Patriots WR Earns Strong Take Despite Controversial Offseason

Stefon Diggs did not exactly endear himself to the New England Patriots organization or the fan base during his early stages with the team. Not only did he skip the first part of organized team activities, but he was filmed on a boat engaging in what can only be described as questionable behavior on Memorial Day weekend.

Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel had a chat with Diggs following the incident, and since then, all seems to be perfectly fine for the wide receiver in Foxborough. That being said, there is very little doubt that this is something that could follow him throughout the season if things don't go well.

However, Judy Battista of NFL.com does not think Diggs' antics last month were a big deal and feels that the most important thing is for the four-time Pro Bowler to be healthy and ready to go for the regular season.

"Far more important is Diggs' progress in returning from the ACL tear he suffered after eight games with the Texans last season," Battista wrote. "Diggs did not take part in competitive, full-speed work during minicamp. Whenever he returns, though, the Patriots will count on him to be a steady target for second year quarterback Drake Maye -- who called Diggs an 'awesome teammate' -- and to provide veteran leadership to a relatively inexperienced wide receiver group."

New England signed Diggs to a three-year, $69 million contract in free agency, handing him $26 million in guaranteed money.

No one really knows how the 31-year-old will recover from his torn ACL, especially at this stage of his career. And remember: Diggs was actually already showing signs of decline with the Buffalo Bills back in 2023.

That being said, Diggs remains an unquestionable upgrade over what the Pats had in their receiving corps last season, so that alone should be enough to have Patriots fans excited about what he has to offer the offense in 2025.