Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Robert Kraft Likes New England Patriots PLAYOFFS Chances? | Can Stefon Diggs Transform Pats OFFENSE?

Starting point is 00:00:00 The New England Patriots have made some exciting additions this offseason, but are they enough to carry them to the playoffs? Robert Kraft thinks so, and to learn why, stay locked in to the Locked On Patriots podcast. You are Locked On Patriots, your daily New England Patriots podcast, part of the Locked On Podcasts Network, your daily New England Patriots podcast, part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Hello to all of you Foxboro faithful and thank you once again for making Locked On Patriots a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage.

Starting point is 00:00:36 I'm your host Mike Debate. I cover your New England Patriots for the Locked On Podcast Network, so reach out to me and let me know what's on your mind on X at MDABATENFL. While you're out there showing some love to Locked On Patriots social media style, follow our X account as well at LO underscore Patriots. And if you're looking for me over where the skies are blue, you can find me on bluesky at mdabatenfl.besky.social. And of course, folks, today's episode is brought to you by Game Time.

Starting point is 00:01:07 Download the Game Time app, create an account, and use the code LOCKEDONNFL for $20 off your first purchase. Patriots fans, our beloved New England Patriots have not experienced playoff football since 2021. If we're being honest, there really hasn't been an expectation of a deep playoff run since Tom Brady took his talents to Tampa Bay all the way back in 2020. Since that time, we've had to endure a carousel at the quarterback position, turmoil between the coaching staff and the front office, and some of the most embarrassing losses in the

Starting point is 00:01:41 team's recent memory. And because of that, team owner Robert Kraft and the Patriots' brain trust knew a change had to be made. This offseason, they entrusted the task of rebuilding this team and this franchise to head coach Mike Vrabel. Make no mistake about it, this team made a coaching switch because the Patriots' patriarch in Robert Kraft wants to win now. He expressed that very point to the media contingent he spoke with on Tuesday at the NFL meetings in Florida.

Starting point is 00:02:08 As for Vrebel and the Pats, they understand the assignment. They added a number of high-profile players this offseason, including some exciting new defenders and an upgrade at receiver, which the Patriots have been waiting for for a long time. And that's what we're going to discuss here today on the pod. We're going to talk about what makes Robert Kraft believe that this team can compete for a playoff spot in 2025. Again, there are a lot of reasons why Kraft is optimistic, but one of the main reasons

Starting point is 00:02:35 might be the addition of that receiver upgrade I just mentioned, and that is wide receiver Stefan Biggs. A lot is being said out there about Stefan signing with the Patriots. Some of it's good and some of it's not as good. Well again, today we're going to set the record straight here on Locked On Patriots with a visit from our good friend Joe Marino, host of the Locked On Bills podcast. And Joe is going to give us some insider insight on Stefan. After all, he know better than anybody.

Starting point is 00:03:03 He covered the man in Buffalo for four years. So all that and so much more today. So stay locked in Pats fans. You are not going to want to miss a single second of the action. But before we turn our attention to Joe Marino and Stefan Diggs, anytime the team owner comments on the very team in which they invest their heart, their soul, it's always must read and must watch time. And that's exactly what happened on Tuesday. As has become an annual tradition down in Florida, Robert Kraft met with members of the local media as part of the NFL meetings. And let's just say he had some interesting things to say. Now before we get into his thoughts on the 2025 New England Patriots, I can tell you just by

Starting point is 00:03:41 listening to Robert Kraft's comments, he and the Patriots ownership group are not happy about the team's reputation among NFL players. Not more than just a few weeks ago, we learned that the Patriots ranked 31st out of 32 NFL teams in the 2024 NFLPA survey. Only the Arizona Cardinals finished below the New England Patriots. And there are a lot of things that made players unhappy about the state of the Pats here in Foxboro, the biggest complaints centered around team travel and the state of New England's weight room. Both of those categories earned the Patriots an F-grade. Yeah, yikes. Not good any way you slice it. And to his credit, Robert Kraft knows it. He didn't shy away from it. He hit the issues head on. He confirmed that the

Starting point is 00:04:24 team is in the process of upgrading the team head on. He confirmed that the team is in process of upgrading the team's airplanes. He also mentioned that they're in the midst of a multimillion dollar renovation of the team's weight room facilities. And he believes they are close to once again, becoming a place where players want to play for both on field reasons and off field.

