- 16 hours ago
Restructure or moving on?! Reports suggest Stefon Diggs may have to alter his deal, or Diggs may be cut. Should Patriots pay Diggs upwards of $20M a year? How much do you believe Diggs is worth?
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00:00A source telling MassLive, and I think it's probably pretty good sourcing,
00:10that if Steph Diggs wants to be back here,
00:14he must restructure his contract to lower the cap hit,
00:19or he will be cut.
00:23This was going to happen all along.
00:26Yeah, you've been saying that, Curtis.
00:29And it's not the cap, it's the $20 million, but they call it the cap, it's the problem.
00:33They don't want to pay him $20 million this year.
00:35Yeah, I mean, if they were going to release him,
00:40they're going to save $16.8 million on the cap,
00:44and if they cut him, it's $20.8 million.
00:48I know you always say the cap is irrelevant.
00:50It is.
00:52Yeah, they can finagle that if they wanted to.
00:54Does that give you any indication when it comes to A.J. Brown?
00:57Like, are they feeling that it is likely that they end up with him,
01:01or somebody else of a suitable nature similar,
01:06or it says nothing to you other than it's good business,
01:10and that's what they're going to do with Steph Diggs?
01:12No, it tells me that they feel like he's not worth the $20 million.
01:18Right?
01:19Because if they were, wouldn't they just give it to him?
01:22Or if they really wanted cap relief, wouldn't they just say,
01:27okay, we'll redo your deal, we'll give you some more upfront money,
01:31like a $20 million signing bonus just for the sake of this conversation,
01:35and we'll lower your cap number that way?
01:38I mean, do you think he's worth it?
01:39But he signed a three-year deal over, like, $63 million last year.
01:44Do you think he's lived up to the $20 million, like, let's call it $20 million a year?
01:48Did he live up to that this year?
01:49I mean, he had 1,000 yards.
01:50Yeah, I would say.
01:51Yeah.
01:51We haven't had that since Julian Edelman.
01:53I mean, I would say, like, based on the guys that are, like, right around where he is,
01:59like, Jacoby Myers makes $20 million.
02:03You know, Mike Evans was making $20 million.
02:06Chris Godwin was making $22 million.
02:09I mean, like, wouldn't you – I'd say, yeah, he's $20 million.
02:12That's probably decent for him.
02:16You know, I would say that somebody would probably give him that based on the year that he had.
02:21What it tells me is that if they do want relief, maybe this is just their way of saying,
02:26all right, we need to rip this deal up and we'll give you some new upfront money.
02:29Or this is their way of going, you did a good job, but we don't want to pay you $20
02:34million.
02:35Yeah, this is going to happen no matter what.
02:37Like, whether they're actually in and think they can get a deal done for A.J. Brown or not,
02:42like, I'm pretty sure this conversation was going to be had regardless.
02:46Do you?
02:47Yeah, yeah.
02:47Because I think it's kind of a little bit shocking in the sense, like,
02:51What's shocking?
02:52He's your best receiver.
02:54You're not paying him a lot.
02:57So if you're saying we want you to take a pay cut, what's your plan B if he says no?
03:04That they can do better with that money elsewhere.
03:07Okay.
03:07But don't you think that that's a risky chance for Kraft to take right now?
03:10I think it's riskier to get in bed with this guy.
03:13I think Diggs is a guy you date, you don't marry.
03:14Right, but who would you – okay, so who would you date this year if you didn't – or this
03:20upcoming season if you don't date Diggs?
03:23Was it Shimes, Tyreek Hill?
03:24No, I'd trade for A.J. Brown.
03:26Okay.
03:27But if you're doing this, then that better be what you – that better be your plan A.
03:31That's the only way I think that this is okay.
03:35Like, if you're getting A.J. Brown, okay, fine.
03:37This is all great and dandy.
03:39If you're not and you're just saying that, like, you think you're the same Patriots that you've always been and
03:44Steph Diggs, you know, either take a pay cut or F off, like, that's not going to play anymore.
