MORSE: Patriots Add True WR1 in Stefon Diggs, More Pats News and Notes
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Patriots sign a True WR1 in Stefon Diggs
Diggs was signed to a three-year $69M contract to catch passes from Drake Maye. Before his injury last season, he was on pace a for a 100 catch, 1,000-yard season. The Patriots must have liked what they saw from Diggs during his visit and believe he is completely healed from that injury and will be ready to start the season. Otherwise, they never would have given him that size of a contract.
The Patriots protected themselves by only guaranteeing $26M of that contract. That guarantee is equal to what Davante Adams received. Diggs is 31 years old and coming off ACL surgery in October. From posts on social media, it appears that Diggs is way ahead of schedule, but I am sure the Patriots will be cautious with his workload leading up to the start of the season.
This is a big deal, and the Patriots can no longer be labeled as cheap. They have spent this off-season and still have a gaping hole at Left Tackle to fill.
Christian Elliss is Retained on Two-Year Contract
The Patriots chose to retain the services of Christian Elliss, a core special-teams player and ascending Linebacker. They matched the offer sheet made by the Las Vegas Raiders. The two-year deal is worth up to $13.5 million.
The 6’2” 231-pound backer had 80 tackles last season, starting five games and playing in 16. He was 2nd behind Pro Bowl selectee Brendan Schooler with 8 special-teams tackles. Mike Reiss of ESPN had this to say about Elliss, writing that the young linebacker “is viewed by the Patriots as an ascending player who runs well and has his best football ahead of him. He started five games last season, totaling a career-high 80 tackles with 1.5 sacks, 5 passes defended and an interception.”
The 26-year-old was a 2021 UDFA and was signed by the Eagles, who waived him in December of 2023, and the Patriots picked him up. He was Pro Football Focus’ 20th-best off-ball linebacker by overall grade, with top 20 coverage and pass rush marks at the position.
At his Pro Day in 2021, Ellis ran an impressive 4.58 40 and completed a 3-cone drill of 6.94. To put that in perspective, he has a better change of direction skill than all of the Patriots current Wide Receivers (before the Diggs signing).
Patriots Cut 4 Players
OL Lecitus Smith, LB’s Curtis Jacobs and Andrew Parker Jr., as well as OT Caleb Jones were waived by the Patriots. This was not at all surprising as the bottom of the Patriots roster was considered way below NFL standards.
The 26-year-old Smith was active for 8 games and had 1 start. The 2022 6th round pick by the Arizona Cardinals played 1 year in Arizona and was cut. He bounced around in 2023 and 2024 on practice squads of three teams before the Patriots signed him out of desperation in October of last year. Smith was claimed off waivers by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Jacobs is just 23 and the 6’2” 241-pound backer signed as a UDFA with Kansas City in 2024. The Patriots scooped him up after the final cuts in August. The Penn State grad played in 9 games with 2 starts but only had 4 tackles to show for it. Jacobs speed was clocked at 4.58 at his Pro Day. He was immediately claimed off waivers by the Tennessee Titans.
Andrew Parker was not on the active roster at all during 2024. He was signed to replace Joe Gilles-Harris on the Practice squad. Parker was not even 6’ tall.
Caleb Jones is a massive 6’9” 370-pound OT that signed with the Green Bay Packers after the 2022 draft. He spent two years on their active roster before being cut in 2024 where the Patriots signed him to their Practice Squad. The 26-year-old played in just 1 game for Green Bay in 2023.
Joey Slye signs with Tennessee
The pipeline of ex-Patriots kickers signing with the Titans continues as Joey Slye has signed on with the Titans. This means that John Parker-Romo is the only kicker on the roster at the moment.
Slye was inconsistent in his time with the Patriots and they could have won a few more games if he had made his kicks. The Patriots will add another kicker for training camp either through Free Agency, drafting a college player or signing an UDFA college kicker.
Coaches and Front Office on the Road for Pro Days
Matt Groh, the Director of Player Personnel attended the Missouri Pro Day. OT Armand Membou (whom the Patriots are considering to be their 1st selection) and WR Luther Burden (also considered a 1st Rd pick) stood on their times at the NFL Combine. They were in attendance to support their teammates. Johnny Walker Jr, a 2nd team All-SEC Defensive End, is one to keep an eye on. He is considered a Day Three pick. The Patriots interviewed Membou at the combine and have him scheduled for a Top 30 visit to Foxboro.
