The New England Patriots made sweeping changes this offseason, hiring Mike Vrabel as head coach, re-installing Josh McDaniels as the offensive coordinator, and dramatically improving the roster around second-year quarterback Drake Maye.
Perhaps the most exciting addition was Stefon Diggs, a four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver with experience playing alongside some of the best quarterbacks in the NFL — most notably, of course, Josh Allen. The 31-year-old made his first public appearance at Patriots practice on Friday, and it has fans buzzing.
Not only is it exciting to see an established WR1 in Patriots threads, but there is something noticeably absent from those pictures. A knee brace.
Diggs missed the second half of last season after suffering a torn ACL, which brought long-term health concerns to the forefront. He has a lot of miles on his knees. The man has taken his share of hits over the years, and then some. For him to show up to training camp brace-free is a great sign for New England fans.
Stefon Diggs generates excitement with brace-free appearance at Patriots practice
It was only six months ago that Diggs tore his ACL. While he has not been fully cleared to resume football activities, the veteran wideout is already impressing teammates with his activity level and explosiveness at voluntary offseason workouts.
Pats tight end Austin Hooper has nothing but positive things to say about his new teammate.
"Energy, man. You can see he’s a freak,” Hooper told NBC Sports. “I know he just came off what he came off of, and you can see him already with the explosion, the change of direction, the top end. It’s like, ‘Dang, dude, it must be nice’, you know what I mean? I’m really excited to work with a proven veteran, good player in this league."
Wide receiver has been a position of weakness in New England for far too long. Drake Maye was a Pro Bowl quarterback as a rookie, which is wildly impressive when considering the dearth of pass-catching options at his disposal. We've seen positive flashes from DeMario Douglas and Kendrick Bourne, but this is largely a young, inexperienced group.
Diggs (along with fellow free agent signee Mack Hollins) brings some veteran poise and leadership to the New England offense. He's also a damn good player. Last season in Houston was a wash, but Diggs put up 1,183 receiving yards and eight touchdowns in his final healthy campaign with Buffalo in 2023. We shouldn't necessarily pin that level of expectation on him as a wideout in his 30s coming off of a major knee injury, but Diggs put up 1,000-plus yards in six straight seasons for the Bills. He is one of this generation's most explosive and consistent playmakers.
If the Patriots can get even 80 percent of peak Diggs next season, the offense will take on a new dimension. Maye still has plenty to prove in his second NFL campaign, but he's a major arm talent. He was thrown into the fire last season behind a paltry O-line and with a basement-dwelling WR room. Now he has Will Campbell, a revamped support system and Stefon Diggs. It's safe to expect big things.