The New England Patriots are in the midst of OTAs and have moved past one controversy with one of their major free agent signings. They intend to keep Stefon Diggs on the roster, per Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network.
"“My understanding is the team does not plan to cut Stefon Diggs. He is a very good player….They intend to pay him a lot of money, especially after he passed his physical.”"Ian Rapoport
But that doesn't mean the Patriots should not look at other options in case Diggs decides to go on another "boating excursion". Outside of his extracurricular activities, Diggs is still a 31-year-old wide receiver coming off an ACL tear. While modern medicine has certainly advanced, it can be presumed that the player the Patriots signed, even in the best of circumstances, will likely not reach the peak of what Stefon Diggs once was.
The Patriots have a plethora of options at the wide receiver position. They have a real quality of depth. Newcomers Kyle Williams and Mack Hollins, along with the returning DeMario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte, Kendrick Bourne, and Ja'Lynn Polk, provide plenty of options for the Patriots' passing game. Unless Kyle Williams is the steal of the draft, or one of the other Patriots' wide receivers has an unexpected breakout, the Patriots still may be without a true number one receiver, even if Diggs stays out of trouble and healthy.
Big names are a relative term at this point in the NFL offseason. Names like Allen Robinson, Tyler Boyd, Nelson Agholor, or Jamison Crowder may spark a flashback to fans' fantasy glory over the past decade, but none are at the point in their careers to make a meaningful contribution anywhere except off the bench. The Patriots have young bench strength.
The only name that may jump out would be Amari Cooper. Cooper has played a variety of roles in the offenses he has been in, lining up both inside and outside regularly. Cooper is known more for his time in Dallas as a big-play receiver, and the Patriots already have outside speed receivers in Williams, Hollins, and Polk. Taking snaps away from them does not make sense unless Mike Vrabel is pulling the plug on their tenure.
The Patriots Should Sign Keenan Allen
The free agent market has a few big names still left out there. Keenan Allen is the biggest of them all. While Allen could serve as a real mentor to the young receivers, he's primarily a slot receiver, and that is what Drake Maye and the Patriots should be in the market for. Allen plays more than half of his possessions out of the slot. The Patriots should be in the market for a slot receiver, should Diggs not be able to make it through OTAs.
Diggs shifted his role while in Houston towards a possession/slot receiver, and it would be expected that he would play a similar role with the Patriots. Allen was and is an excellent separator and route runner, and it could be argued that he may have been a better signing than Diggs this offseason anyway.
As rosters around the NFL start to take shape over the summer, the Patriots sit in a solid position to sign whoever they wish with over $67 million in cap space. While Keenan Allen may be an expensive addition, he would be worthwhile to bring in before someone else has a need. The Patriots should avoid being left in the lurch in case Diggs continues to ravage the seven seas.