Starting point is 00:04:40 So encouraging things coming from the team owner. But if you're looking for the biggest nugget of interest that I was able to pry from what Robert Kraft had to say yesterday, it was the fact that he was overly candid in expressing his hopes for the 2025 New England Patriots. Thanks largely in part to Vrabel and an influx in talent and free agency. Kraft was also pretty confident that they're going to find a foundational piece with the number 4 pick in the upcoming draft. Although he did make a bit of a joke and said that he hopes the Patriots are never drafting this high again in his lifetime. I think we can all join him in that assessment. But bottom line folks, Kraft believes that the Patriots are well ahead of what he called ground zero in the franchise's rebuild. He sees guys like Milton Williams coming to town and revamping this defense. Carlton Banks III shoring up the secondary and of course, last but certainly not least,

Starting point is 00:05:29 the player we're going to discuss in a moment folks, Stefan Diggs coming in and revolutionizing the wide receiver position. Because of those moves and so much more, Robert Kraft was very matter of fact when he expressed confidence that the team could indeed make the playoffs in 2025. To him, that's what's going to make this season a success. And again, I'm going to use Robert Kraft's own words here. He says, quote, ever since I've owned the team, the objective was to have the team make the playoffs.

Starting point is 00:05:58 Once you make the playoffs, anything can happen. We have experience over the last few decades of seeing how that happens. I don't want to get ahead of myself, but after my family, this team is the most important thing in my life. The bottom line is winning games. These last few years have been brutal. Really, I want to try to do whatever I could to get back to a system and a situation where we have hope and a chance to do anything. I really think we're on the path now." And those are strong words from the team owner who clearly put the coaching staff, the front office, and the players on the field on notice. I want to see this team in contention

Starting point is 00:06:39 for a playoff spot. Now whether Kraft is right in his assessment is yet to be determined. I've said multiple times here on Locked On Patriots, the Pats success this season and beyond is going to be determined on how they perform on the field. Are they properly prepared by the coaching staff? Is there a harmony, a synergy between both sides that we really haven't seen in quite some time? To help in that regard, the team has certainly added a great deal of talent, and I know one player that has a lot of you excited out there is wide receiver Stefan Diggs. I can tell you with absolute confidence that if Stefan Diggs is healthy, he is going to revolutionize the Patriots wide receivers group. And a lot of my fellow colleagues in the media

Starting point is 00:07:20 would agree with that. A lot of Patriots analysts, a lot of media personalities have had a lot to say about the addition of Stephon Diggs to the Pat's Fold, dubbing him everything from a dynamic playmaker to a route-running technician. Some have even called him a locker-room liability. In the interest of brutal honesty, the truth is that most of us in this market don't really know a tremendous amount about Stefan Diggs. Most of the information we're giving you is coming from third-party sources. Well, today here on the pod, I am thrilled to pull upon the amazing pool of local expert talent we have right here on the Locked On Podcast Network.

Starting point is 00:07:58 And again, we've got one of the best in the business about to pop on your screen. My good friend, Joe Marino, host of Locked On Bills, who covered Stefan for four years as a member of the Buffalo Bills. What type of receiver are the Patriots getting? How will he assimilate into the Patriots offense under Josh McDaniels? And why should the Patriots be excited about what digs can bring to their locker room? Yeah, you heard me correctly on that as Joe joins me to discuss that and much more when this episode of the locked on Patriots Podcast continues a proud part of a locked on podcast network your team every day Locked on listeners imagine watching your favorite team live feeling the energy of the crowd and witnessing

Starting point is 00:08:42 Unforgettable moments. There's nothing like experiencing a big game in person. But getting tickets shouldn't be stressful. That's where Game Time comes in, making it easier than ever to grab last-minute seats at unbeatable prices. With Game Time picks, curation makes it easier to find better value for tickets to sports, concerts, comedy and theater. And here's the thing I love most about Game Time, peace of mind. With seat views before you buy, no surprise fees and a lowest price guarantee, you can book with total confidence. Take the guesswork out of buying tickets with Game Time. Download the Game Time app, create an account and use the code LOCKEDONNFL for $20 off your first purchase.

