Patriots Ripped for 'Panic' Move With Stefon Diggs

The New England Patriots finally made a move to address their laboring receiving corps this offseason, signing Stefon Diggs to a three-year deal in free agency.

While Diggs is certainly a big name, he comes with some significant baggage, as he tore his ACL halfway through the 2024 campaign and still needs to work his way back.

That made the Patriots' decision to sign Diggs to a $69 million contract — $26 million guaranteed — a bit risky, to say the least, and Bleacher Report's Gary Davenport actually thinks it was one of the worst signings of the offseason.

"There’s no question the Patriots need wide receiver help. And should they choose, New England can get out of this deal with a dead cap hit of about $10 million in 2026," Davenport wrote. "But we’re talking about an aging receiver coming off an ACL tear who essentially played his way out of Minnesota and Buffalo. Diggs 62 receiving yards per game last year were his fewest since all the way back in 2017 — coincidentally the last time he failed to hit 1,000 yards in a season."

Diggs logged 47 catches for 496 yards and three touchdowns in eight games with the Houston Texans in 2024, so he actually was on pace for a 1,000-yard campaign had he not gotten injured.

But with Diggs being 31 years old and recovering from such a major injury, it's definitely worth questioning whether or not signing him to such a lucrative deal was worth it.

"This was a panic signing. And far more often than not, panic signings don’t work out," Davenport concluded.

Davenport certainly has a point, as Diggs was absolutely not New England's number one option in free agency. The Pats initially wanted one of Tee Higgins or Chris Godwin, but both ultimately agreed to stay with their respective teams. As the market dried up, Diggs was one of the only compelling options available.

Hopefully for the Patriots, Diggs can reestablish himself as an elite wide out in 2025.