Stef Diggs signs with the Pats!

[JohnNord]

7 minutes ago, Utah John said:

He's 31, and tore an ACL in the middle of last season.  He will need to spend this entire season in rehab until maybe the last few games.  Check out Von Miller's recovery to get a sense of how good Diggs will be this year.  Next year, 32 years old, and probably not allowed to bring his walker out on the field.  

 

Diggs's big sin with the Bills was that he wanted the ball.  All.  The.  Time.  Allen was much more effective throwing to whichever of his (less talented than Diggs) receivers were open.  But Diggs was very professional in how he prepared, and he took great care of his body.  He'll have a good impact in the Pats' WR room and in the locker room, but on the field...?

The crazy thing about Diggs is that he hasn’t gained 100 yards in a game since that atrocious 14-9 victory against NYG on Sunday night on 10/15/23.  Not even in the 8 games he played with Houston where was getting 6-10 catches in most games.  Also his YPC has been declining every season since 2022.  

I feel this speaks to his decline as a WR1.   He’s clearly lost some of the explosiveness he had in Buffalo early on.  
 

His best move might be as a Cole Beasley slot WR.  He’s still very good at route running and can get open in short areas.  So if his ego allows, I think he can be a safety valve for Drake Maye.  But even Beasley struggled to recover from a knee injury at 31 after 2020.  He never was the same WR.   That’s why I’m

not making a huge deal out of this signing.

 

It reminds me of Bills fans in 20011 after signing Shawne Merriman

 

 

36 minutes ago, thenorthremembers said:

31 going on 32 year old coming off an ACL injury signs a 3 year deal.   What could go wrong?

 

31 going on 32 year old coming off an ACL injury signs a 3 year deal.   What could go wrong?

 

Sounds like it’s a front loaded deal since NE has money to waste this season.  Would not be surprised if this is a “one-year and we’ll see” type deal

[Livinginthepast]

I think its incredible how much he got. NFL GMs are the dumbest in pro sports. In some ways good on him for getting top dollar but the Pats? Really? He told all their fans "F U" after his TD and generally had a complete disdain for the franchise.

[JakeFrommStateFarm]

Diggs could be the Renaissance for Maye like he was for Josh

[Low Positive]

1 minute ago, Livinginthepast said:

I think its incredible how much he got. NFL GMs are the dumbest in pro sports. In some ways good on him for getting top dollar but the Pats? Really? He told all their fans "F U" after his TD and generally had a complete disdain for the franchise.

Kraft told the new regime to spend all the money. So they did.

[Aussie Joe]

Just now, JakeFrommStateFarm said:

Diggs could be the Renaissance for Maye like he was for Josh

Im hoping Diggs treats Maye like dirt on the sideline…. And Mack has to step in and knock him out 

[NoSaint]

15 minutes ago, 947 said:

People here mentioned bringing Diggs back for the vet minimum, and most of us said "naaaa". The Pats go and pay him $23M/yr. LOL

 

Can't wait for Diggs to say that Maye is the best QB he's ever played with in an interview this summer and watch the media run with it.

vet minimum was never a real thing but genuinely amazed at a 1 yr 26m

 

i figured something like bosa level with opportunities to push higher with incentives 

[JohnNord]

17 minutes ago, JakeFrommStateFarm said:

Diggs could be the Renaissance for Maye like he was for Josh

Maybe Bob Kraft has a DeLorean and Diggs could travel back in time

[gomper]

That's an incredible job by his agent.  I cannot believe he got that much. Pats will enjoy the 7 games they'll get out of him.

[Mikie2times]

2 minutes ago, NoSaint said:

vet minimum was never a real thing but genuinely amazed at a 1 yr 26m

 

i figured something like bosa level with opportunities to push higher with incentives 

Stunned by this contract. 

[Low Positive]

3 minutes ago, JohnNord said:

Maybe Bob Kraft has a DeLorean and Diggs could travel back in time

 

[nedboy7]

Maybe I’ll become a patriots fan. If they pay me well. 

[harmonkillebrew]

Crazy money post-injury and given age and declining production.

But also helps bring into focus how little the Bills value the WR position. Their big spending this FA was Josh Palmer at more than half the cost NE paid for Diggs.

[Nihilarian]

The patriots are going all in to go for the division this year. 

[Doc Brown]

Wow.  That's quite the contract.  Why not one year $10m with incentives up to $15m or something like that.  Who are you competing with?

[JohnNord]

2 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

He was still a pretty productive slot receiver last year in Houston pre-injury. I don't think he was finished. He could still separate laterally he just couldn't separate vertically anymore. 

 

Whether you pay a 31 year old receiver who had lost his fastball and basically become a slot even before his ACL $23m AAV for three years....? Yea only if you are a bad team with more money than sense. 

 

My guess is Stef will do okay for them. 600 to 750 yards and 4 or 5 touchdowns. But he won't perform up to that contract.

It all depends on your definition of productive.  
 

If you’re relying on him as a WR1 it’s not that great and Houston’s offense and passing game struggled when Collins got hurt and Diggs was the #1 option.  

One thing that will help Diggs is that his game was based on precise route running and not flat out speed.  So I think he’ll be a good possession WR.  But his days of being a WR1 are over 

 

 

[BuffaloBillies]

See: Odell

[Success]

2 hours ago, JohnNord said:

Pats fans are acting like they signed Diggs from 2021.   Reality of the situation is that Diggs was on the decline.  He was still good last season but after blowing his ACL it’s going to be tough.  Also Im not convinced he’s suddenly going to be a great locker room leader.

 

The way Patriots are acting reminds me of any time Buffalo signed a “name” veteran.  Let’s them have fun… eventually the games will begin 

 

They're repeating our drought years.

 

This is their T.O. signing.

 

[Bills!Win!]

We can count on patriots at bills being a prime time game 

[Doc Brown]

1 minute ago, Bills!Win! said:

We can count on patriots at bills being a prime time game 

Doubt it.  They stuck the Texans game at 1:00 last year.  It's more of a story here than the rest of the league.

[BuffaloBillyG]

Stef is all about winning a Super Bowl. Such a competitive guy. Hates losing....