Why Stefon Diggs would be a smart signing by the Patriots

Under head coach Mike Vrabel, the Patriots care about culture.

They want to be careful about the human beings they bring onto their roster. They know they're not a player or two away from Super Bowl contention and that they have to lay a foundation for what they're building with the right types of personalities.

"We don't want to be reckless through this process," Vrabel said earlier this month. "We want to be very intentional with the people that we bring on this football team, and we'll continue to target all those needs that we feel like and the players that can help us."

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But that doesn't mean they will be completely out on any player who has ever been followed by questions about "football character."

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There were questions about Seahawks receiver DK Metcalf's fit in New England, but the Patriots were ultimately interested in acquiring him via trade. They knew he'd make them better. They were willing to pay him on a new contract. But the reason the Patriots never ended up offering the Seahawks a deal for Metcalf was because they received indications from Metcalf that he wasn't interested in signing with New England on a long-term contract.

Thanks but no thanks.

There were questions about free-agent tackle Cam Robinson's fit in New England, but the Patriots were ultimately interested in acquiring him. They were willing to make him what they believed was a competitive offer. He represented an upgrade for them at a premium position. The reason they didn't get him was because he opted for Houston's one-year deal instead.

Thanks but no thanks.

The Patriots are meeting with Stefon Diggs, per a source with knowledge of the visit, indicating that he's of interest to Vrabel's club as well. It's a fascinating potential fit.

Some may view the team's interest in Diggs as somewhat contradictory because of the wideout's reputation as being the kind of outspoken entitled-to-targets pass-catcher Vrabel might not want to introduce to his offensive huddle -- particularly with a young second-year quarterback in Drake Maye at the center of things.

Who Maye has in his ear is important to Vrabel and his staff. But signing Diggs, if that's what the Patriots eventually do, makes sense on a number of different levels.

Because Diggs is going to be 32 years old in November, and because he's coming off a torn ACL that ended his season in October, his price tag is likely going to be far less than the $22.5 million he received from the Texans in 2024. Given his age, injury history and a salary that'll be befitting someone in his situation, Diggs' expectations would have to be managed to a degree.

They were last year in Houston, where he was a model citizen, according to one Texans staffer.

"He got along with people well here... Everyone liked him," the staffer texted Wednesday. "He was a good teammate and worked hard. No noticeable issues. He understood Nico [Collins] was the guy."

In eight games with Houston, Diggs averaged 5.9 catches and 62.0 yards every time he was on the field. Yet with a clear-cut No. 1 there, Diggs understood his role and fit in.

New England would be an altogether different situation for Diggs. There is no No. 1 in Foxboro. And pockets of the receiver room were viewed by the previous coaching staff as lacking maturity and the requisite level of professionalism. Diggs wouldn't only help raise the talent level of that position group, but his approach might help rub off on young players who'd benefit from being around one of the league's most accomplished receivers of the last decade.

Additionally, if Diggs were to sign, his acquisition wouldn't prevent the Patriots from continuing to look for more high-end help there.

For instance, if the Patriots were in a position to draft dual-threat Heisman Trophy-winner Travis Hunter at No. 4 overall next month, having Diggs as a savvy route-running No. 2 option could be beneficial to Hunter as he picks up the finer points of the position after splitting his time on offense and defense in college.

The Patriots would likely already have good intel on what kind of teammate and worker they'll get in Diggs because offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels' brother, Ben McDaniels, was Diggs' receivers coach in Houston. Odds are Diggs wouldn't be visiting in the first place if the Patriots felt he wasn't their kind of person.

Diggs was sent from Buffalo to Houston for a reason. He was sent from Minnesota to Buffalo for a reason. But at all three spots he maintained a reputation as an aggressive competitor and technician with a burning desire to win -- elements Vrabel would like to add to his locker room.

"I loved him," said one Vikings staffer who worked with Diggs. "He was a handful, but he could play. You only get to complain if you can produce, and I would think he gets that now."

Diggs is in a different spot compared to where he was earlier in his career. Is he what the Patriots want right now? Is he willing to be a mentor of sorts if they were to bring in a younger receiver? Will he recover well enough from his injury to recapture his early-2024 form?

The Patriots will have a chance to investigate the answers to all those questions and more during Diggs' visit. And if they like what they see and hear, adding him would make sense on multiple fronts.

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