Three reasons why Patriots signing Stefon Diggs was a smart move

The Patriots took some big swings at wide receiver earlier this offseason and came up empty. On Tuesday, they hit, coming to an agreement with free-agent wideout Stefon Diggs, per a league source.

The 31-year-old is coming off a torn ACL he suffered back in October, but Diggs was still able to pull in a deal that ESPN says will pay him $26 million guaranteed -- a significant sum for someone that age and coming off that particular injury.

The dollar figure came as a surprise to some in the league, with one AFC executive saying it was "(more) than everyone thought" Diggs would get this offseason. But that amount speaks to how badly the Patriots wanted to add talent to their receiver room.

They'd made some splash signings on the defensive side of the ball -- highlighted by defensive tackle Milton Williams -- but the offense in New England had glaring holes to fill through the initial stages of free agency, particularly at receiver.

The Diggs deal doesn't solve all of head coach Mike Vrabel's roster-building issues. The former Vikings, Bills and Texans receiver is more of a No. 2 option at this stage, but because the Patriots don't have a No. 1, he looks like their de facto top dog. And no matter who they have at receiver, they're going to have to find answers at left guard and left tackle along their offensive line.

But their most recent addition, when healthy, certainly qualifies as help for second-year quarterback Drake Maye.

Here are three reasons why the Diggs signing is a wise one for the Patriots...

1. Easy upgrade for Drake Maye

The Patriots couldn't coax Chris Godwin to New England despite offering him a much more lucrative deal than the one he got from the Buccaneers. 

They took a run at DK Metcalf but never made the Seahawks a trade offer because they understood he wasn't going to sign a long-term deal with them.

They were able to sign Mack Hollins in free agency as a veteran presence for their receiver room. But in acquiring Diggs, they've given their young quarterback a bona fide weapon. 

Even if he wasn't their first choice, he's a clear upgrade.

Diggs averaged 5.9 catches and 62.0 yards per game last season in Houston as the sidekick to No. 1 option Nico Collins. Both marks would've easily been the best among Patriots wide receivers in 2024. (DeMario Douglas led the team with 3.9 catches per game; Kayshon Boutte averaged 39.3 yards per game.)

Diggs also hauled in 31 first-down conversions over eight games before being knocked out for the season. Douglas led all Patriots receivers with the same number of conversions in 17 games.

The Patriots are just hoping Diggs can get back to that pre-injury level, when he was on pace for his seventh-consecutive 1,000-yard season with 47 catches for 496 yards through eight games. 

2. Culture fit, believe it or not

Culture matters to Vrabel, and the new Patriots coach said earlier this month that he wanted to be careful about the types of people he brought in to occupy his locker room.

"We don't want to be reckless through this process," Vrabel said. "We want to be very intentional with the people that we bring on this football team, and we'll continue to target all those needs that we feel like and the players that can help us."

If the Patriots get the player who the Texans got a year ago, they'll have someone they can feel good about sending into the offensive huddle with Maye.

"He got along with people well here... Everyone liked him," said one Houston staffer. "He was a good teammate and worked hard. No noticeable issues. He understood Nico was the guy."

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The Patriots likely already have good intel on what kind of teammate and worker they'll get in Diggs. They met with him last week in Foxboro to check in on the progress of his knee and to get to know him a bit better.

Additionally, offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels' brother, Ben McDaniels, was Diggs' receivers coach in Houston. And new Patriots receivers coach Todd Downing was on the Minnesota staff during the early portion of Diggs' career he spent with the Vikings.

They understand who they're getting with this deal.

Of course, Diggs was sent from Buffalo to Houston for a reason. He was sent from Minnesota to Buffalo for a reason. But at all three spots he maintained a reputation as a hard-working player with a burning desire to win -- elements Vrabel won't mind adding to his locker room.

"I loved him," said one Vikings staffer who worked with Diggs. "He was a handful, but he could play. You only get to complain if you can produce, and I would think he gets that now."

3. Impact on the room

One side benefit to the Diggs addition is how he'll be able to rub off on the rest of the receiver room at One Patriot Place.

He's a fiery competitor and route-running technician who happens to be among the NFL's most productive receivers of the last decade. He's a four-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro. 

Pockets of the receiver room in Foxboro last year were viewed by the previous coaching staff as lacking maturity and the requisite level of professionalism. Diggs won't only help raise the talent level of that group, but his approach might help rub off on young players who'd benefit from being around a player of his ilk.

Though he may not be the true No. 1 he was earlier in his career -- Diggs spent 52.8 percent of his snaps in the slot last season, per Pro Football Focus -- he can also help others at his position settle into roles befitting their talents.

Douglas remains one of their quickest options and could have the middle of the field opened up for him to an extent with Diggs drawing attention between the numbers. Meanwhile, Boutte, Kendrick Bourne and Ja'Lynn Polk could end up seeing more carefully-managed workloads if and when Diggs is back on the field on a regular basis.

The veteran receiver options have thinned considerably, but Diggs' acquisition doesn't prevent the Patriots from continuing to look for more high-end help at receiver.

For instance, if the team was in a position to draft dual-threat Heisman Trophy-winner Travis Hunter at No. 4 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft, having Diggs as a savvy route-running No. 2 option could be beneficial to Hunter as he picks up the finer points of the position after splitting his time on offense and defense in college.

Whether he's the No. 1 or No. 2, the Patriots spent the money they needed to spend in order to improve at a premium position Tuesday. 

There's still work to be done, but the draft is a month away, and the addition of Diggs now makes it easier to envision the Patriots offense achieving respectability come the fall.