03:49Especially after a season where all we heard about, like, even with the negativity outside, the noise outside of what
03:54was actually going on, was how great Steph Diggs was for this team.
03:57And he lived up to that $20 million.
03:59So don't tell me now that you're going to tell him to take a pay cut.
04:01Well, I mean, he also disappeared in the playoffs.
04:05But was that –
04:05Yeah, but your offense disappeared.
04:07So you need your best player to be at their best, right?
04:10Well, but if your quarterback is not doing what he's supposed to be doing, if your own line is getting
04:14smoked, sometimes you can run a great route.
04:16So you come out of your route looking for the football, and guess what?
04:19The quarterback's looking up at the sky, you know what I mean?
04:21Or he's running for his life.
04:23I kind of agree with – what's your plan A if you're saying that we're moving on from Diggs, okay?
04:34I mean, he exceeded your expectation this season.
04:38I mean, I thought –
04:39Yeah, I didn't expect him.
04:40First of all, recovery from the injury.
04:42Like, nobody knew – when they signed him for three years at 60-plus, people were like, well, what's he
04:50going to be?
04:50He exceeded that.
04:52And he certainly, as a citizen in the locker room, he exceeded your expectation, right?
04:59He was probably one of your leaders out there.
05:01He was definitely one of the leaders.
05:02He was the guy in every huddle that was talking.
05:06I love it.
05:07I think this is a great sign that the Patriots are not fooled by stuff like this and that Mike
05:11Vrabel is in control.
05:12It was a great year.
05:13He'll talk glowingly about Diggs.
05:16It'll be a fine breakup, and I think they'll be better off.
05:18Well, as long as they have a better plan.
05:20Right.
05:21I mean, right.
05:21The proof will be in the pudding, whatever they end up doing.
05:23I mean, the free agency starts in a couple weeks.
05:25We'll see where they go.
05:26Right.
05:26That's the thing.
05:27But you have to look at, like, free agent-wide receivers.
05:32He's – there's no free agent-wide – who's the free agent-wide receiver that you would say you want
05:36over Diggs that's available?
05:39I think you could do better.
05:40Mike Evans, Tyreek Hill.
05:43Jawan Jennings?
05:43Do you think Steph Diggs makes –
05:45Jawan Jennings, yes.
05:45Do you think Steph Diggs makes $20 million next year?
05:48Yeah, why not?
05:49With somebody.
05:49Yeah, with somebody, yeah.
05:50You think so?
05:51Yeah, I think he makes $20 million with somebody.
05:53All right.
05:54Yeah.
05:54Man, think about the –
05:56I was laughed out of the room when I said this was one and done for Diggs.
05:59No, no.
05:59You were saying that Diggs was going to get more money.
06:02No, I said Diggs is going to be gone.
06:04They're going to move on from Diggs.
06:06Because you said he was going to hold out.
06:07He wanted a new contract.
06:09But this was just never going to be a long-term relationship.
06:12Yeah, but we knew that going into it.
06:14It was a three-year deal, and it was basically a one-year deal when you started to look at
06:18the guaranteed money that he got.
06:20So you were like, all right, this is kind of a one-year deal, one improvement.
06:24Let's see what you are.
06:25And then the team has the ability to say, okay, do we want to keep you around for the next
06:30year?
06:30So when I start to look at that, I'm like, okay, based on what he did, what he's asking for,
06:36seems like $20 million isn't bad for the production that he gave you from what he meant to your team.
06:45So I just don't – I guess you must be telling me that you have something kind of bubbling behind
06:53the scenes.
06:53Do they really like a guy like Wandale Robinson?
06:56Free agent, just had 1,000 yards with the Giants.
06:58He's way younger.
06:59He's only like 25.
07:00Five probably might cost about the same, maybe even a little bit less, and could give you similar production.
