Stefon Diggs Expected to Play for Patriots vs. Raiders After Injury Rehab, Vrabel Says

The New England Patriots appear confident that they'll have their best offensive weapon on the field for Sunday's season opener against the Las Vegas Raiders.

During an appearance on The Greg Hill Show, Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel was asked about the status of star receiver Stefon Diggs following his recovery from a torn ACL, and he responded, "As of today, he'll be out there."

Diggs sat out the entire preseason amid his injury rehab, but he recovered enough to be able to participate in practice without limitations throughout training camp. He's listed as the No. 1 receiver on New England's depth chart ahead of the start of the 2025 season.

A four-time Pro Bowler, Diggs spent the 2024 season with the Houston Texans after being traded from the Buffalo Bills. He appeared in eight games and recorded 47 catches for 496 yards and three touchdowns along with his first career rushing touchdown before tearing his ACL and being ruled out for the remainder of the season.

Despite Diggs' ongoing recovery, the Patriots signed him to a three-year, $63.5 million contract this offseason. New England is hoping that he will be the go-to option in the passing game for second-year quarterback Drake Maye, who made a Pro Bowl appearance as an alternate during his rookie year.

While Vrabel expressed optimism regarding Diggs' Week 1 outlook, he was coy when asked about the status of second-team All-Pro cornerback Christian Gonzalez, who suffered a hamstring injury during the second week of training camp. Vrabel confirmed that Gonzalez didn't practice on Monday but didn't provide a further update.

The Patriots are hoping to bounce back from back-to-back 4-13 finishes, so having Diggs in the lineup gives them their best chance to return to prominence with Vrabel leading the way.