The Patriots were reportedly the other ‘finalist’ to trade for Stefon Diggs
The Bills acquired Diggs from the Vikings this past offseason for four picks, including a first-round pick.
When the Bills traded for wide receiver Stefon Diggs this past offseason, it may have been the move that put them over the edge to dethrone the Patriots from the AFC East’s top spot.
It also appears that it was a move that the Patriots almost made themselves.
New England was the other “finalist” to trade for Diggs from the Minnesota Vikings this past offseason, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. After the Bills offered their first-round pick plus three more draft picks for the star receiver, the Vikings went back to the Patriots to give them a chance to either match or improve their offer, Rapoport reported. The Patriots refused to up their offer and Diggs was on his way to Buffalo.
There was no word in the report of what the Patriots actually offered for Diggs.
If the Patriots did offer their 2020 first-round draft pick for Diggs, they likely still would’ve had to add more to their offer. They held the No. 23 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft at that point, which was one spot behind the pick the Bills had. The Patriots ultimately traded down from that pick on draft day, swapping the pick for the Chargers’ second and third-round picks in the same draft.
A trade for Diggs would’ve significantly boosted a Patriots receivers corps that needed as much help as possible this season. Diggs’ league-leading 127 receptions for 1,535 yards were more than double the receptions (59) and receiving yards (729) Jakobi Meyers, who was the Patriots’ top receiver, had.
Diggs may have had his best game in the season against the Patriots. In the December matchup between the two teams, Diggs caught nine passes for 145 yards and had a season-high three touchdown receptions en route to a Bills 38-9 win.
After winning the AFC East, Diggs and the Bills won their first two playoff games, advancing them to Sunday’s AFC Championship Game to take on the Kansas City Chiefs.
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