Boston Herald reports what they heard at Combine

[imahobgoblin]

I think with Diggs, you have to be careful about how you approach him. He's not taking a pay cut. And petulant Diggs is not a good thing for the team. So does paying him mid-WR1 money on the hope that he stays a locker room leader and his knee improves make more sense than trying to find another WR1 in a free agency where there really isn't much available?

Yes, it does make sense if we can make his salary more beneficial. I think he has a great year left in him. Right now most of Diggs’s money is salary — which counts fully against the cap in 2026. The Patriots could:

Option 1: Convert Base Salary into Signing Bonus

• Convert a portion of his base salary into a signing bonus, and then prorate it over the remaining contract.
• That could turn, say, $15 M of 2026 salary into bonus proration spread across 2026, 2027 (and possibly 2028).
• Result: His 2026 cap hit drops significantly and the team gets breathing room — but future years’ charges go up...and so does the salary cap.

Option 2: Re-Extend the Contract

• Extend Diggs’ deal by 1–2 years with new guarantees and new prorated bonus money.
• New years mean new cap space tactics (more proration), and a smoother cap hit each year.
• Result: This offers Diggs more long-term security and spreads out the hit for the Pats.

 

[imahobgoblin]

I know a lot of people are talking about needing to get a blocking TE, but this team is severely lacking in explosiveness. We need a TE that teams have to game plan for, a matchup nightmare pass catching TE. Henry is a decent pass catcher, but he’s easy to take out of the game. He was a ghost in the SB. We need to get our young TE of the future. We’ve needed that since 2018.

You are not wrong, but we need 3 TE. Henry will be here as a leader. We need a great pass catcher and a TE with decent hands who can act as an extra OL.

 

[mike_usagisan]

You are not wrong, but we need 3 TE. Henry will be here as a leader. We need a great pass catcher and a TE with decent hands who can act as an extra OL.

I think this is right. The blocker with decent hands is probably coming in free agency and the great pass catcher is hopefully coming in the draft. Vrabel specifically said what a great draft this is for TEs.

 

[TheRainMaker]

On S Diggs I hope the plan is not to keep him at that price. The Pats should be doing some restructures. IF I was them I would go after Cade Otton contrary to what some PatsFans think. Hunter can't Block Henry is close to that TE playing cliff.

I think with Diggs, you have to be careful about how you approach him. He's not taking a pay cut. And petulant Diggs is not a good thing for the team. So does paying him mid-WR1 money on the hope that he stays a locker room leader and his knee improves make more sense than trying to find another WR1 in a free agency where there really isn't much available?

S Diggs is not Elite anymore: Edelman was way better as that age... he's carrying a Huge cap hit for a guy who's not even grades out as a solid #2 right now. Diggs ain't losing people out there Defenders are glued to him... color me not impressed.

33 year old S Diggs will not be hard to replace he's close to that WR cliff. He's been in this league for a while: they don't play forever you know. Newsflash He ain't that Minnesota or Buffalo S Diggs. That S Diggs is long gone: Maye needs more than a Average WR which Diggs is now.

Mike makes a good point that it's probably not a good idea to approach Diggs for a pay cut at this point. We have to remember the Pats are lucky Diggs even considered them given their latest stretch of bad seasons and reputation around the league slipping. Also, I think it's a bad look to cut a guy who got 1,000 yards off an ACL injury with the team going from 4-13 to 14-3 and a Super Bowl birth.

I agree that Diggs is nowhere close and will never be what he was in Minnesota or Buffalo due to age. In fact, we saw this in Houston where Collins saw majority of the targets before his injury. The Diggs injury followed soon after. With that said, I'm leaning towards the Pats paying him this season for optics while planning on finding his replacement in 2027. However, a release wouldn't shock me.

 

[Hugepatsfan]

I think the most important thing in team building is that there needs to be cohesiveness in your moves. Just based on this report, it seems like they're trying to keep building with a longer term focus - keep the cap sheet relatively clean, spend less this year to balance spending more last year.

If that's the approach they're going to take, it seems contradictory IMO to spend close to $30M on Diggs and Henry. And people will say they can move the cap hits around, but I'm talking actual spending. If you're going to build it with a long term or multi year focus, it just feels to me that you're better off spending that money on some younger guys. At WR there's Rome Doubs or Wandale Robinson for example. At TE there's Otton, Likely or Okonkwo.

If their overall philosophy is that they don't want to push too many chips in for the 2026 season and instead keep building with 2027, 2028, etc. in mind, then I'd rather see them spend on younger guys who will be better pieces in those 2027, 2028, etc. seasons. Obviously you still want to be good in 2026 so not saying to mindlessly cut vets left and right, but at those two positions specifically it feels like they can allocate resources that better align with the timeline being laid out in these Herald rumblings and still have good talent in place.

 

[DaBruinz]

Yes.. I follow alot or Taylor Klyes on patiots CLNS media as well.. the thing here is Mike.. I matter what Landry is saying publicly about him wanting to get the knee right hsi availability is and unknown.. we can't rely on him.. is why resigning Chaisson and targeting a Mafe or Oweh as well as drafting I'd say minimum 2 edge rushers and then of course well have camp guys UDFAs as well. Really and truly believe our edge rush will be potent come next season.. other teams seem to seamlessly be able to get edge guys we need to as well..

There is only one way I see the Pats spending 2 Draft Picks on the Edge. They lose Chaisson and are unable to sign a vet replacement.

With the Expectation that Landry will start on Active/PUP and likely be moved to IR, the Pats will have Jennings, Ponder, Swinson, Draft pick.
One of the things the Pats could do is add a DL draft pick early and kick Williams and/or Barmore out to take Edge Reps. Heck, they could do that even without adding a DL Draft pick.

