Patriots news: Stefon Diggs earns ‘freak’ label during ACL injury rehab

The New England Patriots have made several big moves this offseason, and if all goes according to plan, the signing of wide receiver Stefon Diggs will end up being the most impactful of the bunch. Diggs' 2024 campaign came to a premature end after he suffered a torn ACL in Week 8 with the Houston Texans, but he's already drawing rave reviews in New England for the work he's putting in when it comes to his injury rehab.

The Patriots wide receiver corps was among the worst in the league last season, and the hope is that Diggs can find his old form and immediately emerge as second-year quarterback Drake Maye's favorite target in the passing game. Recovering from a torn ACL is not easy, but Diggs is reportedly ahead of schedule, and the work he was doing during the team's voluntary offseason workout program drew a strong review from tight end Austin Hooper

“Energy, man. He's a freak. You can see him already with the explosion, the change of direction, the top end [speed]. It's like, ‘Dang, it must be nice',” Hooper said.

Patriots hoping Stefon Diggs can make instant impact on offense in 2025

Prior to his one-year stint with the Texans, Diggs had emerged as one of the most consistent wide receivers in the NFL during his four seasons with the Buffalo Bills. During each of those seasons, Diggs caught at least 103 passes, racked up at least 1,175 receiving yards, and caught at least eight touchdown passes. That's exactly the sort of production New England is looking for from the veteran pass catcher.

Even last season, Diggs was on track to have another big season with Houston, as he caught 47 passes for 496 yards and three touchdowns before his season was cut short. Now, he's hard at work in an effort to return and make an instant impact with New England, and while he still has a lot of work to do, the early returns and reviews from his new teammates appear to be quite positive.