top dog on a Patriots team that is still lacking in the skill position department.
After leaving Buffalo under less-than-ideal circumstances that still haven't been fully explained, Diggs signed with a team that will lock horns with the Bills at least twice every year. Diggs may say that revenge isn't on his mind, but his actions at his introductory press conference say otherwise.
Diggs, with a wry smile, said that he is "excited, to say the least" when asked about the possibility of playing Buffalo twice every year. With Diggs in the fold, New England may actually have a shot at taking down a Bills team fresh off another AFC Championship Game appearance.
Stefon Diggs teases revenge game vs. Bills in Patriots press conference
Diggs got this contract based almost entirely on his play in Buffalo. After arriving in upstate New York from the Vikings in a trade, Diggs put together four straight Pro Bowl seasons with at least 100 catches, 1,150 yards, and eight touchdowns in all of those campaigns.
Despite his injuries and the fact that he split targets with Nico Collins during his lone season in Houston, Diggs would have been on pace for 100 catches, 1,054 yards, and six touchdowns in a full season. He can still get it done for an offense that plans to throw the ball a ton this season.
The Patriots need to get Diggs a solid running mate at some point in the 2025 NFL Draft, or cross their fingers that Ja'Lynn Polk can develop into a star after a rough rookie season. If that happens, the Diggs/Maye combination could be so lethal that it helps put the Patriots on a playoff track sooner rather than later.
After years of getting stomped into oblivion by Josh Allen and a Bills team that had eyes on deep postseason runs, the Patriots believe that Diggs' unique blend of skill getting open underneath and playmaking down the field could be a huge X-factor in turning the tide.