Stefon Diggs hasn’t produced at the pace of his last two seasons through three games with the Patriots, but is that due to his age, his health, or…is he being underutilized in his current role in New England?
Diggs has recorded just 112 receiving yards on 13 receptions, and his yards-per-game average is roughly half what it was in 2023 and 2024, (before he sustained an ACL injury in Houston).
While he won’t pipe up and demand the ball more, there’s plenty to indicate that Diggs has much more to offer.
Here’s a free idea: play Diggs in the slot more, and kill two birds with one stone.
DeMario Douglas had a simply inexcusable mistake on 4th-and-1, with a minute left in the Patriots’ Week 3 one-score loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Pop failed to knife upfield on the gotta-have-it play, and actually went backwards. Quarterback Drake Maye defended his teammate postgame, and again on ‘WEEI Afternoons’ on Monday, but it’s not the first time Douglas hasn’t had his head in the game situationally. He could be excused for being on a different page than the quarterback in years one and two, but he’s an experienced vet at this point. On top of that, he’s only managed to post 13 yards on five receptions this season. That’s a rough stat line in one game, let alone three.
The obvious next man up may look like undrafted free agent rookie Efton Chism III. Indeed, head coach Mike Vrabel has extolled Chism’s play strength, and he was dynamic through two preseason games. However, watching this team through the first three weeks is a reminder to everyone – including TreVeyon Henderson enthusiasts – that preseason is not equivalent to the speed of the game on NFL Sundays. Chism should have a bright future, but he should also have room to continue learning and developing behind the scenes, if that’s what’s best for the team right now. He may still be in a phase where scout team is where he can best contribute.
Diggs, on the other hand, is a seasoned pro. It’s an issue that he only had three catches in Sunday’s game, when two of the three resulted in first downs – so much so that when asked about his trust in the receiver Wednesday, Maye volunteered a conversation he had with him.
“We try to put him in circumstances where he's getting the ball and an option to get the ball on big plays. He had a big third down catch.
The first third down we had, I probably should have thrown it to him. Little things like that. We had a fourth down against Miami. He's making plays, so he's in positions on key downs to make plays,” Maye said. “I've got full trust in him. He just keeps showing it every week. I need to try to give him the ball more. I told him that today.”
Diggs has played 110 offensive snaps so far this season – about 50% of game day snaps. He’s behind Kayshon Boutte (157), and Mack Hollins (123). If Diggs is as healthy as he continues to insist he is, let’s bump up his time on the field.
“I think it's all going to change,” Vrabel said when asked about Diggs’ playing time this week. “I think, through three games, seeing where it's at, the packages that we've used and the stuff that we've asked some of these guys to do is just trying to find a role for each and every one of them. And I don't think any of them are going to play 90% of the snaps.”
The best opportunity to get Diggs more involved may come through lining him up in the slot, and in a Josh McDaniels offense, that receiver is never an afterthought. Even though Diggs is playing more overall snaps than Douglas, he’s lined up in the slot on just 48 plays this season, compared to Douglas’s 69 snaps there.
And the role is nothing new for him. He lined up for some 43% of plays in the slot in Houston, where he was on pace for another 1,000-yard season before his injury.
“Throughout my career, I’ve lined up in the slot a lot. My first year playing, I played the X, and the second year, I played the Z and the F in a different offense. I’ve played in the slot a lot. I’m not uncomfortable anywhere,” Diggs said at his locker Wednesday. “Wherever they need me, at this point, I have no issues if that’s outside or inside.”
He also showed the willingness to be a supporting player with the legal pick he set for a Rhamondre Stevenson-centric play against the Steelers.
“You won’t hear my name too much when it comes to blocking, but I try to show up when I can. I look at it as a veteran guy and one of the leaders on this team, I feel like holding myself accountable is number one. And as you hold yourself accountable, players around you, they can follow suit. If one of your best players on offense is running out there throwing blocks, I think everybody will follow suit,” he said. “It’s kind of like, a chain reaction.”
But a chain reaction has to start somewhere, like with more Diggs on the field.