Stefon Diggs just closed the door on major concern since signing with Patriots

Once it was clear that the Patriots were not going to sign or trade for any of the superstar receivers available in free agency earlier this year, it made a lot of sense that they chose to turn to Stefon Diggs, even if he was coming off a season that prematurely ended due to an ACL injury. That, however, prompted concerns about his return, along with what kind of attitude he might bring to the locker room.

Those were certainly valid, considering how he went about getting traded from the Vikings and the Bills. But none of that has been an issue so far since he arrived in Foxboro, and he continues to prove his value to the team beyond his impressive performances, particularly with his leadership.

Because he's been considered a top receiver in the league over the last several years, what he could bring to the offense, especially for Drake Maye, made him a sensible signing. Yet becoming a mentor to a young roster might be what gives the Patriots the biggest bang for the buck from Diggs, and he understands just how crucial that role is.

It's almost like he knows exactly what to say to get even more people on board with his New England tenure.

Stefon Diggs has already become a pillar of the Patriots' new culture

Because maturity seemed lacking in the Patriots' locker room last season under Jerod Mayo, they needed to add the right people to the roster to help build the kind of culture Mike Vrabel hoped to achieve moving forward.

That's why signing Diggs prompted some concerns, given how he got himself traded from the Bills a year earlier. But his latest comments about his role with the young offense prove beyond any doubt why he was the right player to sign, which he continues to show every week.

Perhaps the biggest worry about Diggs' arrival in New England was how he would handle a smaller role on game day, which he didn't seem to enjoy in the past. Although he was expected to be the No. 1 option, a Josh McDaniels offense doesn't favor one receiver every week, so Diggs' receptions were expected to be less than he was used to.

Given how he responded to that as most recently as his time with the Bills, there were questions about whether we'd see that kind of attitude resurface with his new team.

Fortunately, that looks to be a thing of the past, at least for now, and this is the kind of leadership we see from him on a weekly basis. He has been a vocal leader of the offense since joining the team and continues to uplift his teammates, no matter their position, even on defense.

All the focus on his demeanor and questions about his maturity during the offseason continue to look silly at this point, and it's clear that the new regime knew exactly what kind of player they were getting with Diggs, and they made the right decision to bring him in for reasons beyond his playing ability.