After four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Stefon Diggs suffered a torn ACL while playing for the Houston Texans in October, the player is still without a team for 2025. That could change soon, though, after Diggs visited with the New England Patriots amid reports that his recovery is “ahead of schedule.”
The New England Patriots Receiver Issues
With several veteran free-agent wide receivers still available, the Patriots’ lone receiver addition, Mack Hollins, has heightened frustrations among fans. The team has struggled at the receiver position in recent years and needs to add talent around new franchise quarterback Drake Maye.
New England’s troubles at receiver are no secret. The once-dominant franchise hasn’t had a receiver reach 1,000 single-season receiving yards since Julian Edelman in 2019. That season was the sixth year of the 2010s in which the team had a 1,000-yard receiver. Almost halfway through the 2020s, the team’s current receiver corps leaves much to be desired.
In 2023 and 2024, the offense ranked in the bottom three in both points and yards. That has led to two consecutive years of head coaching changes, with former Patriot Mike Vrabel returning to coach the team. There’s nothing flashy about a Vrabel-run team, but the three-time Super Bowl winner will look to make New England a solid, competitive team.
To do that, you need a far better offense than the one the Patriots have rolled out over the last two seasons. With the team gaining an unenviable reputation regarding drafting receivers during the Bill Belichick era, Vrabel will hope that things can change in that department moving forward.
The team may want to avoid the draft altogether, though, after striking out so regularly in the past. Diggs’ visit would support that idea, especially after the team has already been active in free agency.
Stefon Diggs Visits Patriots, Is “Ahead of Schedule” After ACL Tear
Diggs has been a top receiver throughout his NFL career and would immediately improve an underpowered Patriots passing game. However, after tearing his ACL while playing for the Texans in October, there will be doubts about the 31-year-old’s effectiveness upon his return. According to ESPN’s Mike Reiss, Diggs’ recovery is ahead of schedule.
“The visit was also a chance for the Patriots to assess where the 31-year-old Diggs is in his recovery from a torn ACL in his right knee that he suffered on Oct. 27 while playing for the Houston Texans. League sources have described Diggs as ahead of schedule, already running full speed and gaining increased comfort cutting and changing direction.”
A recent video of Diggs running routes while practicing with new Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith would appear to support that narrative. Patriots fans will just have to hope that he’ll be running routes for Maye instead come September.
GENO SMITH THROWING TO STEFON DIGGS.
👀
Diggs has had an extremely quick recovery from his torn ACL — could we see Diggs and Smith together in Las Vegas…
pic.twitter.com/fU4DGTPX9r— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) March 16, 2025
Should Diggs arrive, it would be music to the ears of the second-year quarterback. Diggs has been an alpha receiver who can transform an offense when healthy, something New England desperately needs if it’s to turn things around.