The Buffalo Bills have parted ways with Stefon Diggs, who has been one of the elite pass catchers in the NFL over the last few seasons with Josh Allen.
The Houston Texans made a big splash last week trading a package that included a second-round pick for Diiggs. To make it even more interesting, Houston slashed the last three years off Diggs’ deal so he will be a free agent after the season.
It could end up being a high price tag for a one-year rental, especially after Diggs ended his Buffalo Bills tenure with 13 straight games under 100 receiving yards (including playoffs), the longest streak of his NFL career.
So the question is, what version of Diggs are the Texans getting? The one who led the NFL in catches in four years in Buffalo and started off the 2023 season with 100 receiving yards in five or his first six games? Or the one who looked like a shell of his former self as the season progressed?
How did Diggs’ production so suddenly fall off a cliff? There’s a few possible explanations. He could be on the back nine of his career. He turned 30 last November, an age where star wide receivers commonly see a downtick in production.
It could have been an injury. Diggs didn’t miss any games last year, but he was on the injury report with a back issue in Week 10 before his numbers really went south. His strained relationship with the Buffalo Bills might also have something to do with it.
The mostly likely explanation, though, was the promotion of Joe Brady to offensive coordinator after Ken Dorsey was fired. Diggs’ production was cut in half after Brady took over as the OC in Week 11, which amounted to the final nine games of the season, including playoffs.
Diggs averaged the fewest yards per reception (8.8) of any wide receiver in the league with Brady (min. 25 targets).
He also wasn’t the focal point of the offense like he was in years past. He was on the field less (snap rate dropped from 87% to 77%). The Buffalo Bills passed less (dropback rate went from 63% to 53%) and Diggs’ target share dropped (31% to 27%) especially in key situations where you would expect your top receiver to get the ball.
Regardless of how DIggs pans out in Houston, the Bills are now in desperate need of a dynamic wide receiver. Both Gabe Davis and Diggs are now gone, and having a true No. 1 superstar who can take over a game has been critical to Josh Allen’s career so far.
Buffalo Bills Make Blockbuster Proposed Trade With 49ers For Brandon Aiyuk
Bleacher Report presented a few trade options for 49ers star WR Brandon Aiyuk and the Bills made the top of the list.
The potential move would require Buffalo giving up this year’s first round pick, but unless they plan on selecting a WR that is better than the 49ers star.
Buffalo Bills Get: WR Brandon Aiyuk
49ers Get: 2024 Round 1 Pick (No. 28), 2025 Round 4 Pick
It has been a bumpy offseason in Western New York. Due largely to a lack of cap space, the Bills bid adieu to multiple veteran players, including wide receiver Gabe Davis. There was more than a little speculation that fellow wideout Stefon Diggs is unhappy and wanted out of New York.
While appearing on The Pat McAfee Show, Bills general manager Brandon Beane did his best to shoot down the notion that Diggs is going anywhere.
“No one called on Diggs,” Beane said. “I think people know that he’s ours, and we wouldn’t (do that)—even if there was an issue—and he was never asking to be traded. That never came up. I’ve got a great relationship with his agent, Adisa Bakari. So, it was truly never an issue. It was just more us getting in a room and talking through how last season finished and getting on the same page.”
Of course, those words ring rather hollow after the Buffalo Bills traded Diggs to the Houston Texans last Wednesday. And now the Bills are desperate for a No. 1 wideout to pair with Josh Allen.
An extension for Brandon Aiyuk wouldn’t be easy with Buffalo possessing just $7.7 million in cap space. And trading Aiyuk to another Super Bowl contender might be a tough sell in Santa Clara.
But obtaining a first-rounder for Aiyuk beats the late third-rounder San Francisco would receive for him leaving in free agency a year from now—a pick San Francisco wouldn’t see until 2026.
Bringing Aiyuk in would alleviate much of the sting from losing Diggs. And it’s better for the Buffalo Bills in the short-term than trying to develop a rookie on the fly.