He hasn’t spent long dealing with the intricacies of Josh McDaniels’ offense, but Stefon Diggs already has plenty to say about the scheme the New England Patriots will run in 2025.
The four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver uploaded a video to YouTube, during which Diggs commented on adjusting to the McDaniels’ playbook. He made his comments during a broader look at the 31-year-old’s preparation habits and efforts to stay in shape throughout the offseason, filmed during a trip to Italy’s Lake Como.
Diggs explained, “I’m studying, but it’s really the route concepts, like basically, if you hear a word, you need to be able to know the word immediately, know the concept. So really, I’m just working on my memorization. I got the formation, but I need to know the concept. I don’t need to know exactly just what I got, I need to know what somebody to the right or to the left of me got—so what everybody got around me, how I’m going to get open or how I’m going to get somebody else open.”
Diggs spoke about the need to process things in “between two to three seconds when you break the huddle,” as well as having what he’s learning “become second nature.” Those are natural goals for a wideout joining a new team and getting to grips with a different system.
McDaniels’ offense has been noted for its complexity. It’s a challenge for receivers, even a veteran like Diggs.
Putting in the work is a good sign for the proven commodity expected to lead a new-look passing game. So far, Diggs’ brief time with the Patriots hasn’t been without controversy, but he’s continuing to work.
That preparation has coincided with a positive update about his injury status following the torn ACL that cost him the final nine games of last season.
Patriots Finally Hearing What They Want to Hear About Stefon Diggs
Having Diggs 100 percent for the start of the regular season would be a huge boost for McDaniels and second-year quarterback Drake Maye. Fortunately, NBCS Boston’s Albert Breer reported Diggs is “trending to being able to play” when the Pats host the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 1.
Breer also revealed he thinks Diggs is “excited about being here and being a Patriot.” That’s just what head coach Mike Vrabel wants to hear amid what’s already been a trying offseason with his star receiver.
Diggs generated unwanted attention when he appeared in a controversial video partying on a boat and offering a bag containing an unknown substance to female partygoers.
There was brief speculation Diggs would be cut, but he was soon back at OTAs. The 10-year pro even ran drills and spent time coaching up second-year receiver Ja’Lynn Polk, per 98.5 The Sports Hub and Marc D. Capello.
His work with Polk is just what the Patriots want to see from Diggs, but the noise about the receiver off the field hasn’t gone quiet. Diggs’ relationship with rapper Cardi B has prompted endless speculation, most of which has played out via social media messages from both.
The Patriots will hope for more soundbites like the one about Diggs studying his playbook and becoming the leader a perennially weak position group needs.
Patriots Counting on Stefon Diggs
While off-field news has dominated the narrative about Diggs in recent months, Chad Graff of The Athletic pointed out the pass-catcher “also impressed the team at minicamp with mentorship of younger players and routes that suggested he might be ahead of schedule on his rehab from an ACL tear.”
Breer’s take and Diggs’ work with Polk endorse Graff’s report, but the latter provided arguably a more encouraging update. It concerns Diggs’ chances of quickly getting up to speed with the McDaniels’ system.
As Graff put it, “Diggs thrived under then-OC Brian Daboll” for the Buffalo Bills from 2020-24. That’s good news because “Daboll, of course, used a playbook largely developed with concepts from his time working under Josh McDaniels in New England.”
A rapid learning curve for Diggs will lead to the big plays through the air the Patriots have lacked for too long. Maye has the arm talent to successfully exploit a true field-stretcher, and Diggs can still get vertical, so mastery of the McDaniels’ system will enable this potentially prolific partnership to start fast.
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