The New England Patriots’ decision to bring in veteran wide receiver Stefon Diggs has drawn both excitement and scrutiny, but one franchise legend has made his position crystal clear.
Super Bowl MVP Deion Branch publicly praised the move, calling Diggs a perfect fit for a young Patriots receiver room and voicing full support for the high-profile acquisition.
Deion Branch Speaks on Diggs Signing, Deems Him an Ideal Fit
Speaking on the “Up & Adams” show, Branch didn’t hold back his admiration. “Stefon is a dog. I love everything about the young man’s game,” he said. “He’s a dog. He’s exactly what we need at that receiver position. He’s a guy that, this guy loves the game of football.”
Branch highlighted Diggs’ reliability and impact during his time in Buffalo, specifically noting the trust he built with Josh Allen. “The days that I watched him at Buffalo, knowing that Josh Allen, know that any time he needed a big play, Stefon was the guy.”
While acknowledging Diggs’ recent ACL injury, Branch expressed confidence in his return: “Of course, ACL, I want to believe he’ll be back, he’ll be ready. This guy’s ready, and he really wants to prove himself.” He also noted the significance of Diggs returning to the AFC East, adding, “So I don’t know what went down in Buffalo and how he ended up getting out of there, but Stefon is a dog, he’s a complete receiver.”
Deion Branch on the addition of Stefon Diggs to the Patriots…
“He’s the reason all of these young men are walking around saying I’m him.”@heykayadams | @deionbranch84 pic.twitter.com/8sw9yNAYFS
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) May 8, 2025
Branch emphasized Diggs’ cultural impact as well, saying, “He’s the reason why all these young men that are in high school and college are walking around talking about, I’m him… And I think now it’s just all about Stefon going back, proving to the world, proving to himself that he is the guy that he’s always said that he was.”
Di͏ggs’ contract initially raised eyebrows, with early reports suggesting a figure as high as $69 million over ͏three years. However, details revealed by ͏Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk and Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated paint a͏ different picture͏.͏ Di͏ggs’ ͏202͏5 deal includes a $12 million signing bonus, a $2.9 million base salary, and up to͏ $4͏ million in performance-based incentives. He also earns a per-game roster bonus, ͏totalling $3.4 million for the͏ season.
The incentives include $500,000 each for hitting reception benchmarks of 70, 80, 90, and 100 catches, and yardage milestones ranging from 1,000 to 1,300 yards. The Patriots maintain an out after one year, making the deal effectively a one-year, $18.5 million contract with team options in 2026 and 2027.
Though initially viewed as an overpay, the Diggs contract now appears to be a well-structured, team-friendly move. For Deion Branch, there’s no question—this was the right call.