The Patriots’ decision to move on from Stefon Diggs is looking a lot messier two weeks into the season.
Diggs has wasted no time making an impact in Washington, putting together nine receptions on 15 targets for 102 yards and three touchdowns through two games. That kind of start doesn’t make New England’s choice indefensible, but it does make the conversation a whole lot louder - especially with A.J. Brown sidelined by a high-ankle sprain and the Patriots’ offense still searching for answers.
Last season, Diggs was still a clear positive in New England. He finished with 85 receptions on 102 targets for 1,013 yards and four touchdowns, and he played a major part in Drake Maye’s development.
For a young quarterback, that kind of continuity matters. The Patriots rolled the dice by breaking that up, and the risk got even bigger when they traded Kayshon Boutte in the offseason, too.
There were always reasons to question Diggs’ long-term fit. He’s 32, he’s no longer a clean-cut No. 1, and he has a history of fading later in the year.
Even so, there was still a case for keeping him around or bringing him back after releasing him. The Patriots couldn’t have planned for Brown’s injury in the opener, but right now it’s hard to ignore how much they’d benefit from having Diggs available.
On paper, New England still has a strong receiver group when healthy. In reality, the offense hasn’t looked the part. Maye hasn’t had a truly good game since maybe the Wild Card game against the Los Angeles Chargers last season, and it may be a while before the unit gets anywhere close to its ceiling.
If Diggs were still in the mix, the Patriots would be in a much better spot. Brown’s absence wouldn’t sting nearly as much, Romeo Doubs would be handling the role he was signed for instead of being asked to carry more, and the pressure would ease on Mack Hollins, DeMario Douglas, Hunter Henry, the running game, and everyone else trying to keep the offense afloat.
Instead, Diggs is thriving elsewhere while New England is still trying to get going. There’s plenty of season left, and the Patriots can still turn things around. But the early returns make one thing clear: moving on from Diggs was a big bet, and it hasn’t looked good so far.
In Other News...
Will Campbell Suddenly Faces A Huge Patriots Test Up Front
Michael Onwenus broken right ankle up front changes the look of the Patriots offensive line in a hurry, and it puts a bigger spotlight on Will Campbell than the team probably expected this early. Onwenu, the right guard who has been a stabilizing presence, is now dealing with an injury that could linger beyond the immediate moment, and his status also comes with an added layer since he is in the final year of his contract.
For Campbell, the timing makes the assignment feel especially significant. The Patriots used their top draft pick on him with the hope that he could become a foundational piece, and now they may need him to help cover a major opening on the interior line while also showing he can grow into a long-term answer. How quickly he settles in could matter not just for this season, but for how New England imagines the front of its offense going forward. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Wins Arent Hiding What Gronk And Edelman Now See
The Patriots have the kind of early wins that usually quiet a lot of noise, but Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman are still seeing the same thing plenty of fans are: an offense that has not looked right through two games. New England is averaging just 15 points per game, and Drake Mayes start has been uneven, with four interceptions against one touchdown pass as the operation around him has struggled to find any rhythm.
Gronkowski and Edelman both pointed to Maye looking uncomfortable and slipping from where he was a year ago, which is the part that matters most for a team trying to build around its young quarterback. The wins give the Patriots some breathing room, but they do not erase the questions hanging over the offense, and the bigger concern now is whether the staff can help Maye settle in before the season drifts further in the wrong direction. [Read more 🡒]
Mike Vrabel Admitted One Patriots Mistake That Could Matter Later
Even in a lopsided win, there was a moment when the Patriots helped the Steelers out of a jam. Mike Vrabel admitted he made a coaching mistake with consecutive timeouts that led to a delay-of-game penalty, and the sequence ended with Chris Boswell drilling a 56-yard field goal in Pittsburghs 20-3 loss in Foxborough. It was a small crack in an otherwise sharp performance, the kind of detail that can get lost when the defense is controlling the game from start to finish.
And New England did control it. The Patriots defense piled up four sacks and two turnovers, and Vrabels group kept pressure on Aaron Rodgers by blitzing nearly half the time. Those are the sorts of numbers that make a coach feel good after the final whistle, but the timeout sequence is the kind of late-game detail that can linger, especially if the Patriots find themselves in a tighter spot down the road. [Read more 🡒]