The Patriots finally landed their coveted WR1, but the signing came with a major caveat. That’s because Stefon Diggs is still recovering from a torn ACL suffered in late October. Fortunately for both the team and the player, it sounds like the wideout is ahead of schedule in his recovery.
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During his introductory press conference last week, Diggs told reporters that he’s ahead of his timeline and is “trying to stay there.” The receiver also hinted that he’s hoping to be on the field when practices kick off this summer.
“When the whistle blows, we’ll see” Diggs said of his availability (via Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com). “But right now, I’m ahead of schedule. I’m trying to stay ahead of schedule. I pretty much take it day by day. I try not to put the carriage before the horse, but here we are. Here’s the horse right here. I’ll let you know, though. We’ll keep playing it by ear and I’m going to stay ahead of schedule for now and I’ll let you all know.”
Diggs also admitted that he intends to “reel it back a little bit” so he doesn’t suffer any setbacks. It’s still encouraging to hear that the wide receiver intends to be ready for practices, much less the regular season.
While the Patriots can basically take it year-to-year with Diggs’ contract, the team will surely be cautious with their investment if they intend to make any noise in 2025. Considering the timing of the receiver’s injury, even a Week 1 return could be an ambitious target, although recent reports indicated that Diggs is aiming to play in the season opener.
While the wideout’s market was a bit quiet prior to his signing in New England, that didn’t mean there was a lack of suitors. Following reports that the Broncos sniffed around on Diggs, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston reports that the veteran also spoke with the Texans about re-signing. While the organization “wanted Diggs back,” the two sides ultimately had “different financial parameters.”