The New England Patriots made the difficult decision to move on from Stefon Diggs this offseason, and the star wide receiver is still waiting for his next opportunity. After a prolonged free agency period, largely due to legal issues that were resolved this week, Diggs is ready to remind the league why he's still one of the most dangerous playmakers in the game.
On Tuesday, Diggs was found not guilty on charges of felony strangulation and misdemeanor assault and battery brought by his former personal chef. The moment the verdict came down, Diggs took to social media with a powerful message. "This is not an opinion-based sport, so here are the numbers," he captioned a highlight reel from his Patriots tenure. "I played 52% of the snaps and finished with 85 catches for 1,045 yards coming off an ACL. Where we going?"
The response from around the NFL was immediate. Players from teams across the league flooded his comments, trying to recruit the four-time Pro Bowler. One of the most notable came from Jaylinn Hawkins, a former Patriots starter who left New England for the Baltimore Ravens this offseason. "Come to Bmore though Cuzzo," Hawkins wrote.
Hawkins knows a thing or two about elevating his game. After spending two seasons with the Patriots, he broke out in a major way last year, starting 15 regular-season games and all four playoff contests. He led the team in interceptions and posted career-best numbers, earning a two-year, $10 million deal with Baltimore. Now, he's hoping to reunite with Diggs in purple and black.
And the Ravens could certainly use him. While Lamar Jackson remains one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the league, he hasn't always had the receiving corps to match. Zay Flowers emerged as a Pro Bowler with over 1,200 yards last season, but behind him, the production drops off significantly. Mark Andrews, the team's second-leading receiver, managed under 500 yards. DeAndre Hopkins, now 33 years old, was third in receiving yards.
Diggs, despite coming off an ACL injury, proved he still has plenty left in the tank. He put up over 1,000 yards last season playing with an MVP-caliber quarterback, and he could do the same with Jackson. Imagine a receiving duo of Diggs and Flowers in Baltimore—it's the kind of one-two punch that could elevate the Ravens from contenders to favorites in the AFC.
The Ravens are already expected to be one of the top teams in the conference next season. Adding a player of Diggs' caliber would only strengthen their case. For Patriots fans, the thought of Diggs lining up across from them in a divisional or playoff matchup is a sobering one. But for Hawkins and the Ravens, it's a recruitment pitch worth making.