Veteran receiver Stefon Diggs is still looking for a new team after the Houston Texans let his contract expire. He’s coming off a torn ACL, but a recent video of Diggs running at full speed shows he’s ahead of schedule in his recovery.
It’s unclear how much the 10-year vet has left in the tank, but one former quarterback sees a clear landing spot. Chris Simms believes Diggs would be a perfect fit for one AFC team that could use his skill set.
Chris Simms Thinks Stefon Diggs Perfectly Fits Patriots’ Offense
Diggs started his career with the Minnesota Vikings, who drafted him in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL Draft. He became a household name thanks to the “Minneapolis Miracle” — his walk-off touchdown catch in the 2017 Divisional Round. After back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, he was traded to the Buffalo Bills in 2020.
Teaming up with Josh Allen took his game to another level. Diggs led the NFL in catches (127) and receiving yards (1,535) in 2020, earning first-team All-Pro honors. He went on to top 100 catches and 1,000 yards in all four of his seasons in Buffalo, but the Bills never quite got over the hump in the playoffs.
His final year in Buffalo was rocky, and the team dealt him to the Texans after the 2023 season. In Houston, he fit nicely alongside Nico Collins and Tank Dell. But Diggs’ season was cut short after he tore his ACL in Week 8. He finished with 47 catches for 496 yards and three touchdowns in just eight games, and also added a rushing score.
Houston reworked Diggs’ contract to make 2024 a contract year, but they chose not to re-sign him. On a recent episode of “PFT Live,” Simms said he sees Diggs as a great match for Josh McDaniels’ offense in New England.
“He’s a great route runner,” Simms said. “That’s why I liked when we talked about him going to New England. Josh McDaniels is gonna go, ‘Hey, you remember Wes Welker, Danny Amendola, Julian Edelman? I’m gonna let you do all that. You’re awesome at it.’”
Simms believes Diggs could thrive in the slot, running option routes and working underneath rather than being a No. 1 outside receiver. But he also made it clear Diggs still has work to do in his recovery.
“We have a video of him last week cutting and all that,” Simms added. “ACL, as we know, it’s not a horrible injury. You certainly can come back from it. You can tell he’s running at full speed, but he ain’t cutting off that right leg at full speed yet.”
McDaniels is entering his third stint as New England’s offensive coordinator and inherits a unit that ranked 26th in PFSN’s Offense+ metric last season. Diggs could provide a major boost, especially in a short passing game that needs more reliable options.
He’s known as one of the most competitive players in the league and is sure to use the injury as fuel heading into next season. A fresh start in New England — with two revenge games a year against Buffalo — could be just what he needs.