Starting point is 00:09:27 That's LOCKEDONNFL, L-O-C-K-E-B-O-N-N-F-L for $20 off. Download Game Time today. Last-minute tickets lowest price guaranteed. Patriots fans, the team signing off Stefan Diggs to bolster their core of receivers has been met with overwhelmingly positive reaction from members of the fan base. After all, the presence of a bona fide number one receiver within the Patriots offense is something for which most of us within the nation have been clamoring for quite some time.

Starting point is 00:10:00 But the reviews of New England's signing of Diggs from analysis outside of New England have been largely mixed We've seen him praised as a route running technician. We've also seen him derided as a potential locker room liability Well here today, we're gonna set the record straight We seek the wisdom and counsel of someone with truly tangible and reliable Insight when it comes to both Stefan Diggs, the player and the man. It is my honor to welcome back my good friend, the host of Locked On Bills, as well as the cohost of the Locked On NFL Scouting

Starting point is 00:10:34 with the Draft Dudes podcast. If you're not listening to that at this time of year, folks, you're doing yourself a tremendous disservice, one of the best listens in the business. And this man's one of the best on the network, one of the best in the biz. And my good friend, Joe Marino. Welcome back to Lockdown Patriots, buddy. Hey, thanks, Mike. Good to be on with you.

Starting point is 00:10:52 It feels like we're going to do a crossover here and the Bills and Patriots are going to play this weekend, but that's actually not the case. Obviously, some interesting news with Stefan Diggs heading to the Patriots, and so I haven't really said much about it. So I appreciate the opportunity to get some thoughts out there. Oh, of course. Absolutely. And when we seek the wisdom and counsel on a subject as complex,

Starting point is 00:11:14 seemingly complex as Stefan Diggs, we're going to go to the master and the man that always is going to provide that right down the middle analysis that I know Patriots fans are going to need. They're going to want Joe Stefan Diggs spent four seasons in Buffalo and they were four highly productive seasons, especially when it came to statistical prowess. During his time with the Bills, Stefan was a first team All-Pro in 2020, a second team All-Pro in 2022, was a four-time Pro Bowler each of his seasons there, led the league in receptions in 2020, and was the NFL's receiving yards leader in 2020.

Starting point is 00:11:49 Now I've said several times here on Locked On Patriots, I believe Stephon Diggs to be one of the most technically proficient route runners I've ever covered. And when he's healthy, he has the chance to turn in a game-breaking play on nearly every single snap. But again, this is me from the outside looking in. Don't forget Joe up here in New England. We've been wanting a receiver with the skillset

Starting point is 00:12:11 Stefan possesses for quite some time. But you were able to cover him during the time that the Bills offense kind of rose to prominence in the NFL. It's one of the most proficient in the NFL as a result. So when you look back on Diggs's impact on the Bills offense, how do you believe he helped contribute to that? Well, I mean, you kind of went through the accolades that he was able to assemble

Starting point is 00:12:36 in Buffalo and I mean, he's a guy that I think unquestionably gave the Buffalo Bills the greatest four year stretch of receiving production the franchise has ever seen. And that's a franchise that's had hall of fame talent at wide receiver and Andre Reed and, and James Lofton and Eric Molde's not a hall of famer, but a really good player and nobody ever did what Stefan Diggs was able to do. And he came in, like you said, right there in the 2020 season, which coincided with not only the Bills rise to prominence as an upper echelon offense every year, but also

