This young WR core is getting slept on

[The Gr8est]

There still needs to be that go to alpha WR/TE or someone that can consistently get open. The Pats current pass catchers fade out of games too much. You'll have that one Williams catch and then he's never heard from again which was similar to the Bethel Johnson days. Boutte is still recovering from his injury, but he's becoming a nice WR. Hollins has made some clutch catches this year. Douglas is disappointing and I had higher expectations for him. Diggs is nowhere close to the player he once was and I can see him one as a one and done given he's due $26.5M in 2026. Pats will have a ton of money to steal a young WR away from a cap strapped team and swap out Diggs.

What is Diggs’ leadership worth to this young team?

He is adding value in the locker room.

 

[Water Boy]

Steve Palazollo describes the WR corp like a Basketball team. Together they can bring a range of skill sets.

Hollins - tall, physical, blocker
Diggs - experienced in finding the opennings in the defense, athletic
Boutte- good route runner, gets open deep, good hands
Pop - jitterbug man beater with verticle speed threat
Williams - explosive play speedster

 

[Hugepatsfan]

There still needs to be that go to alpha WR/TE or someone that can consistently get open. The Pats current pass catchers fade out of games too much. You'll have that one Williams catch and then he's never heard from again which was similar to the Bethel Johnson days. Boutte is still recovering from his injury, but he's becoming a nice WR. Hollins has made some clutch catches this year. Douglas is disappointing and I had higher expectations for him. Diggs is nowhere close to the player he once was and I can see him one as a one and done given he's due $26.5M in 2026. Pats will have a ton of money to steal a young WR away from a cap strapped team and swap out Diggs.

I'd be very surprised if Diggs is one and done. We're projected to have like $65M in cap space next year as-is. And a relatively short list of contributors to re-sign (Chaisson, Hawkins, Tonga, Hooper, maybe Gibbens).

For comparison, all of the players we signed last free agency, signing a draft class that includes the #4 pick signing bonus that's way higher than what we have this year, and all of the in-season roster moves made to this point has used up a combine total of about $75M from what we started last offseason with.

I just don't see them releasing a guy who's been a huge part of their team. Even if they did add a top WR, that just means Diggs can play in the slot more (assuming the addition is an outside guy) which only makes him even better.

After next season is when most of the free agents they signed this past year will face "judgement day". Landry, Moses, Diggs, Spillane, Davis are all candidates to not see the third year of the deals they signed considering their age and potential decline curve against that.

 

[TheRainMaker]

What is Diggs’ leadership worth to this young team?

He is adding value in the locker room.

I'd be very surprised if Diggs is one and done. We're projected to have like $65M in cap space next year as-is. And a relatively short list of contributors to re-sign (Chaisson, Hawkins, Tonga, Hooper, maybe Gibbens).

For comparison, all of the players we signed last free agency, signing a draft class that includes the #4 pick signing bonus that's way higher than what we have this year, and all of the in-season roster moves made to this point has used up a combine total of about $75M from what we started last offseason with.

I just don't see them releasing a guy who's been a huge part of their team. Even if they did add a top WR, that just means Diggs can play in the slot more (assuming the addition is an outside guy) which only makes him even better.

After next season is when most of the free agents they signed this past year will face "judgement day". Landry, Moses, Diggs, Spillane, Davis are all candidates to not see the third year of the deals they signed considering their age and potential decline curve against that.

That's a lot of money to pay for leadership. Watching him this season it's clear he's not remotely close to what he was in Minnesota and Buffalo. He was among the best outside WR's in the NFL and now is strictly in the slot where he constantly has a defender hanging on him after the catch.

His contract was designed to barely pay him this season, but have to pay up for 2026 or 2027. They have a big decision to make at the end of the season as they can save $20.8M in cap space to a $5.7M dead cap for 2026. If there's an opportunity to get a longer term option at WR, I think Pats are going cut him. He's going to be 33 next season.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

What is Diggs’ leadership worth to this young team?

He is adding value in the locker room.

Not worth $25M

 

[Huckleberry1]

I'm glad they've salvaged Douglas. He's turned into a man coverage specialist. He's on of the best WRs in the NFL vs. man coverage:





Boutte's developed into dependable WR2 & Douglas into a big play threat WR3/WR4. Hitting on two 6th round pick WRs in the same draft is close to a 1% outcome.

This is what happens when you take the time to develop players.

 

[Hugepatsfan]

That's a lot of money to pay for leadership. Watching him this season it's clear he's not remotely close to what he was in Minnesota and Buffalo. He was among the best outside WR's in the NFL and now is strictly in the slot where he constantly has a defender hanging on him after the catch.

His contract was designed to barely pay him this season, but have to pay up for 2026 or 2027. They have a big decision to make at the end of the season as they can save $20.8M in cap space to a $5.7M dead cap for 2026. If there's an opportunity to get a longer term option at WR, I think Pats are going cut him. He's going to be 33 next season.

I wouldn't say they barely paid him this past year. He got $18.5M. Compared to $22.5M cash in each of the next two years of his deal. That $18.5M this year includes $3.4M per game roster bonuses whereas the 2026 and 2027 totals of $22.5M only have $1.7M each year, so there is somewhat more of an "incentive" nature this year. But because $12M of that $18.5M was signing bonus, $9.7M of the cap hit gets deferred to 2026 and 2027 (or all in 2026 if they cut him like you suggest before $6M of his 2026 salary becomes guaranteed in March). I wouldn't say the cash is significantly lower though. In reality they set him up on a series of 1 year deals at a fairly flat cash amount.

