The New England Patriots made a much-needed addition to their receiver room this offseason thanks to their signing of star pass catcher Stefon Diggs; a big-time weapon for this offense that emerges as a potential immediate impact player if he's healthy and ready to go for Week One of the season.
After years of fans coveting talent at the receiver position, the Patriots finally made a worthwhile move to acquire one. And in the eyes of a few executives around the league, the decision could pay off in a major way.
The Athletic insider Mike Sando interviewed a collection of anonymous NFL executives about this offseason's happenings, where one of those in the bunch dealt out an eye-catching prediction in the case of the Patriots to beat a strong force like the Buffalo Bills, a large part being attributed to the Diggs signing, even at his price tag of nearly $70 million over three seasons.
“That is not an accident. The number for Diggs is not problematic," the exec said of the Patriots' Diggs signing. "That is the difference in having a coach like Mike Vrabel, who is not going to be scared off by a player like Diggs. You watch, they will make a mark this year and be a tough out. They will beat a Buffalo or someone like that.”
For the Patriots to make that astronomical leap of being a top-five pick in the draft to a playoff team and one to beat a team like Buffalo, it'd be a major statement to make in the case of Mike Vrabel and Co.
Perhaps with the Patriots' multiple moves to bring in talent offensively like Diggs, and even a couple of steps forward on the line upfront, along with an abundance of additions on the defensive side of the ball, the stage could be set for New England to be one of the biggest risers of this coming season.
It would likely take a ton of things to go right for New England, such as seeing the signings from this offseason pan out in a big way, watching a stellar year two unfold from Drake Maye, putting together a successful draft later this month, and of course, Diggs might need to be a catalyst in that jump.
However, it all of those components can come to form, this team could be dangerous for the 2025 year and beyond.