University of Miami held their Pro Day, and it was estimated they had 100 Head Coaches, GMs and scouts in attendance. I don’t know who attended for the Patriots.
Miami has several big-time prospects starting with projected #1 pick Cam Ward. It was reported that he put on a show and solidified the #1 spot. TE Elijah Arroyo looked great in the Senior Bowl workouts. He is expected to go in the 2nd round.
RB Damien Martinez is a big back that the Patriots have shown interest in, and he ran under 4.5 at the combine. WR Xavier Restrepo had a terrible workout running two very bad 40-yard dash. The 1st was in the 4,7 range and the 2nd an unofficial 4.83. Those runs could drop him into the UDFA range.
An OL that has piqued my interest in Jalen Rivers. The 6’5” 319-pound Tackle held his own during the Senior Bowl practices. He has very long arms, (34 7/8”) and can play anywhere on the line, even Center. Rivers was 2nd team All-ACC in 2023 but was limited to just 8 games in 2024 because of an undisclosed injury.
DT Simeon Barrow is a late Day Three projection. The DT position is loaded and that has pushed some very good players later in the draft. Barrow is very strong hoisting the 225# weights 32 times on the Bench Press test.
The final player I will highlight is kicker Andres Borregales. For his career he made 85% of his kicks and was 75% beyond 40 yards. At the Pro Day he made a 65-uard kick for the scouts.
Head Coach Mike Vrabel and OL Coach Doug Marrone attended the Boston College Pro Day. Marrone worked on Coach Bill O’Brien’s staff last year, working with the O-line. He is very familiar with Right Tackle Ozzy Trapilo, Center Drew Kendall who were both 1st team ALL-ACC.
Tackle Jack Conley is another player garnering interest. I could see a scenario where the Pats draft Trapilo to learn for a couple of years from Morgan Moses at Right Tackle. Trapilo has been working with Dante Scarnecchia and from reports it showed in his workout. Edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku is expected to be selected in the second round.
Finally, I want to give a shoutout to Sal Lupoli Jr, who is not giving up on his dream to play Pro Football. At the BC Pro Day, he was given an opportunity to work out again in front of scouts. Lupoli was the leading tackler in Bentley (DII) history with 337 tackles. He was NE-10 Defensive Player of the year and DII All-American averaging 12.3 tackles a game from his Strong Safety position. He was invited to the Tennessee Titans camp last season. This year he has been playing for the Massachusetts Pirates arena league team. You may know him from his family’s Pizza business, as he was featured with his dad Sal Lupoli Sr. in the Sal’s Pizza ads. Sal Sr coached my son on the Chelmsford HS Eastern Mass Championship team in 2007.
WR Tetairoa McMillan had a private workout on 3/17 on the Arizona campus (not at the Arizona Pro Day). The reports are varied on his official time. Published reports have him running a 4.48. The official time is 4.53 from a very reliable source. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated talked with 3 teams that were in attendance, and they had him at 4.53, 4.55 and 4.57, a big difference than 4.48. I suspect the 4.48 number was released by his agent trying to prop him up and sell him to teams in the 1st round. One of the big knocks on McMillan is separation speed and those numbers indicate that he doesn’t have that long speed. I also don’t like the fact that McMillan didn’t do the 3-cone drill at the combine or his private workout, indicating that he is trying to hide the fact that he is neither quick nor fast. At 6’4”, 219-pounds and 10” hands, he is being compared to Tampa Bay’s Mike Evans who also didn’t run a fast 40 time when he was drafted.
Giants sign QBs Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston
That probably means that it takes the Giants out of the QB market in the draft. This is not good news for the Patriots’ chances of getting WR/CB Travis Hunter or EDGE Abdul Carter. It does leave the Pittsburgh Steelers on the outside looking in. The only remaining Free Agent QB is Aaron Rodgers. Would Pittsburgh be willing to trade up into the top three to grab a rookie QB?
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I doubt Diggs is full speed ready state week1. That’s probably banter from Diggs agent. So yea a lot of money on Diggs if next year is a partial season. Still a good move however.