Wide receiver was a major weak spot for the 2020 New England Patriots, but if one thing went differently last offseason, maybe that would not have been the case.
According to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, the Patriots and Buffalo Bills were ultimately the two finalists for landing Stefon Diggs in a trade with the Minnesota Vikings.
On March 16 of last year, Buffalo offered Minnesota picks in the first, fifth and sixth rounds of the 2020 NFL draft and a fourth-round pick in 2021 for the star wide receiver. The Vikings called Bill Belichick and New England to give them a chance to counter, but they declined, making Diggs a member of the Bills.
The trade ultimately worked out for both sides as Buffalo got a No. 1 receiver for quarterback Josh Allen, and they are now in Sunday’s AFC Championship Game. Meanwhile, the Vikings used the first round pick from the Bills on receiver Justin Jefferson, who had a tremendous rookie season and should be a great receiver in the league for a long time.
The Patriots, once again, will be in the market for a wide receiver this offseason.