Latest news with #Diggs
USA Today
12 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Countdown to Kickoff: Fadil Diggs is the Saints Player of Day 40
Diggs has the attributes the New Orleans defense needs on the edge The New Orleans Saints will kick off their 2025 regular season just 40 days from today. They'll do it at home against the Arizona Cardinals under new head coach Kellen Moore. Wearing No. 40 for the Saints at the moment is rookie edge rusher Fadil Diggs. Our Saints Player of the Day, here's a closer look at Diggs as he tries to become the 18th player to wear No. 40 during the regular season in team history. An offensive and defensive standout at Woodrow Wilson High School in New Jersey, Diggs was the Gatorade New Jersey Player of the Year as a senior. The Texas A&M Aggies won the battle for the four-star recruit. However, Diggs saw little playing time in 2020 or 2021. He'd work his way into more reps in 2022, managing 3 sacks and 5 tackles for loss. He'd increase that production with 11 stops for loss and 4 sacks in 2023, but would transfer to Syracuse at year's conclusion. Diggs blossomed for the Orange, leading Syracuse with 7.5 sacks, 14 stops for loss, and 3 forced fumbles. The Saints finally grabbed Diggs off the NFL draft board at pick No. 254, just three selections before the end of the draft. Despite his late draft status, Diggs could grab a legitimate role in the New Orleans defense. New defensive coordinator Brandon Staley is expected to employ more 3-4 concepts, meaning the Saints will need more athletic rushers along the edge. New Orleans got only 17 combined sacks and 27 tackles for loss from their edge rushers/defensive ends last season. Carl Granderson and Chase Young return as the probable stand-up rushers for Staley, but there is no proven skill behind them for depth. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 257 pounds, speed off the edge is a Diggs strength. Diggs will compete against undrafted rookie Jasheen Davis, Jonah Williams, and disappointing 2023 Round 2 draft pick Isaiah Foskey for reps at the position. If he can improve his instincts against the run and expand his pass rush moves to create consistent pressure, Fadil Diggs could be a late draft steal for a Saints defense desperately seeking a young and disruptive force.
NBC Sports
20 hours ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Trevon Diggs expects to return to the field by September
Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs' 2025 season appeared in doubt after he underwent chondral bone graft surgery on his left knee Jan. 23. The surgery transplants pieces of bone tissue into the joint to stimulate growth. Diggs, thought, always had the season opener circled on his calendar. He might not make it back by Sept. 4 for the first game against the Eagles, but Diggs is ahead of schedule in his rehab and hopes to be on the field sometime in September. Diggs told Clarence Hill of All City DLLS he will not need to be placed on the reserve/physically unable to perform list, which would keep him out at least four games. He missed six games with his knee injury last season. The Cowboys docked Diggs $500,000 for not rehabbing at the team facility enough, but he credits his team in South Florida for getting him back quicker than expected. The two-time Pro Bowler tore the anterior cruciate ligament in the same knee during a Week 3 practice in 2023.
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
First image of Christian Gonzalez facing Stefon Diggs at Patriots camp
The New England Patriots showed off the first image of All-Pro cornerback Christian Gonzalez lining up against four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Stefon Diggs in a social media post on Thursday. Gonzalez admitted earlier in the week that he was excited to match up against Diggs in practice. Iron sharpens iron, as the saying goes. Gonzalez is on the rise as one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL, and Diggs is looking to climb back into the elite tier of wide receivers, following an ACL injury last October. Before the injury, Diggs was coming off six straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons. There's hope that he can get back to that same level in New England. One way for Diggs to test himself is frequent head-to-head matchups against one of the top corners in the game. Gonzalez recently made ESPN's top-10 cornerbacks list, which polled votes from executives, coaches and NFL scouts around the league. The former Oregon standout landed at No. 6 in the rankings with one NFL assistant comparing him to the No. 1 player on the list, Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II. "I think Gonzo is the next great one," a veteran NFL assistant said, via ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. "Skills, patience, length. He's the closest thing to Pat [Surtain II]. Smooth, big athlete, travels a lot, can matchup against the best guy." Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Christian Gonzalez's seven-word reaction to facing Stefon Diggs
