Patriots Country

Patriots Named Best Fit for Texans Star WR

The New England Patriots have been named the best fit for a star wide receiver in NFL free agency.

Evan Massey

Oct 27, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans wide receiver Stefon Diggs (1) walks towards the sideline before the game against the Indianapolis Colts at NRG Stadium.
Oct 27, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans wide receiver Stefon Diggs (1) walks towards the sideline before the game against the Indianapolis Colts at NRG Stadium. / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
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The New England Patriots have a major need at wide receiver as they head towards the upcoming NFL offseason.

While they have a lot of talented options at the position, none of them have played up to expectations. There is still hope that names like Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker can develop over the next or two into playmakers within the offense, but the Patriots cannot afford to wait and hope.

During the offseason, New England will need to get aggressive in order to surround young franchise quarterback Drake Maye with the talent that he needs.

Obviously, the first name that comes to mind when thinking about potential wide receiver targets is Tee Higgins. It has been reported that Higgins will be the Patriots' No. 1 priority in free agency.

That being said, there are a lot of teams who would love to sign Higgins. He could even end up re-signing with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Should New England be unable to land Higgins, who could they turn to next? One player could be an intriguing option for the Patriots and might very well end up taking the No. 1 wide receiver role immediately.

Stefon Diggs is set to hit the open market this offseason. He will be coming off of a torn ACL, but when healthy he is an elite playmaker and one of the top wide receivers in football.

Tyler Brooke of The 33rd Team has connected the Patriots as the best potential fit for Diggs in free agency.

"Although he's getting up there in age, Diggs can provide value that few veteran free agents can. He's a versatile weapon that can line up wide or in the slot and has the alpha mentality to bring an edge to whatever offense he's on," Brooke wrote.

"There are a few teams who need that kind of mentality at wide receiver, but the New England Patriots could be a really fun one for Diggs. Drake Maye needs a safety valve, Diggs could set a standard for New England's younger receivers, and he could get a chance at payback against his former Bills team twice a year."

On the outside looking in, this looks like a perfect fit for both parties.

During the 2024 NFL season before his ACL injury, Diggs played in eight games for the Houston Texans. He racked up 47 receptions for 496 yards and three touchdowns. In the previous six years, he recorded over 1,000 receiving yards in all of them.

At 31 years old, Diggs is getting older, but could still be a quality pickup for two or three years. New England should absolutely have interest in signing him.

Expect to hear a lot of rumors about the Patriots and wide receivers with the offseason coming up quickly. Diggs may not end up being a top target for New England, but he would make an awful lot of sense.

Make sure you bookmark New England Patriots on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

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Evan Massey
EVAN MASSEY

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