The Patriots' quest to add to their wide receiver room has led them to a four-time Pro Bowler.
According to a source, the Patriots are hosting Stefon Diggs for a visit in Foxborough.
The 31-year-old veteran free agent is coming off an ACL injury. Although it’s unclear if Diggs will be ready for Week 1, he would fill a void the Patriots desperately need and add a veteran presence to their locker room.
There is a connection here as new Patriots receivers coach Todd Downing was in Minnesota for one season with Diggs.
This offseason, the Patriots have relied on their coaches to bring in free agents. Diggs would be the latest example. This potential signing would give the Patriots an accomplished outside veteran receiver — something they’ve lacked over recent seasons.
The veteran is a four-time Pro Bowler receiver and two years removed from earning that honor. Diggs suffered a torn ACL last season with the Houston Texans. He played in eight games, catching 47 passes for 496 yards and three touchdowns.
Diggs averaged 62.0 yards per game last season. The Patriots haven’t had a receiver average over 60 yards per games since Julian Edelman in 2019.
A fifth-round pick by the Minnesota Vikings in 2015, Diggs developed into one of the premier receivers in the NFL. From 2018-2023, Diggs had six straight 1,000-yard seasons. After being traded to the Buffalo Bills, he earned Pro Bowl honors four seasons in a row from 2020-2023. He also earned Pro Bowl honors in 2020 and 2022.
In the 2020 season, Diggs led the NFL in receptions (127) and receiving yards (1,535). He earned first-team All-Pro honors that year.
New England has lost out on several wideouts in free agency including Cooper Kupp, Deebo Samuel and Chris Godwin. The Patriots outbid for Godwin’s services, but the veteran preferred to stay in Tampa. The team was interested in Kupp, but not for the amount of money he signed with the Seattle Seahawks. The Patriots also weren’t involved in the trade market for D.K. Metcalf or Samuel.
The Patriots wide receiver depth left much to be desired in 2024. Their lone free-agent addition last offseason was K.J. Osborn, who played just four games before he was benched. His productivity wasn’t what the Patriots hoped. Osborn had seven catches on 18 targets for 57 yards and was released in December.
Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker, the two Patriots' draft picks, had down rookie seasons.
Diggs would give the franchise its most accomplished pass catcher since Rob Gronkowski and Edelman, who was the last Patriots receiver to finish with 1,000 yards.
The team also signed veteran receiver Mack Hollins this offseason. The Patriots also have DeMario Douglas, Kendrick Bourne, Kayshon Boutte, John Jiles, and JaQuae Jackson on the depth chart.
The Athletic’s Chad Graff was first to report the news of Diggs' visit.
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