Getty Former Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs is under fire for an outburst on the sideline's of the Buffalo Bills' 27-10 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC divisional playoffs.
The Buffalo Bills already looked to two of their star players to help alleviate their cap crunch, and now wide receiver Stefon Diggs is joining the mix.
Just a day after the Bills freed up close to $32 million in salary cap space by restructuring the contracts of quarterback Josh Allen and edge rusher Von Miller, they reworked Diggs’ contract to create an additional $5.6 million. ESPN’s Field Yates reported that the Bills converted Diggs’ salary into a bonus to free up space needed to sign free agents and draft picks.
The Bills were roughly $20 million over the cap in the weeks leading up to the start of free agency, but slashed that number and created space with a series of contract restructures and extensions.
Bills Now a ‘Player’ in Free Agency
As Bryan DeArdo of CBS Sports noted, the Bills have freed up enough salary cap space to make some significant moves in free agency, even though they were relatively quiet through the tampering phase early this week.
“The added cap space makes the Bills a player in free agency moving forward,” DeArdo wrote. “While several notable players have already found new teams, there are still plenty of good players to be had with free agent season still in its infancy.”
Report: Bills restructure Stefon Diggs’ contract to create $5.4 million in cap space. t.co/CdeHtRN0by
The Bills have been linked to a number of key free agents, especially on the offensive side of the ball where they are expected to re-tool. Go Long‘s Tyler Dunne reported that the Bills are “very interested” in signing Detroit Lions running back Jamaal Williams, which could be a major upgrade for their running game.
DeArdo noted that the Bills could choose to use their new salary cap space to keep some of their own players, including safety Jordan Poyer, defensive ends Jordan Phillips and Shaq Lawson, and running back Devin Singletary.
Stefon Diggs Not Happy With Way Season Ended
The move appears to cement Diggs’ future with the Bills after some rumors that he was not content in Buffalo. Diggs was seen growing frustrated on the sidelines during the team’s playoff loss to the Cincinnati Bengals and left the stadium quickly afterward, sparking some rumors that he may be unhappy and seeking a trade.
Diggs later explained that he was unhappy with losing, and expounded further on his feeling during an appearance on “Uninterrupted: The Shop” that aired on March 9. The Bills receiver said he doesn’t understand why the team fell short of the Super Bowl.
The #Bills have restructured the contract of WR Stefon Diggs, converting base salary into a bonus and creating another $5.4M in cap space @FieldYates
“It doesn’t make sense. I will rack my brain with this s***,” Diggs said. “I think it’s more execution than anything. S*** is small little pieces on why s*** is not going right… We got the players. We got the plays. Why s*** aint coming together?”
Diggs added that he has been fully committed to the team and the goal of winning it all.
“I never want to question who I am,” he said. “I never want to question how I am. I’m giving this s*** all I got. I’m dying on the hill with that.”