Patriots VP Eliot Wolf called released receiver Stefon Diggs "a warrior" on Thursday. (AP photo)

Here are some takeaways from Thursday’s New England Patriots media availability:

One, why did the Patriots let go of arguably their best receiver and locker room leader Stefon Diggs?

“Just a variety of factors, looking at financials, ability, a lot of things go into this,” Patriots VP of Player Personnel Eliot Wolf said on Thursday in meeting with the media. “We have nothing but respect for Stefon, he was an absolute warrior for us as I said to him multiple times after games, just really appreciate all his contributions to the team.

“We talked about a variety of options, decided to move forward with the guys we brought in here today. Ultimately we decided to move forward, we wish him nothing but the best.”

The Patriots instead signed Green Bay receiver Romeo Doubs to a slightly cheaper deal, and Doubs is younger

“I wouldn’t say it was overly intentional that we said we have to get younger,” Wolf said.

The Patriots executive talked up his new receiver.

“I think he has a really cool skill set, he can play outside inside, he blocks, play Z, play X, he’s good on the short rout,” Wolf said. “He’s good on deep routs, he’s good with the ball in his hands. There was a lot of rout variance that we liked. … He was already in the playbook. He was on the I-Pad looking at formations while I was trying to get him to sign his contract.”

Doubs said the fit to him seemed like a good one.

“It was a a great opportunity I felt I couldn’t pass on,” he said.

Wolf said that the “door isn’t closed” on Diggs possibly returning, but that didn’t sound like a possibility with the rest of his comments sounding like a farewell. He wouldn’t touch the A.J. Brown rumors or trade possibility, but didn’t say the Patriots were done looking at receivers.

“We’re always open to trying to improve the team any way we can,” he said. “If we see something out there we think can help us out, we’ll look towards it.”

Right now, he’s happy with the receiving corps, saying no one player will carry the main load.

“I think it’ll be a variety of guys…. We think we have guys who are here we think can do more,” he said. “We feel good about the group.”

EMPHASIS ON THE RUN

The Patriots, Wolf said, felt they needed to get more physical on offense, and that’s what this week’s signings show with guard Alijah Vera-Tucker, tight end Julian Hill, and fullback Reggie Gilliam.

“I think there were points in the season where we didn’t run the ball as well as we would have liked for a variety of reasons,” Wolf said. “I think adding the fullback, the guard, the tight end who’s primarily been a blocker his career certainly was intentional.

“We’re trying to get some toughness, some identity guys for Coach Vrabel in that offense. Julian is a guy we’ve obviously played against; played at a smaller school and made (the Dolphins) as an undrafted rookie and has really kind of improved each year he’s been in it. We think there’s still probably some meat on the bone in the passing game for him, but he’s a physical, tough guy at the point of attack.”

As for Tucker, who is coming off injuries, Wolf said it was risk-reward.

“We looked at the film, the youth, the type of injuries it was, were all factors that we talked about,” Wolf said, adding that the team opted to “take a swing at a player that was still young, had good upside and was a really good player at his position.”

THE GONZALEZ QUESTION

There’s been a lot of talk about the time is approaching for cornerback Christian Gonzalez to get an extension with his rookie deal nearing an end. Where does that stand? Wolf didn’t shed too much light on it except to say it’s on their list.

“It’s no sccret we’d like to keep Christian Gonzalez,” he said. “I don’t know what the timing of that is, but it’s certainly something we’re preparing for.”