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Patriots’ Stefon Diggs $63.5M Deal Named One of NFL’s Riskiest Offseason Moves

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Nelson Hubbell | Last updated Jun 17, 2025 11:10 AM ET

Making splash signings and bringing in seasoned vets was a cornerstone of the New England Patriots' early offseason strategy this year. Under new leadership, the Patriots roster has been transformed from one of the NFL's worst to one of the league's best.

However, that transformation has not come without criticism, at least for one free agent signing that is now being deemed as one of the NFL's "riskiest" this year.

According to Kristopher Knox at Bleach Report, New England's decision to bring in Stefon Diggs as their No. 1 receiver on a three-year, $63.5 million deal, is "questionable" to say the least.

"If Diggs cannot regain his Pro Bowl form, he could become a pricey bust for the Patriots," Knox said. "New England isn't expected to be playoff-relevant in 2025—which may be why it needed to spend so lavishly to attract an aging, injured receiver.

Diggs, at 31-years-old, is returning from a torn ACL and is now about 10 months into his recovery. The star receiver fully participated in OTAs and mandatory minicamp, but Knox questions is even questioning his ability pre-injury.

"Diggs' production tapered a bit at the end of the 2023 season, and he looked a lot more like a No. 2 receiver with the Houston Texans in 2024 before the ACL tear," Knox said.

Knox did have one silver lining for Patriots fans who may be frustrated to hear concerns over the Diggs signing: second-year quarterback Drake Maye needs as much help as he can get early in his career. Having a veteran receiver could be very beneficial to Maye, even if Diggs' production is not as good as years past.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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