Starting point is 00:13:08 Josh Allen's ascension as a top tier quarterback in the league. And so I thought he came in and really helped elevate everything offensively in Buffalo. And, um, you know, obviously the ending was kind of strange, but I don't look back at the Stefan Diggs era in Buffalo with anything other than admiration for one heck of a stretch that led to the Bills offense really achieving new heights. Now it's interesting, in their first season without Stefan Diggs, it got even better. I think the Bills offense last

Starting point is 00:13:40 year was the best one they've ever put on the field. They scored the most points of any offense in Bill's history. And I think it was a benefit to the Bills that Stefan Diggs was no longer part of that offense, but for the time that he was there, it's undeniable that he gave the Buffalo Bills the greatest four year stretch of wide receiver play the organizations ever seen. Yeah. Spot on analysis as always, we come to expect nothing less from our good friend

Starting point is 00:14:05 Joe Marino host of locked on bills and Joe you not only provide some of the most objective analysis in the business when it comes to Your coverage of the Buffalo Bills and especially digs which you just laid out for our listeners here But you keep your friends close and your enemies closer when it comes to your coverage of the opponents of the Buffalo Bills and that includes Our New England Patriots. So you know a thing or two about a Josh McDaniels offense. You scouted Josh. You also know significantly more when it comes to Stefan Diggs's skills on a football field.

Starting point is 00:14:35 So from an opponent's perspective, I'm curious, how do you see Stefan Diggs fitting into the Patriots offense in 2025? Well, I certainly understand why the Patriots would go after Stefan Diggs. They had a ton of cap space and they certainly made a lot of strides on the defensive side of the football. But for a team that has a high draft pick and Drake may have quarterback entering his second season, and I thought he had a terrific rookie campaign.

Starting point is 00:15:02 The missing part of the off season was what have you done to kind of help that guy on the offensive side of the football and, you know, receiver, I thought was a primary need for new England. And I can completely understand why Stefan Diggs would be an attractive option for them. Um, I will say that I think the last two years of Stefan Diggs, you've seen some decline, right? I mean, this guy's, this guy's going to turn 32 this year and

Starting point is 00:15:24 he's coming off of an ACL tear. And his last season in Buffalo, the way that it kind of finished was pretty disappointing. Kogel Shakir actually out-produced him on 60 less targets over the last 12 games of the season. And you kind of saw just the vertical components of his game really kind of diminishing, the yards after catch components of his game really diminishing.

Starting point is 00:15:44 And then I thought that continued in Houston, where before the injury, I know he had decent production, components of his game really kind of diminishing the yards after catch components of his game really diminishing. And then I thought that continued in Houston where before the injury, I know he had decent production, but again, the average depth of target under nine. And, um, I think you just see a guy that's not necessarily the vertical threat or the yards after catch threat, uh, that he was earlier in his career. Or I still think he has shown a plenty of ability is that underneath route runner, a guy that in the short to intermediate areas of the field, he's going to be able to create good separation. And that's important for an offense that wants to stay on schedule. And I do think

Starting point is 00:16:14 Josh McDaniel's back in the fray as the offensive coordinator is a good opportunity for Stefan Diggs. And I think there's some similarities between McDaniels and Brian Dayball in terms of offensive philosophy that I think is tailored much better for Stefan Diggs than what Joe Brady wanted to do when he took over the Bills offense as the offensive coordinator, just a really different utilization of the wide receiver room. And so I think that he's in a better spot in terms of scheme with McDaniels than he was with Joe Brady. The question is, what type of juice does this guy have?

Starting point is 00:16:50 Where you saw athletic decline and separation ability decline before the injury, and now he's a year older and coming off of an ACL tear. And so that's where I think, objectively, I'm not trying to be the Bills guy coming in here trying to, you know, poo-poo on this signing. But I think that's a very fair talking point to consider as it relates to Stephon Diggs and what can reasonably expected of him this year, especially for a team that, like you said, needed big-time talent at wide receiver. You know, Stephon Diggs, four or five years ago, certainly is that guy. Where is he at right now?

