It’s no secret the New England Patriots want to upgrade at one particular position this offseason: wide receiver.
The obvious move would be to trade for the Philadelphia Eagles' Super Bowl champion WR A.J. Brown next month, as a potential deal would give the Patriots one of the best go-to wideouts in the league.
However, according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, New England’s failure to do so could open the door for a reunion with recently released 32-year-old star Stefon Diggs. If Brown does join New England, though, Breer noted that the Washington Commanders, Kansas City, and Los Angeles Rams are among the franchises that could express interest in Diggs.
"Now, I believe the Patriots love (Stefon) Diggs, and Diggs would love to return," Breer wrote Wednesday. "But any realistic talk about his return, to me, hinges on whether the Brown trade happens.”
“Assuming Brown does become a Patriot, I think Diggs will probably be somewhere in that one-year, $10 million range. The (Kansas) Chiefs could make sense. The (Washington) Commanders might, too, since Diggs is from D.C. The (Atlanta) Falcons and Rams would also be interesting landing spots."
The Commanders and Chiefs make the most sense for Diggs, given that the Rams have solidified a superstar core with Puka Nacua and Davante Adams.
Assuming Deebo Samuel doesn’t return to Washington for another season, pairing Terry McLaurin with a formidable WR teammate will be a must for the franchise.
Likewise, the Chiefs are as average as it gets on the receiving front, making it wise for them to prioritize providing Patrick Mahomes with more high-level weapons before the start of the new season.
Of course, with several teams expected to be in the mix for Brown this summer (49ers and Jacksonville Jaguars to name a few), there’s a chance he could land with a franchise not named the Patriots, making the possibility of the New England signing Diggs more likely.
It’ll be interesting to see how it all shakes out in the next few months.
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