After Drake Maye showed incredible promise in his rookie season, the New England Patriots were ready to go all-in with him as the franchise cornerstone. As a result, their offseason has involved a change, but most of it might have been for the better.
The addition of Mike Vrabel as head coach, a solid haul in free agency, and an excellent draft have given fans a lot to be hopeful about. But a former Super Bowl champion isn’t fully on board with arguably their biggest name value addition, Stefon Diggs.
Can Stefon Diggs Survive With the New England Patriots?
Chris Canty had an 11-year career in the NFL, suiting up for the Dallas Cowboys, the New York Giants, and the Baltimore Ravens. A dependable name on the defensive line, he was part of the 2011 Giants squad that upset the Patriots for the second time in Super Bowl XLVI.
Since retiring, he’s become a popular name in the sports media landscape as a radio host. During an appearance on ESPN’s flagship, First Take, Canty broke down the Diggs situation in New England, and he wasn’t all too kind to the superstar wide receiver.
“When it comes to the Stefon Diggs of it all, you have to ask yourself – Is the juice worth the squeeze?” For Canty, there is one alarming problem. “Why is an uber productive receiver not able to stick or not able to find a home?”
The answer is relatively simple for the former defensive lineman. “It comes down to the drama, it comes down to the attitude, it comes down to the baggage of Stefon Diggs.”
As a result, he doesn’t believe the existence of Diggs next to their second-year quarterback learning a new system is a recipe for success.
Before a season-ending injury last season, Diggs had accumulated over 1,000 yards in each of his previous six seasons, dating back to his final two years with the Minnesota Vikings. His tenure with the Buffalo Bills, while productive, only lasted four seasons.
The Patriots, who dished out a three-year contract worth $63.5 million, took a swing at one of the more proven veterans on the market. But his first few months haven’t gone swimmingly. As the rest of the team took to OTAs, Diggs was absent more often than not.
Instead, viral clips of the superstar partying on a yacht made the rounds on social media, leading to widespread rumors and speculations. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who’s back on the New England sideline, stemmed the tide a bit.
“We’re excited to have an opportunity to work with the guys that are out here and available to us. I know he’s staying up to date on the information and the material.” But unless the results show up on the field, it might not take long for Robert Kraft to bow out of the deal.