Starting point is 00:17:24 I think that's probably the biggest question. Yeah, very good insight, Joe, and especially that you mentioned his coming off of the ACL, which is obviously a concern to all in Patriots Nation. Not only his recovery from the injury, which can be grueling in its own right, the psychological effects that that can have on a receiver when it comes to making a cut or when it comes to steaming ahead and getting down the field and trying to outleg your opponent. Is he going to be a little bit more reticent to do that knowing that he's still trying to nurse an injury? As well as these recoveries go, you still have that psychological effect, even if it's subconscious. So that's always there. But I'm also glad that you mentioned on the positive side that there is a connection between the way

Starting point is 00:18:10 that Josh McDaniel's coaches and the Brian Dayball type philosophy, which is where Stefan had some of his best seasons. So in that regard, maybe that underneath short to intermediate area of the field, that route running ability, which again, Stefan is one of the best I've ever covered could be his key to success in New England and also I think what it provides for Drake May is someone that

Starting point is 00:18:33 is going to be ready if he needs to go off platform because Drake has been known to do that and last year in New England the Patriots simply did not have a receiver on staff that was either capable or pro savvy enough to be able to do that. Stefan Diggs can do it. If he's healthy and he's locked in and he's able, the Patriots all of a sudden have a completely new weapon that they haven't had in years past. So a lot to think about folks when it comes to the on-field savvy of your New England

Starting point is 00:19:01 Patriots and their marriage now with receiver Stefan Diggs. But we're gonna pick Joe's brain a little bit on the insight that might help us decipher what type of man the Patriots are getting. We're gonna talk a little bit about Stefan Diggs the man and his presence in the Foxboro community. All that and more when this episode of the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. A proud part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Locked On listeners, ever check your bank account and wonder, where did all my money go? Between dining out, online shopping and entertainment, it's easy to lose track. That's where Monarch Money comes in, your personal CFO giving you full visibility and control over

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Starting point is 00:20:28 That's MonarchMoney.com code LOCKEDONNFL for half off your first year. Patriots fans, thank you once again for joining us here today on Locked On, Patriots as we continue our Getting to Know the New once again for joining us here today on Locked On Patriots as we continue our Getting to Know the New Guys segment and joining us to help us get to know new Patriots receiver Stefan Diggs, who's a man who covered him for four years as a member of the Buffalo Bills, the host of Locked On Bills, our good friend Joe Marino. And Joe, we usually get together a couple of times a year to cross the streams and it's always insightful, always a lot of fun.

Starting point is 00:21:07 But the knowledge that you've provided to our listeners on Locked On Patriots today is truly second to none. You've covered him for a number of years and you know a lot about Stefan Diggs, the player on the field. I'm going to pick your brain now a little bit about Stefan Diggs, the teammate, because you've touched on this in the previous segment and I was hoping that maybe you could elaborate on this a little bit. So much was made of Stefan's relationship with Josh Allen. In the first few years that they played together in Buffalo, they really looked like a hand in glove fit. I mean, these guys were so in sync when it came to on-field chemistry.

Starting point is 00:21:41 They seemed to be getting along so well off the field and everything just seemed to be right with the Stefan Diggs Josh Allen relationship in Buffalo. In fact, when we met with Stefan last week, he mentioned his relationship with Josh. He's got the highest praise for him, called him the best quarterback that he's played with, and even pointed out some similarities between Josh Allen that he sees in Drake May. So on the surface, this seems like a great fit, but again, there seemed to be a degree of difficulty with the manner in which his time in Buffalo came to an end. Once again, pulling on your experience in having covered Stefan, Josh, and the Bills, what should Patriots fans realistically expect from Stefan Diggs, the teammate?