New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez is excited about potential training camp matchups with four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Stefon Diggs, and he said as much while meeting with media members earlier in the week. Diggs, who was recently cleared for training camp, was one of the Patriots' newest receiving weapons acquired in the offseason. He signed a three-year, $69 million deal with the team in free agency. Meanwhile, Gonzalez is a third-year cornerback coming off his first All-Pro season. He'll be looking to solidify himself as one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL this year. 'I'm excited for that. It'll be fun," Gonzalez said on the training camp matchup with Diggs, via NBC Sports' Phil Perry. This is a classic case of iron sharpening iron with the upcoming training camp battles between Gonzalez and Diggs. Before going down with the ACL injury, Diggs was coming off six straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons. If he returns to form, it could turn into an incredible matchup against Gonzalez, who locked down some of the best receivers in the league last year. Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook. This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Christian Gonzalez's seven-word reaction to facing Stefon Diggs
CBS News
5 days ago
- Sport
- CBS News
Patriots training camp takeaways: Efficient Day 2 as Drake Maye, offense focuses on shorter passes
The New England Patriots held the team's second practice of training camp on Thursday, and it was much different than Wednesday's opening session. For starters, there were no puppies on the field, which was slightly disappointing after Wednesday's incredibly adorable Pet Adoption Day in Foxboro. As for football, the Patriots' offense focused mostly on its short game after Drake Maye let the ball fly on Wednesday. Here are the takeaways and observations from Day 2 of Patriots training camp. After Wednesday saw Maye take -- and connect on -- a number of deep balls, Thursday was more about the short attack with a lot of quick throws and screens. It worked out well for Maye, as he began Day 2 by completing his first 14 passes. He finished 14-for-15 and spread the love, hitting Stefon Diggs, Demario Douglas, and Rhamondre Stevenson on a number of short passes. Maye did a good job staying in the pocket and took what the defense gave him all morning, but there were a few issues. He fumbled a snap early, and the line jumped on one play. He would have been sacked a few times if those happened during training camp, and Maye's final pass of the day fell incomplete after it was tipped at the line. But overall, it was an efficient day for the offense. Now they just need to clean up some things and keep building. We saw the same starting offensive line as Day 1. From left to right, it was Will Campbell, Cole Strange, Garrett Bradbury, Michael Onwenu and Morgan Moses protecting Maye to start the session. It's clear the 34-year-old Moses is on a snap count this summer, as Demontrey Jacobs rotated in at right tackle. Rookie Jared Wilson also rotated in and saw time at both center and left guard. There was one point in Thursday's practice where New England's top four draft picks -- Campbell, running back TreVeyon Henderson, receiver Kyle Williams, and Wilson -- were all on the field with Maye in team drills. It was pretty neat to see a potential glimpse of the future in New England. Catch of the Day honors go to Pop Douglas, who made an excellent leaping catch along the sideline with safety Marcus Epps in coverage. Stefon Diggs has been extremely involved over the first two days of camp. Not only is he participating, but he's locked in when his teammates are going through drills so he can offer up any advice on their technique. I got to speak with Williams after practice, and the rookie said Diggs has been an incredible teacher and mentor to him so far. "He's taught me so much and has been a great role model, a mentor. Every day he's provided me game and I'm just adding it to my toolbox," said Williams. Diggs isn't just like that with his fellow receivers. He pulled Christian Gonzalez over to talk about and show him a technique, which involved the two lining up from each other between plays. There was also a point before practice where Diggs had a lengthy chat with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, as it appeared the two were discussing routes. After a scary bout with blood clots in 2024, Christian Barmore told us Thursday he's feeling great and is back to his normal self. He said he's in the best shape of his career and is lighter (about 305 pounds) and quicker heading into the season. He remains on track to play in Week 1. He did not take any 11 vs. 11 reps on Thursday though, and instead worked separately on the conditioning field. He spent time on the bike, and also worked on some different moves by himself. Jeremiah Pharms got a lot of the top reps in place of Barmore along the defensive line. Receiver Ja'Lynn Polk was once again absent for an unknown reason, along with receiver Mack Hollins, tight end Austin Hooper, tackle Vederian Lowe, safety Josh Minkins, and defensive tackle Jahvaree Ritzie. The biggest absence though was cornerback Carlton Davis, who was not on the field after he partook in Wednesday's practice. Alex Austin and Marcellas Dial got reps opposite Gonzalez in Davis' place. Efton Chrism, Kyle Williams, and Pop Douglas put in work with the kick-return unit on Thursday. Team owner Robert Kraft was here for a second straight day on Thursday. Elliott Wolf also had a visitor, as his father, Ron -- the former Hall of Fame GM of the Green Bay Packers -- attended the practice. The elder Wolf was also at practice last year. The Patriots will be back on the practice field behind Gillette Stadium against Friday morning. Practice will start 15 minutes earlier at 10 a.m., and we'll hear from head coach Mike Vrabel again before the session. The Patriots will practice again Saturday before they get their first day off of training camp on Sunday.