07:06Was Wandale Dale's given name?
07:10So, Shyam, you wouldn't pay Steph Diggs?
07:12Well, not on this contract.
07:15Probably not.
07:15No, I'd rip it up.
07:16And that's what I kind of thought they were going to do all along.
07:18I thought they – I still think he's going to be on the team.
07:20I just think they're going to restructure the contract.
07:23He just has to play ball with them, and I think he will.
07:26You think he will?
07:26Yeah, because I don't think there will be as many teams out there interested in him as other people believe.
07:32Yeah, I mean, Dale –
07:32I mean, he needs some money, though.
07:34He's got two new kids since he signed this deal.
07:36Like, he can't go backwards on the money.
07:38He's got a full illegal lineup.
07:42He's not going to – like, teams are not going to be beating down his doors.
07:45Exactly.
07:45So, when you start to look at the free agents that are available, if he gets cut, let's say he
07:51gets cut,
07:51he moves right to the top free agent wide receiver available.
07:56Like, I think if you start to look at guys that are available,
08:02whose outlet pass is going to be a free agent, right?
08:04Let's see.
08:05Romeo Dobbs, Mike Evans, Jawan Jennings, Deebo Samuel.
08:09Like, when you start to – if you were to say Steph Diggs,
08:13I think he would be more valuable in the eyes of the NFL than those guys.
08:19So, he would instantly be the top free agent wide receiver available.
08:24I don't think he's going to like –
08:25So, in order to agree to take a reduction in pay, restructure, whatever,
08:32he's going to have to love it.
08:34He loves it here so much, loves playing with Drake, loves Mike Rabel,
08:37or he's just going to go, no thanks.
08:40He's going to go, no, thank you.
08:41Yeah.
08:41Like, because you're right.
08:42Like, I mean, all right, he's probably got, you know, well, if he got kids or whatever,
08:46but even if he didn't, why would you take less money when you know there'll be a team
08:52that'll look at you and all those good things you did for a Super Bowl losing team
09:00and say, I'm going to take less.
09:02When I know all I need is one, and I'm willing to bet you that he has three to five
09:08teams
09:08that are like, we'll bring you in and we'll give you your 20, 21, 22 million.
09:14Last year, I have a list of the free agent signings in the NFL.
09:17Well, Devontae Adams got the most guarantees at 26 million, then it was Darius Slayton
09:21at 22, Cooper Cup at 17, 5, and Steph Diggs at 16, 6.
09:25Yep.
09:25He will not get the most guaranteed this offseason, a year older.
09:30And with the off-field stuff.
09:31Right.
09:32So, he was the fourth highest paid receiver last year.
09:36He's not going to be the highest.
09:37Who'd you have ahead of him?
09:39Devontae Adams?
09:40It's just a list of the, Devontae Adams, Darius Slayton, Cooper Cup.
09:44All made more in guarantees.
09:45Okay, and I would say I could see all of those guys because Diggs was coming off the
09:50knee injury.
09:51But when you start to line him up this year, and you start to line him up amongst those
09:55same guys, I think he becomes the Devontae Adams of last year, this year, at 32 years
10:02old.
10:02Because Devontae Adams is at 32 years old.
10:03But from a leadership perspective, isn't it worth having a guy like him around?
10:07It seemed like that he was very good for the young wide receivers and very good for Drake
10:13May.
10:13Yeah, well, it's the Alex Bregman conversation all over the game.
10:16Do you want an aging guy whose body is breaking down because of the leadership, that he'll
10:21still give you decent production, but it's not going to be anything off the charts?
10:24Or do you want to move on and give the younger players a chance to show themselves?
10:29That's kind of where you're at.
10:30But no, it's different than Bregman because Steph Diggs' body wasn't breaking down.
10:35He didn't miss any games last year.
10:37If anything, he showed how strong his body is coming back from that injury.
10:41He had a 1,000-yard season.
10:42Right.
