It took lower than two minutes at Stefon Diggs’ introductory press convention Friday for the most recent New England Patriots extensive receiver to make the inevitable Drake Maye-Josh Allen comparison.
“I am excited. I actually stay up for it,” Diggs mentioned when requested about working with Maye. “It is loopy as a result of once you ask round, he has numerous similarities — properly, folks say via the grapevine that he acts quite a bit like Josh. That was my man, so I stay up for assembly him and connecting with him.”
Diggs, in fact, is well-versed on this topic. After a 2020 commerce that despatched him from Minnesota to Buffalo, Diggs performed the most effective soccer of his profession alongside Allen, racking up 5,372 yards over 4 seasons with the Payments that resulted in 4 straight Professional Bowls.
Diggs’ presence additionally helped Allen blossom from a uncooked, turnover-happy QB to one of many NFL’s greatest passers. In his first season with Diggs in 2020 — his third NFL marketing campaign — Allen racked up 4,544 passing yards and 45 whole touchdowns (37 passing, eight dashing), an enormous leap from his 3,089 passing yards and 29 whole TDs (20 passing, 9 dashing) in 2019.
The Payments went 48-18 in the course of the Allen-Diggs period, with Allen averaging 4,385 passing yards per season and Diggs averaging 1,343 receiving yards over that four-year stretch.
Diggs isn’t necessarily the player he was in Buffalo, particularly after a torn ACL in Week 8 ended his 2024 season with the Houston Texans. However one can perceive why Patriots followers are optimistic that Diggs can have an identical impact on Maye in New England.
“I have been doing this 10 and a half years,” Diggs added. “… I’ve performed with numerous quarterbacks, I have been round numerous quarterbacks. So, studying the quarterback, attending to know him, spending extra time with him — as soon as you realize anyone on a extra private stage, I really feel like there’s numerous carryover to the sphere, whether or not that is risk-takers, prefer to play aggressive, prefer to play sensible, and simply honing in on what he is good at.”
Diggs admitted he hasn’t interacted a lot with Maye since agreeing to a three-year, $69 million contract with the Patriots earlier this week. However the 31-year-old wideout bought a first-hand take a look at the younger QB final season — Maye made his first NFL begin in opposition to Diggs’ Texans in Week 6 — and appreciated what he noticed.
“We performed him final 12 months. He confirmed numerous combat,” Diggs mentioned of Maye. “He is bought that fiery quarterback, ‘I wish to win’ mindset, in order that’s one thing I get enthusiastic about and like to be round.”
Contemplating the supporting forged Maye handled final season — DeMario Douglas led all Patriots receivers with 621 yards, which ranked 61st within the NFL — Diggs absolutely should give the young QB a boost. Expectations must be managed, nevertheless, as Diggs is still recovering from his torn ACL and was extra of a No. 2 to Nico Collins in Houston final season.
In truth, Diggs prompt he’ll be extra hands-off in relation to imparting knowledge on Maye.
“So far as his improvement as a quarterback, I really feel like that is probably not an excessive amount of of my job,” Diggs added. “My job is to get open and catch the ball. So, I simply stay up for getting again on the market and being one of many weapons for him.”
If Diggs may also help Maye get wherever near the numbers Allen put up in Buffalo, although, that’d be a major win for the Patriots.
Trending Merchandise
