This time last year, nobody knew what to expect from Stefon Diggs.
The former All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver had just signed a three-year, $69 million contract with the New England Patriots. Diggs was coming off a torn ACL suffered as a Houston Texan in October 2024, and the Patriots just posted back-to-back 4-13 seasons. Expectations outside of Massachusetts were lukewarm.
Last season, the Patriots took the NFL by storm behind 23-year-old quarterback Drake Maye, who barely missed out on NFL MVP to Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford. Diggs, 32, was the team’s leading receiver with 1,013 yards and four touchdowns on 85 receptions. New England went 14-3 and reached Super Bowl LX, where the Seattle Seahawks annihilated them, 29-13.
Even with the Super Bowl loss, the Patriots were ahead of schedule, so it seemed obvious that they’d keep Diggs as Maye’s safety blanket. That was the wrong assumption, as the Patriots released Diggs in March, and he remains a free agent.
Diggs’ patience might be rewarded if he lands with the reigning NFL MVP instead of staying with the runner-up.
“The Ravens could be a fit for Diggs, but I really like him in L.A. alongside Puka Nacua and Davante Adams,” ESPN’s Matt Bowen wrote. “The Rams attempted 430 passes out of 11 personnel (three wide receivers) last season, which was ninth most in the league, and Diggs is a natural separator who can line up inside or outside. Plus, he has the toughness to work the middle of the field on in-breaking concepts, a key element of coach Sean McVay’s offense.”
The Rams have been roasted for using the No. 13 overall pick on quarterback Ty Simpson in the 2026 NFL Draft last month, mostly because it runs counter to the Rams’ win-now Super Bowl window with 38-year-old Stafford. Former USC receiver Makai Lemon had been heavily projected to the Rams at No. 13 heading into the draft. Signing Diggs to a one- or two-year deal would assuage those criticisms, especially if Diggs produces in Los Angeles as he did in New England last year.
Diggs was the clear No. 1 for Maye and the Patriots last season. Barring injuries to Nacua and Adams, he would not be above the No. 3 receiver spot on the Rams’ depth chart. That would have been true for Lemon or any other rookie weapon, too.
With or without Diggs, the Rams are the odds-on favorite to win the Super Bowl next season. They leapfrogged the Seahawks after trading for then-Kansas City Chiefs All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie in March.
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