When Stefon Diggs was brought in to the Patriots in free agency, the naked eye test immediately tells you that the biggest beneficiary was Drake Maye and the passing game. New England needed to bring in a number one receiver, and despite tearing his ACL last season, Diggs has looked like himself during the start of training camp.
Third-year cornerback Christian Gonzalez will likely be another guy who shifts his game to a higher gear thanks to Diggs' presence. Gonzalez had a strong season in 2024, allowing just two touchdown receptions. One of them came at the hands of Diggs when the Houston Texans came to Foxborough in Week 6.
After Diggs signed a three-year deal to come to New England, he was one of the first guys that Gonzalez sat down with. It's rare for a defensive back to pick a wide receiver's brain, but Diggs has built a reputation as one of the league's top route-runners throughout his career.
"It was good. He’s a good route runner, great route runner. Very smart,” Gonzalez told MassLive's Mark Daniels. “Actually, getting to talk to him, he understands football very well, space, defenses. It’s fun to pick his brain and see how he looks at it as going against a corner.”
Cornerback-receiver relationship will be helpful for both parties
While Diggs and Gonzalez are at different avenues in their careers, the offseason meeting between the two could be good news for a Patriots' team looking to rebound from back-to-back 4-13 seasons.
Diggs certainly has built relationships with defensive backs before, just as his cornerback brother, Trevon of the Cowboys, and Diggs know that Gonzalez has the talent to be a surefire shutdown cornerback in this league.
Diggs and the offense will need to perform at a high level in order for the Patriots to get back to the postseason, and the additions the organization made this offseason have set New England up to make such a run. Facing Diggs in practice daily will be a factor that aids Gonzalez's game, as most opposing coaches will try to throw away from him once the season starts.
The veteran role that Diggs brings to the team is exactly what Gonzalez and the younger players need, and even though training camp is just a few days old, Diggs appears to have that mindset firmly in place.