Starting point is 00:22:25 I wouldn't really be concerned about that. I think the challenges that came in Buffalo weren't present in the first couple of years that Stefan Diggs was there. And I mean, they weren't there early in Minnesota. They weren't there in one season in Houston. I think it's as he stays somewhere longer, that's where things can kind of get a little bit dicey. And so I don't know that anything that happened at the end of his time in Buffalo is something that I'd be concerned about in New England.

Starting point is 00:22:53 And I think when you do reflect on the end of his time in Buffalo, it's still very confusing to me. You know, you would try to consider like why a player would want to leave an organization and you might think, well, you know, they're not having production or opportunity. Well, that's not true. Diggs had tons of production and was like the most targeted receiver in the NFL across that span. You might think, well, the talent around him is not very good. Well, it's a play with Josh Allen.

Starting point is 00:23:16 And then Stefan Diggs is on record of saying that Josh Allen's a quarterback that God designed for him. Right. So he had that in place. He got a winning team, right? I mean, he's had opportunities to go on deep postseason runs every single year with the Buffalo Bills. And so you kind of piece it all together. He was entering year one of a four year $96 million contract. Mike, it's confusing, right?

Starting point is 00:23:38 I still don't know that I completely understand what the heck happened at the end there, other than there was obviously some tension that existed. And I think, you know, you even look at the opportunity that the Bills had to play in Houston last year, and you could tell, I mean, the way that Diggs interacted with all the other guys on the team was different than Josh Allen. And so something's up, you know, something's going on there, and I think they're doing the right thing in terms of how, you know, Josh has even talked about Steph since Steph's gone. I mean, they both have kind of taken the high road, but I don't think there's, I

Starting point is 00:24:10 don't, I don't, I don't buy it all. I think that there's something there attention wise that happened. And I don't know that we'll ever have the answer, but something went down there that kind of spoiled the end of what I raved about at the beginning, the greatest four year stretch of receiver play the Buffalo Bills have ever seen. Absolutely. And that is great insight. And it does give you, I guess, a little bit of pause as a Patriots fan to say, well, could this possibly come up? Could this be the way that the Drake-May and Stefan Diggs relationship ends? We'll never know that until these guys actually get on the field and get into the swing of things. But ultimately, Stefan keeps saying all the right things about knowing his role on

Starting point is 00:24:49 this team and knowing that he is coming in as a bit of an elder statesman, maybe even a bit of a mentor to some of the younger guys on this roster, especially Drake May. I think in a lot of ways, Stefan understands that he's the knowledgeable guy in the room now between the two. I think you can make the argument that maybe when he came to town with Josh Allen they saw each other as equals and they were gonna build on each other and make each other better each and every day. I think when a member of

Starting point is 00:25:17 this pair is going to ask a question or has a question about what's going on on the field it's probably gonna be Drake May questioning Stefan Diggs and there may be a level of respectability or there may be a level of mentorship that he feels he has to carry each and every day. So that's interesting insight. I know Patriots fans are going to be keeping a sharp eye on that. In the interest of ending on a high note, Joe, which you know I love to do here on Locked On Patriots. Not many Patriots fans know that Stefan Diggs has been a mainstay in the communities in which he's played, whether it be Minnesota or whether it be Buffalo. I had the good fortune during my brief time of providing some Buffalo Bills coverage for SI a couple of years ago in 2022 to cover his first annual

Starting point is 00:26:02 back-to-school bash at the Top Supermarket on Jefferson Avenue outside Buffalo. That was the same site, folks, of a horrific mass shooting which occurred on May 14th of that year. Stefan really felt obligation, I think, to do something within the community, and that became something that was a mainstay in terms of his ability to have an impact on the community in which he's played.

Starting point is 00:26:25 Since that time, Stefan is always the type of guy that pays things forward, especially when it comes to helping those in need. So in that vein, Joe, is there any additional insight that you can provide on Stefan Diggs, the man, the community man, that you think Patriots fans may find interesting? Well, I think, I think, Steph, yeah, I think you did a good job of outlining some of the ways that he's given back. And I think, you know, reflecting on his time in Buffalo, people raved about the teammate that he was and the leadership that he provided.

