The New England Patriots jumped into the mix for a trade when Stefon Digg’s relationship with the Minnesota Vikings hit a new low, according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.
Ultimately, Diggs landed with the Buffalo Bills in a deal which included the veteran wideout and a 2020 seventh-round pick in exchange for a 2020 first-round pick (No. 22 overall), a 2020 fifth-round pick, a 2020 sixth-round pick and a 2021 fourth-round pick. New England had been sniffing around Diggs until other movement gave the Patriots pause.
“The Patriots were one suitor, but events of the day caused their interest to cool,” Breer wrote. “Franchising Joe Thuney put cap space at a premium for New England. And as (Tom) Brady’s departure started to look more likely, trading for a veteran receiver made less sense.”
Brady had expressed concern about the Patriots’ skill players after a lackluster year for the offense. He asked that, if he returned, New England upgrade the pass-catcher positions.
The Patriots depth chart includes receivers Julian Edelman, Mohamed Sanu, N’Keal Harry, Damiere Byrd, Jakobi Meyers and Gunner Olszewski, among others. The tight ends are Matt LaCosse and Ryan Izzo. That probably wasn’t enough for Brady. But with the 42-year-old quarterback likely leaving, the Patriots must have figured a move for Diggs wouldn’t be enough to convince the quarterback to stay. The haul in draft picks might have also been crippling for New England’s future. And finally, it’s a total mystery how the Patriots would fit Diggs and Brady on the team’s salary cap, which is tight.
