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Second-year Patriots receiver switches to Stefon Diggs’s old jersey number
There's a new No. 8 in Foxborough.
Kyle Williams has a new jersey number as he heads into his second season with the Patriots. He will wear No. 8, which previously belonged to Stefon Diggs. Williams wore No. 18 last season.
The Patriots released Diggs in March after one season with the team. He caught 85 passes for 1,013 yards and four touchdowns in his lone season with the Patriots, helping the team reach Super Bowl LX.
Diggs is awaiting a May 4th court date after being accused of strangling a personal chef. He became a free agent after the Patriots cut him and has yet to sign with another team.
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Williams, a third-round pick last year, showed flashes during his rookie season, hauling in a 72-yard touchdown against the Buccaneers, but that one play proved to be more than a third of his total yardage. He finished with ten catches for 210 yards and three touchdowns.
Williams is one of several Patriots receivers returning from last year’s team, with Kayshon Boutte, Mack Hollins, and newcomer Romeo Doubs at the top of the depth chart. DeMario Douglas averaged 14.4 yards per catch last season as his usage changed. Efton Chism was primarily a returner last season, but should be in the mix for the wide receiver competition.
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Plus, the reports of New England’s interest in A.J. Brown don’t seem to be going anywhere.
William played 336 snaps last season, which was a little more than 30 percent of New England’s offensive snaps. That was fourth among Patriots receivers, behind Hollins, Boutte, and Diggs.
Diggs’s absence could open up more snaps for the Patriots’ young receivers who will need to contribute towards replacing his production.
It’s not fully clear yet how much more or less Williams might play this season, but he already has a new look heading into the 2026 season.
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