Expectations were high for the New England Patriots heading into free agency this offseason, with fans hoping that their league-high cap space would be spent wisely yet richly and the roster would be drastically improved for the 2025 season.
The team achieved that for the most part in Mike Vrabel's first offseason in Foxboro, but it was predominately spent on defense. Despite the excitement surrounding those signed, especially DT Milton Williams, concerns over the state of the offense around Drake Maye began to outweigh any optimism about the defense.
The receiving corps was the biggest issue, inevitably leading to the eventual signing of standout free agent Stefon Diggs. It reignited the excitement that began to lack for the upcoming season. That grew even more among fans when Diggs took to social media to not only react to his arrival in New England but also have the fans help choose his next jersey number.
It took a while to be announced what that number would be, with many fans hoping it would be a number in the 80s, but Diggs will remain in the single digits, as he did with the Texans last season.
The Patriots announce that Stefon Diggs will wear a number that recently departed with a longtime captain
Because he had already made it clear he would not try to keep No. 1 from Houston, allowing Ja'Lynn Polk to keep his number, Diggs decided he would choose a different jersey with the Patriots.
It is not clear whether he left it entirely up to the fans to decide, but the Patriots announced he would be taking No. 8, the number that LB Ja'Whaun Bentley held until he was unexpectedly released a few weeks ago.
ATE. pic.twitter.com/wE1CK0P2ps
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) April 8, 2025
Fans reacted positively to the decision, which is uncommon when something is as debatable as a good jersey number, and many have already claimed they will be preordering his jersey as soon as it becomes available.
It's a good number for a receiver, but also a sad reminder that Bentley is no longer on the team. Even if many would argue that it was time to move on from the linebacker, the Patriots have lost many of their dynasty-era players in recent years, and it is always a bummer to see how quickly teams have to move on.
Fortunately, Diggs should be an exciting player who can help with that transition.