10:42He could disappear late in the season, though.
10:44He did say he didn't come here to be no role player, so I don't know.
10:47Sean, did he disappear towards the end of the season and the postseason?
10:52Yes.
10:53Yes.
10:53But that could have been because your offense disappeared, right?
10:56And I'm not saying Steph Diggs is going to be, and I said that this year, he's your 1B.
11:03But there's value for teams that are looking for a 1B type of player that can come in and
11:13help a younger quarterback, could be a guy that's dependable, could be a guy, because
11:18he's no longer a guy that's like, all right, he's going to take a five-yard slant and go
11:2280 yards.
11:23We're not asking you to do that.
11:24We're asking you to get 1,000 yards because you can sit in zones.
11:27You can make great catches.
11:28You're a physical wide receiver in the sense like you can go into areas and come down with
11:33the football.
11:34There are teams that are going to pay him accordingly to that when you start to look at the rest
11:40of the free agent market.
11:41Do his legal issues have anything to do with this?
11:44No.
11:45No.
11:45Not at all.
11:47Not at all.
11:48I don't think there's.
11:48I think that the Patriots look at it and go, we, New England, don't think you're worth
11:5520 million.
11:56And if I'm Diggs, I go, okay, I appreciate that.
11:59Guess what?
12:00I think I'm worth 20 to 22 million and I'm going to go get it from somebody else.
12:06That team that might be missing, you know, could use a 1B player.
12:11The Chiefs, for instance.
12:13Chiefs, for example.
12:15Baltimore.
12:16That, you know, maybe I wouldn't.
12:20Not Buffalo again.
12:21Not Buffalo again.
12:22What about the Eagles?
12:24The, um, well, I mean, they got A.J. Brown and Devontae Smith.
12:28Right, and A.J. Brown's here.
12:29Yeah, well, that's a different thing.
12:31A team like.
12:32He had 100 yards receiving in four playoff games.
12:34Maybe the 49ers.
12:36No.
12:37I mean, but your offense was trash.
12:39I know.
12:40He's the best player on offense.
12:41He should have been more of a help.
12:43Well, your best player on offense is your quarterback.
12:45Well, I think he's elevated.
12:46He elevated Drake a lot last year.
12:48He was spectacular in that.
12:49Right.
12:49So then come the postseason, defenses get better.
12:52Plus the sub stacker said he was running the wrong routes all season.
12:55Oh, good day for Dard.
12:56I would say this.
12:57If I had to put blame pie on guys who didn't produce in the playoffs,
13:05I wouldn't have Steph Diggs at the top of that list.
13:08You wouldn't?
13:08No.
13:09It would just be a picture of Will Campbell.
13:11Yeah, I would have probably Will Campbell, you know,
13:14slash offensive line.
13:16Then I'd probably go Drake May.
13:19And then I would come down.
13:20John, cover your ears.
13:21Yeah, then I would come down to, all right, the wide receiver core.
13:25No, I think he's right.
13:26He kind of nailed it.
13:27Yeah.
13:28You know, and, you know,
13:30maybe Josh McDaniels could have done a better job of creating some other
13:34plays to get the ball into Diggs' hands early, getting it out quicker.
13:38So, like, those are all other things that you factor into that.
13:42I think it's just you better have a good plan if you're moving on from Diggs.
13:46Yeah.
13:47And I also think that we look at the Bregman analogy,
13:51and it was a good one.
13:53Bregman and Diggs both served an important purpose.
13:56Like, I think Diggs was essential for Drake May's growth this year.
13:59He did a spectacular job elevating a guy that was quiet,
14:02showing the ropes that if Steph Diggs is listening to Drake May,
14:05I better listen to Drake May.
14:07Yeah.
14:07And I don't think he's as needed next year.
14:09Both can be true.
14:09I think he was very effective at great offseason signing.
14:12He did a good job.
14:13And now both parties can go their own way.
14:15Okay.
14:16Bye.
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