Grading the signing: Patriots replace Stefon Diggs with a high upside wide receiver who pairs perfectly with Drake Maye
The Patriots just added a significant threat to their passing attack.
When the New England Patriots released Stefon Diggs, they put up the bat signal to every free agent and even some potential trade assets that they would be in the market for more weapons on the perimeter.
After day one of the two-day negotiating window, arguably the best wide receiver on the market, Alec Pierce of the Indianapolis Colts, re-signed on a long-term deal in Indy. However, a sleeper on the market made it through day one and most of day two before the Pats swooped in.
Patriots signing WR Romeo Doubs to a 4-year contract worth $70 million
While the Patriots have some promising young pieces on offense like TreVeyon Henderson and Kyle Williams, the offense needs more explosion. Doubs is coming off career highs in both receiving yards and yards per catch, often taking over as the top WR in the Packers’ corps.
Don’t take my word for it, here is A to Z Packers writer Wendell Ferreira on what Doubs brings to a team.
What are the Patriots getting from Romeo Doubs?
“Romeo Doubs isn’t a star receiver, but he is a definition of what a competent NFL offensive player should look like. A former fourth-round pick, he’s never had fewer than 400 yards in a season and is coming off three consecutive 600-yard years — including a career high 724 yards in 2025, with 55 receptions and six touchdowns. Even though Doubs isn’t splashy, he’s reliable and that allowed him to create a strong connection with Jordan Love.”
“Last year, he became a primary target — especially when Christian Watson was still not recovered from his ACL injury. Doubs generated a 112.7 passer rating when targeted and had a career-low 5.2% drop rate. In an era where it’s harder to find prototypical X receivers, Doubs had that role for the Packers and was fairly successful at it.” – Ferreira
Final Grade for Rome Doubs signing: A-
Given that Doubs is coming off his best year, has shown the ability to be a WR No.1 when called upon, is only 25 years old, and fits like a glove in the Patriots’ offensive system, this signing is terrific. While we await the final numbers to see what is fully guaranteed, an average annual salary of $17.5 million is more than appropriate for the caliber of player that Doubs has proven to be.
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