Making a gutsy play, New England has locked down star receiver Stefon Diggs with a three-year, $69 million contract including $26 million guaranteed. The move throws a lifeline to the Patriots, who fielded the NFL's worst receiving group in 2024.
The smartly crafted deal lets New England walk away after the first year if needed. Currently rehabbing from an ACL tear he suffered in Week 8 with Houston, Diggs brings both uncertainty and game-changing ability to his new squad.
Doctors expect him back for the 2025 kickoff game. He'll boost a group that put up just 1,723 yards last season - dead last in the league.
The receiving room now sports fresh faces: Kendrick Bourne, DeMario Douglas, and Kayshon Boutte lead the way, with Mack Hollins, Ja'Lynn Polk, and Javon Baker rounding things out.
Before getting hurt in 2024, Diggs was among the NFL's best. He racked up six straight 1,000-yard seasons from 2018 through 2023. His best showing came in 2020, topping the NFL with 127 catches and 1,535 receiving yards.
Now 30, the playmaking wideout made waves in Houston after getting traded from Buffalo last April. His time with the Bills saw him make the Pro Bowl every year of his four-season run.
This move marks Diggs' third team change in just over a year. The Texans grabbed him through a draft pick trade with Buffalo in 2024, before injury cut his season short.
For New England, bringing Diggs aboard fixes a glaring problem - not a single Patriots receiver cracked 500 yards last year.
