Starting 12 of 13 games and earning Pro Bowl honors, the New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye turned heads in his rookie year. And he is carrying that momentum into Year 2. The only difference this year is that, unlike last season, the Patriots have started the very strong 4-2. The improvement may have left the league buzzing, but his favorite target, wide receiver Stefon Diggs, had seen this coming all along.

“Same guy (Maye) coming in each and every day,” Diggs told the reporters. “He grinds, cracks a couple jokes. He’s still keeping it loose, he’s not too tight … it’s not a surprise to me, and I’m super excited for him.”

Maye has worked closely with Diggs, who joined in New England back in March this year. The two have connected in the last two games to contribute massively to the team. The veteran WR caught 29 receptions across 34 targets from the North Carolina product, including an absolute dime for a 31-yard gain against the Buffalo Bills. Their connection totaled 10 catches for 145 yards. That speaks volumes about the incredible chemistry between the 11-year veteran and the QB, who is in his second year.

Although Maye is already putting in MVP numbers, Diggs believes the QB still has plenty of room to grow and develop, and he noted that he’s already seeing Maye put in the work to get there.

“I feel like he can still get better,” veteran WR said. “And this place out there, he says man, I wish I would have did this I wish I would have did that and I see it so I’m looking forward to his maturation process so far, so good.”

The two have successfully managed to lead the team to dethrone the Buffalo Bills to sit atop the AFC East with a 4-2 record. And the trust factor between them also played a big role in their chemistry. In an interview, Maye explained why Diggs is his best target.

“He’s got great hands,” Maye said of Diggs. “He can catch it in different ways with his body. He turns with the football and can make people miss very easily. It’s very natural. You can just tell he’s played receiver a long time and played at a high level. So I’m just trying to put it in his vicinity. He always says, ‘I got you,’ so just trust that.”

Maye has already thrown for 1,522 yards and 10 touchdowns this season. And if Diggs’s previous claim of the two continuing to get better is any indication, this is just the beginning. Not just for Maye, Diggs’ presence has also been a huge boost for the entire locker room.

Stefon Diggs’ veteran presence in the locker room has been massive

Patriots wide receiver DeMario Douglas recently touched upon how Diggs keeps the locker room sharp and always on their toes.

“That’s a vet that we needed in our room. He never lets you slack. Nothing like that, hard worker,” he said.”The things that y’all don’t see, he’s working. He push us young guys to work. He shows us the way. He keeps our whole room accountable.”

This isn’t the first time the veteran has shared words of wisdom with his teammates. He continues to do that, along with being a key piece of New England’s offense. So, his current injury comes at the wrong time.

The receiver has been dealing with a chest issue. As per Patriots’ injury report shared by WBZ sports anchor Dan Roche, he was a limited participant in Thursday’s practice (October 16). It’s still uncertain whether he will suit up for Sunday’s matchup against the Tennessee Titans.

Head coach Mike Vrabel, however, will hope to see Diggs in action as he heads to Nashville for the first time since parting ways with the Titans.