The New England Patriots know they have a problem. Their offense has been stuck in neutral for too long, and one of the most significant issues has been the lack of a true No. 1 wide receiver. With young quarterback Drake Maye under center and a fresh coaching staff, New England needs a veteran playmaker who can change games.
Now, they may have a candidate available in free agency that fits the description – Stefon Diggs, and one Patriots insider even argues he would be their best receiver.
NFL Insider Urges Patriots To Sign Stefon Diggs
A four-time Pro Bowl selection, Diggs has been one of the league’s most consistent wide receivers for years. Before tearing his ACL last season, he had topped 1,000 receiving yards in six straight seasons. With a 1,500-yard year under his belt, Diggs had proven his credentials as true No. 1 option.
Even after playing just eight games with the Texans, he still ranked 46th on PFSN’s list of Top 100 Free Agents this summer. Apart from his reputation, his hot start played a big role in that ranking.
New England has expressed interest in Diggs and recently hosted him for a visit in Foxboro. Mike Giardi urged the Patriots to lock on Diggs, arguing he would be their best receiver if he regains 85%- 90% of his pre-injury form.
“Where the Patriots are in terms of wide receiver, and because of how free agency has played… they are really backed into a corner in terms of no left tackle, no wide receiver one, no wide receiver two. Who knows what Diggs is when he comes back?
“But seems like it’s worth a dice roll at this point. Just based on, ‘This is our room, we got problems’. And if he can be 85% to 90% of what he was before the injury, at some point during the season, then that’s our best receiver. Period. End of story,” he said on a recent episode of “Patriots Press Pass.”
"If [Stefon Diggs] can be 85% to 90% of what he was before the injury then that's [their] best receiver period. end of story."@MikeGiardi & @Willpa11 discuss the Patriots visit with Stefon Diggs, the best remaining free agents and more on the latest episode of the All 32 NFL… pic.twitter.com/wSNtYp7CWC
— Patriots on CLNS Media (@PatriotsCLNS) March 22, 2025
That last part is key. Diggs suffered a torn ACL with the Houston Texans in Week 8 last season, limiting him to just eight games, 47 catches, 496 yards, and three touchdowns. The question is whether Diggs, 31, can return to the form that made him one of the league’s best route-runners and most dangerous deep threats. If the Patriots believe he can, they shouldn’t flinch before spending money on him.
While not necessarily a long-term fit, Diggs could serve as a mentor and leader in the locker room, helping Maye and the team’s young receivers develop. After playing alongside MVP-caliber quarterbacks in Josh Allen and C.J. Stroud, Diggs has plenty of experience to share and help the Patriots regain their lost glory.