I get that you're forecasting a scenario where they first add a big time receiver so you don't want to spend double at that spot. But given their overall cap situation and Diggs' play this year, I'd just keep him for one more year on a bloated deal. It's no different than signing a one year "prove-it" kind of free agent. One year deals always have higher cap hits because the bigger salary is how you get guys to sign shorter deals assuming they're good enough where multiyear deals are in play.

 

[dliverey44]

The Pats are moving the ball well through the air because every receiver is good not great. The ball distribution I would argue is best in the league. It forces defenses to not focus on one guy allowing the Pats to exploit a mismatch/find the open guy. Other teams that have a true #1 for the most part have big drop off in talent behind that player. They focus on feeding that player as mush as possible and if a defense can contain that player they run into problems moving the ball. The Pats dont focus on any player as evident of the stats week in and week out. The distribution is pretty equal with Henry sometimes getting more catches because the defense is spread too thin. We havent seen a team that could match up across the board with all of our weapons. So they have to pick their poison and deal with it as best as they can. I am glad we are not one dimensional and force so many targets to one guy. At the beginning of the season we all wanted that #1 receiver, as it stands right now I would not change who we have for TE/WR.

I have said many times I would rather have 3 good WRs instead of 1 great WR. As long as you have a competent OC and a QB that can process the more options you have the better.

I personally think the Blah Blah #1 WR blah blah is way overrated and It is very frustrating listening to fans clamor on about needing a #1 WR. a good team really doesn't as long as the QB is the guy.

 

[n1997y]

There still needs to be that go to alpha WR/TE or someone that can consistently get open.

Why?

The Pats current pass catchers fade out of games too much.

QB is completing 71.5% of his passes.
He can only throw to one receiver per play (flea flickers etc. excepted ).
So where’s the problem?

You'll have that one Williams catch and then he's never heard from again which was similar to the Bethel Johnson days. Boutte is still recovering from his injury, but he's becoming a nice WR. Hollins has made some clutch catches this year. Douglas is disappointing and I had higher expectations for him. Diggs is nowhere close to the player he once was and I can see him one as a one and done given he's due $26.5M in 2026. Pats will have a ton of money to steal a young WR away from a cap strapped team and swap out Diggs.

 

[n1997y]

Not worth $25M

Even if he hoists the Lombardi?

 

[dliverey44]

Not worth $25M

I disagree that Diggs isn't worth 25M, aside from leadership in the WR room he is also like another WR coach. He has worked with some of the young WRs on a few occasions from what I have read. Having a reliable vet is a pretty big asset to have.

 

[Nikolai]

I personally think the Blah Blah #1 WR blah blah is way overrated and It is very frustrating listening to fans clamor on about needing a #1 WR. a good team really doesn't as long as the QB is the guy.

It's a fickle thing, really.

We got Moss in 2007 and set the world on fire. The Iggles seem to do worse when AJ Green does better and vice versa.

What I do know is that we have a pretty damned good mix now. I do enjoy the fact that an opposing DC can't simply try and take away the top 1-2 options. Diggs, Henry, Boutte, Pop, Hollins, Williams. Pick 2, remove them from the game, and the others will kill you.

 

[Hugepatsfan]

I have said many times I would rather have 3 good WRs instead of 1 great WR. As long as you have a competent OC and a QB that can process the more options you have the better.

I personally think the Blah Blah #1 WR blah blah is way overrated and It is very frustrating listening to fans clamor on about needing a #1 WR. a good team really doesn't as long as the QB is the guy.

Agree with you that 3 good WRs is better than 1 great WR and 2 weak WRs. But having a great receiver doesn't mean your other 2 WRs have to be weak. It's not either-or. You can have 1 great WR and 2 good ones. That's allowed.

You definitely need to be mindful of how your resources (money, draft capital) are spread across the roster. If you trade a 1st round pick for a GREAT WR and then make him the highest paid player, trade a third for a "just good" WR before paying him well too and then use another 1st to draft a "just good" WR, then you have 1 great WR with 2 good ones but you're PROBABLY hurting on the rest of the roster with that much poured into one position. So it does have to fit in the overall roster. But you take the talent you can get as it comes available

 

[TommyD4207]

Not worth $25M

You're right, he's worth more.

 

[n1997y]

Agree with you that 3 good WRs is better than 1 great WR and 2 weak WRs. But having a great receiver doesn't mean your other 2 WRs have to be weak. It's not either-or. You can have 1 great WR and 2 good ones. That's allowed.

There’s only one football. But there are three egos there, all demanding to be fed.

 

[Tunescribe]

The title is obvious but the young WR we have are not getting their flowers with the league

Boutte just catches everything throw to him, can run just about any route and gets good separation.

Douglas out of the slot is shifty and sneaky good.

Williams as one of the best releases off the line and great speed.

Getting Diggs to teach them while Hollands fills in the gaps the core next year barring major regression or Injury is going to be scary

CORPS, c-o-r-p-s. Not "core."

 

[TheRainMaker]

Why?

QB is completing 71.5% of his passes.
He can only throw to one receiver per play (flea flickers etc. excepted ).
So where’s the problem?

Why? Because why not? They will be tested come playoff time and then we will revisit this conversation.

 

[Wozzy]

Pop and Williams will be complimentary pieces. nice pieces, but complimentary.

I don’t agree with this, Pop started slow in this
new offense, but as Josh learned how to utilize him he has become a real weapon from the slot, especially on third downs. He could become the heir apparent in that crucial slot role.

Kyle Williams could become Stefon Diggs after Diggs
leaves… maybe sooner. I said exiting college the prospect Williams most reminded me of was Diggs….
similar athlete, has Diggs as a mentor… why not?

 

[aluminum seats]

It’s all about the quarterback.

Put a replacement-level guy in there and it would be screenshots with “look at this! There’s nobody open!”

 

[Water Boy]

We need a numbah one recievah