 

[TommyD4207]

This was a great podcast by The Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed and Andrew Callahan, who revealed what they learned from league sources at the combine:


They said that it sounds like:

• The Pats are probably keeping Barmore and Diggs. The people that they could potentially replace both with are not as good and while the price tag is a little big on both, if they wanted to replace them with comparable players in free agency, they are probably paying just as much. The team views Barmore's off field problems as worse than Diggs'.
• The Pats are in on Crosby and Brown, but they're not sure if the asking price or timing will work to swing a trade on either.
• Tonga is probably walking, not because he suddenly did better in the playoffs, but because more teams have developed as suitors for him in a weak DT free agency.
• They aren't in on Likely (the TE). They probably want more of a big bodied blocking tight end. Maybe Otton?
• The Pats like the positions of need in the draft (TE, EDGE, etc.)
• Gonzo is going to get paid.
• The Pats might bring Hawkins back because he isn't viewed as strongly by the rest of the league.
• The Pats aren't talking to any free agency offensive tackles.

Anyway, I thought it was a great listen to get a sense of where the team is right now.

So...the completely reasonable front office position.
This is all good news.

 

[Stu Pidassle]

Cut Henry for a blocking TE too.

I agree that the Pats need better blocking out of TE to be able to run and pass with same personnel on the field. I would like to see Henry stay at a reduced role. Make him a pass catching specialist TE and pair him with a TE that can block and at catch well enough to keep defenses honest.

 

[mike_usagisan]

So...the completely reasonable front office position.
This is all good news.

Yeah, it feels like we're in capable hands again.

 

[grux]

I would keep Diggs because I think his continuity with Drake is very important. Drake needs stability in order for him to continue to develop and Diggs showed he fit our system very well. I am sure they are trying to develop or are watching potential #1 wide receivers for 2027.

 

[hornetfb85]

A vet guard like Seamulo would be nice, and probably wouldn’t cost a ton.

Target Mafe at edge, Otton at TE, and Seamulo at G. Re-sign Hawkins and Chaisson

Draft:
1) M. Iheanachor
2) J. Golday
3) M. Lawrence
4) O. Delp
4) B. Lance
5) J. Farmer
6) V. Payne

 

[captain stone]

• The Pats aren't talking to any free agent offensive tackles.

And that's a damn shame.

 

[captain stone]

I'm going to hope we get lucky in this Draft also that Kyle Williams and Efton Chism both make that year two jumps.

That's a whole lotta Hope right thar.

 

[p8ryts]

That's a whole lotta Hope right thar.

Early in the year, Williams was not getting open and not catching the ball. About halfway or two thirds through the season, I thought he started doing both. Near the end he was getting open on the deep sideline routes and not getting targeted or getting rushed poorly thrown balls. I have hopes for him next season and hope he gets looked at earlier in the progression. I never really saw Chism work the old Welker, Edelman short quick stuff. He did get open in zones, and he did catch the ball. Would have liked to see if his seemingly quickness could be effective. Don't think he ever really got into the game plans.

 

[captain stone]

I do wonder if their disinterest might be a signal that the Pats might be leaning toward keeping Bradbury at C and maybe keeping Wilson at G and seeing what they get in the draft. Or Kyed and Callahan just didn't get the dirt on the team's plans there.

Keeping the Volleyball at LG next season should be, in the mind of any reasonable person, a Non-Starter. Dude sucks there.

 

[mike_usagisan]

Keeping the Volleyball at LG next season should be, in the mind of any reasonable person, a Non-Starter. Dude sucks there.

It was odd in Wolf's interview/press conference that he continued to talk about Wilson as either a center or a guard, which might reflect that they think better of Wilson than others.

But probably we won't know their thinking about their offensive line until training camp.

 

[Huckleberry1]

Kyed also said that the Pats don’t feel like this is as good a free agency as last year. Plus the Pats draft guy keeps telling Wolf that they spent two years of free agency money last year.

Not a lot of talk about offensive line, which seems weird to me because I figured the Pats would be targeting a guard.

There was very little talk of defensive tackle before free agency a year ago, and then Milt Williams was their big signing. People know in general what their needs are, but they have their own plan and criteria for who they will. Give big money to, and they won't telegraph everything.

 

[Huckleberry1]

Early in the year, Williams was not getting open and not catching the ball. About halfway or two thirds through the season, I thought he started doing both. Near the end he was getting open on the deep sideline routes and not getting targeted or getting rushed poorly thrown balls. I have hopes for him next season and hope he gets looked at earlier in the progression. I never really saw Chism work the old Welker, Edelman short quick stuff. He did get open in zones, and he did catch the ball. Would have liked to see if his seemingly quickness could be effective. Don't think he ever really got into the game plans.

The problem for Chism was that Diggs became the primary slot guy, which meant he was 3rd on the depth chart at Slot, so he never got much of a chance. I think that will change next season.

 

[DaBruinz]

The problem for Chism was that Diggs became the primary slot guy, which meant he was 3rd on the depth chart at Slot, so he never got much of a chance. I think that will change next season.

It wouldn't surprise me if Douglas is traded between now and the end of the draft. It wouldn't surprise me if the Pats went into TC with Chism working as the primary slot guy but Boutte and Williams also taking snaps there.

 

[TommyD4207]

It wouldn't surprise me if Douglas is traded between now and the end of the draft. It wouldn't surprise me if the Pats went into TC with Chism working as the primary slot guy but Boutte and Williams also taking snaps there.

If someone's willing to part with a draft pick to get him, fine, but you're going to need another WR at some point.