Stefon Diggs joined the New England Patriots this offseason, signing a three-year, $63.5 million contract that includes $25 million in guarantees. The star wide receiver had his 2024 season — his lone year with the Houston Texans — cut short after suffering a torn ACL in Week 8, causing him to miss the final nine games of the season.
He recorded 496 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 47 receptions, adding one rushing touchdown. It marked the first time since 2017 that Diggs failed to reach 1,000 receiving yards, the first time since 2016 that he did not record at least eight touchdowns, and the first time since 2019 that he did not catch at least 100 passes. As he works his way back to the field, the four-time Pro Bowler shared footage of his recovery.
Stefon Diggs Provides Update on Torn ACL Recovery
Diggs is hoping to be ready for Week 1 as he recovers from the torn ACL that ended his 2024 season. The wide receiver recently shared footage of his progress to his Instagram story, captioning the post:
“Slowly but surely…”
Diggs is expected to play a big role in the Patriots’ passing game after they struggled mightily in that department last season. While rookie quarterback Drake Maye ranked as the 19th-best quarterback in the league, according to PFSN’s QB+ metric, New England’s offense ranked just 26th overall, per PFSN’s Offense+ metric.
That was largely due to their struggling passing game, as they ranked last in the league in passing yards and second-to-last in passing touchdowns. The offense as a whole ranked 30th in points scored and 31st in total yards. Demario Douglas led the Patriots’ wide receiver room in receptions, yards, and touchdowns, finishing with 66 catches for 621 yards and three touchdowns.
While Diggs is expected to play a major role in the Patriots’ offense, his contract reportedly includes an uncommon clause that allows the franchise to move on without any guaranteed money if he re-aggravates the injury before passing a physical. The two-time All-Pro appears to be in good shape, however, and looks determined to make his return to the field.
New England will mark the fourth team Diggs has played for during his NFL career. He spent his first five seasons with the Minnesota Vikings after being selected in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL Draft. He later spent four seasons with the Buffalo Bills and one with the Texans, joining each team via trade. He will almost certainly be Drake Maye’s new go-to target, and could return to his former form if he can stay healthy.