Starting point is 00:26:56 He's extremely competitive. And I think that even times where it can be frustrating where you're kind of wondering, well, I wonder what Stephon Diggs is thinking, or is he gonna be upset about something? He kind of wondering, well, I wonder what Stefan Diggs is thinking, or is, you know, is he gonna be upset about something? He kind of always landed in a good spot where you can listen to him, and he's very honest in the way that he'll speak to the media. And I think you can appreciate the way that he interacts and the way that he speaks. And I think it's, it was always on the high end. So I, people rave about, you know, the teammate and he works extremely hard. You'll, if you follow

Starting point is 00:27:26 him on social media, you'll get to see him working out all the time. He wants to let you know that he's working out. And he's a hard worker. And I think he cares a lot, right? I think he puts a lot into it. I don't think there's any question about that. Like, he's going to do everything he can to be the best player that he can be. And so it's a, it's a good, I think it's a good player to insert into that Patriots locker room where, you know, Mike Rable's taken over and you got a lot of new leadership in place and a locker room that's kind of looking for those pillars to lean on, those veterans to be able to lean into. And I think Stephon Diggs, in addition to a guy like Mack Hollins, is going to be a big part of being the glue guys for the offense and making sure that the standards that Coach McDaniels and Coach Vrabel want to instill happen. And so, you know, I think all of

Starting point is 00:28:13 that's very positive for a Patriots team that I think is looking for some of that. And I think Stefan Dijk can certainly provide it. Yeah, that's great insight. And I'm glad you mentioned Mac Collins as well. Definitely not an overlooked signing here in New England. This guy is quote unquote what Mike Raible called a professional football player, a guy that will do anything you need him to do to help the team succeed, whether that be in the receivers room or as a special teamer. He's always going to look to help move the team forward. And I think the presence of receivers like him

Starting point is 00:28:43 and like Diggs really helps to build a culture that they're trying to build here in New England and look Diggs is no stranger to overcoming adversity and getting knocked down a little bit and having to build himself back up you know as well as I did in January 2008 Diggs was only a 14 year old boy when he lost his dad and he felt a responsibility to step up and be more of a father figure for his younger brothers. This really, I think, instills a level of mentorship into him. Getting back to what I was saying in the previous segment, I think coming into New England,

Starting point is 00:29:15 maybe his status as an elder statesman will even help him to be a more indelible figure here. Bottom line, Joe, we appreciate all of your insight when it comes to Stefan Diggs and I know you've given Patriots fans some things to think about but for the most part my friend I think you've only helped to enhance the excitement that we're seeing on behalf of Patriots Nation when it comes to Stefan Diggs. So a tip of the cap my friend and a big thank you to you for all of your insight, your wisdom, your counsel today. We look forward to crossing the streams with you again this season. Those head-to-head matchups between the Buffalo Bills

Starting point is 00:29:48 and the New England Patriots are always interesting. Here with guys like Hollins and with guys like Stephon Diggs on this roster, it's gonna make those matchups just a bit more interesting, my friend. Yeah, I got a feeling that the NFL might wanna make sure the whole world can see Stephon Diggs coming back to Orchard Park to play against the Buffalo

Starting point is 00:30:08 Bills. So we might have some, have a late night one ahead of us here, Mike, come the fall. Absolutely. Must see TV. We are all about it. And once again, my friend, thank you for joining us today here on Locked On Patriots and definitely check him out. Locked On Patriots fans. In the meantime, you can catch us here each and every day. And I always appreciate all of you every dayers, all of you casual listeners,

Starting point is 00:30:30 and of course all of you first timers checking out Locked On Patriots, making us a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage. On behalf of Joe Marino, I'm Mike Debate, reminding all of you to stay safe, to stay well, to be the change you wish to see in the world. Have a great day, everyone, and we'll see you back here again tomorrow on Locked on Patriots.

Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Robert Kraft Likes New England Patriots PLAYOFFS Chances? | Can Stefon Diggs Transform Pats OFFENSE?

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