Kyle Williams has a lot of guys in the Patriots' locker room that he can look up to. But perhaps the biggest and loudest voice is coming from Stefon Diggs.
Williams, who was drafted by New England in the third round this spring and can hopefully buck the recent trend of young receivers who have flopped with the Patriots, has been leaning on Diggs for support on and off the field, among them to not "confuse the result with the process."
While that doesn't sound like a statement that would jump out at you, it's an important one for a rookie like Williams to heed. And it's even more vital that Diggs, brought to the Patriots on a three-year deal, provide the young wide receivers with that type of encouragement and positivity on and off the field.
Williams is among a rookie class that is expected to do big things in New England, and they need to count on guys like Diggs to jumpstart their freshman campaigns in the NFL.
Stefon Diggs' voice in the Patriots' locker room needs to be a loud one
Coming off a torn ACL last season, the 2025 season represents a chance for Diggs to resurrect his career a little bit in New England. He wore out his welcome in Buffalo and was traded to Houston, where the aforementioned knee injury cost Diggs most of the 2024 campaign.
When healthy, he's one of the game's top receivers, and he's a guy the Patriots need to produce if they're going to win a lot of games this season. But Diggs' veteran leadership is a subtle factor that this locker room needs.
Mike Vrabel has already started to change the culture in his first season as the Patriots' head coach, but there's only so much he can do from the sideline. The team needs a leader on the field, especially a young offense skippered by a second-year quarterback.
The Patriots shouldn't expect Diggs to be a 1,000-yard receiver at age 31 coming off a torn ACL in a rebuilt offense, but they can expect him to be a role model for young receivers like Williams and DeMario Douglas. The fact that Diggs is spending time with Williams and is putting valuable things in his head is a great start.