The Buffalo Bills have parted ways with Stefon Diggs, who has been one of the NFL’s top pass catchers in recent seasons alongside Josh Allen.
Last week, the Houston Texans made a major deal with Diggs, exchanging a second-round pick for him. To make matters even more interesting, Houston reduced Diggs’ contract by three years, allowing him to become a free agency following the season.
It could be a steep price for a one-year rental, especially since Diggs finished his Buffalo Bills career with 13 straight games with fewer than 100 receiving yards (including playoffs), the longest skid of his NFL career.
So the issue is, what version of Diggs will the Texans get? Who led the NFL in catches over four years in Buffalo and began the 2023 season with 100 receiving yards in five or six games? Or the one who became a shadow of his former self as the season progressed?
How did Diggs’ output plummet so dramatically? There are several probable explanations. He could be in the back nine of his career. He turned 30 last November, an age when top wide receivers typically see a drop in production.
It might have been an injury. Diggs did not miss a game last season, although he was on the injury list in Week 10 with a back issue before his numbers plummeted. His rocky relationship with the Buffalo Bills could also be a contributing factor.
The most likely cause is Joe Brady’s ascension to offensive coordinator following Ken Dorsey’s firing. Diggs’ productivity was dropped in half once Brady took over as offensive coordinator in Week 11, which accounted for the final nine games of the season, including playoffs.
Diggs had the fewest yards per reception (8.8) of any wide receiver in the league with Brady (minimum of 25 targets).
He was also not the primary point of the offense, as he had been in previous years. He played less (his snap rate reduced from 87% to 77%). The Buffalo Bills passed less (63% to 53%), and Diggs’ target share decreased (31% to 27%), particularly in important scenarios where you would expect your top receiver to receive the ball.
Regardless of how DIggs performs in Houston, the Bills are now in serious need of a dynamic wide receiver. Gabe Davis and Diggs are both gone, and Josh Allen’s career has relied heavily on having a real No. 1 superstar who can take over a game.
Buffalo Bills Make Blockbuster Proposed Trade With 49ers For Brandon Aiyuk
Bleacher Report outlined a few trade options for 49ers star WR Brandon Aiyuk, with the Bills at the top of the list.
The hypothetical move would necessitate Buffalo giving up this year’s first-round pick, unless they intend to draft a WR better than the 49ers’ star.
Buffalo Bills get WR Brandon Aiyuk.
49ers Receive: 2024 Round 1 Pick (No. 28), 2025 Round 4 Pick.
It has been a difficult offseason in Western New York. Due to a lack of cap space, the Bills said goodbye to several veteran players, including wide receiver Gabe Davis. There has been some conjecture that fellow wideout Stefon Diggs is dissatisfied in New York and wants to leave.
During an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, Bills general manager Brandon Beane attempted to dispel the notion that Diggs is on his way out.
“No one called on Diggs,” Beane explained. “I think people understand that he’s ours, and we wouldn’t do that—even if there was a problem—and he never asked to be traded. That never came up. I have a wonderful relationship with his agent, Adisa Bakari. So it was absolutely never a problem. It was just us getting together in a room and talking about how last season ended and getting on the same page.”
Of course, those remarks ring hollow when the Buffalo Bills dealt Diggs to the Houston Texans on Wednesday. And now the Bills are looking for a No. 1 wideout to go with Josh Allen.
With Buffalo’s cap space of only $7.7 million, it would be difficult to extend Brandon Aiyuk. Trading Aiyuk to another Super Bowl contender may be a difficult sell in Santa Clara.
However, acquiring a first-rounder for Aiyuk outweighs the late third-rounder San Francisco would receive if he left in free agency a year from now—a pick San Francisco would not see until 2026.
Bringing Aiyuk in would soften the blow of Diggs’ departure. And it’s better for the Buffalo Bills in the short run than trying to develop a rookie on the spot.
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