Getty Stefon Diggs of the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs has seen a big dip in production over the second half of the season, openly expressing frustration at his difficulties against opposing defenses.
One report suggests that the building frustrations could lead the Bills to consider trading the All-Pro wide receiver this offseason in what would ultimately be an expensive move to add more youth around quarterback Josh Allen. Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine drew up a list of “shocking” trades that could shake up the coming offseason, suggesting that the Bills could consider shipping Diggs to a rebuilding NFC team in exchange for a big haul of draft picks.
Season Finish Could Determine Fate of Stefon Diggs
Ballentine suggested that the final few weeks of the Bills’ season could determine their direction in the offseason. After falling to 6-6, the Bills have fought back into the playoff picture with three straight wins including victories against the Kansas City Chiefs and Dallas Cowboys.
Ballentine noted that even with the Bills playing well, Diggs is still seeing a significant drop in production that could lead the team to consider trading him.
“Diggs’ production recently could lead to more frustration even though it has come in Bills victories. He’s been held under 50 yards in [five of the last six games] after hitting that benchmark in each of the team’s first nine contests,” Ballentine wrote.
#BillsMafia This was such a clutch catch a critical point in the game on 3rd down by Stefon Diggs 🔥💯. I appreciate this brother!!
He wrote that the Arizona Cardinals could make a run at Diggs, noting that they have two first-round picks including one acquired from the Houston Texans. Ballentine suggested the Bills could send Diggs to Arizona in exchange for their 2024 first-round pick (via Houston) and a 2025 third-round pick.
Others have suggested that Diggs could be coming to the end of his time in Buffalo. SI.com’s Tim Kelly wrote that Diggs could seek to break his ties with the Bills due to his diminishing role.
“Still, it’s hard to imagine Diggs is thrilled with his production over the last nine games, when he’s gone over 50 yards receiving on just four occasions,” Kelly wrote. “If the Bills fall short of reaching the Super Bowl, bring back [Sean] McDermott as coach and remove the interim tag from [Joe] Brady as the offensive coordinator, it will be fair to wonder whether Diggs will be interested in remaining part of the team. “
Parting Ways With Stefon Diggs Would be Very Expensive
While Ballentine and others have speculated that the Bills could move on from Diggs, the reality of his contract could preclude any kind of move. The Bills restructured his contract last offseason, converting his salary to a bonus that freed up cap space.
The move also made it very expensive for the Bills to move on from Diggs. As Spotrac noted, the Bills would have to absorb a total cap charge of $31 million in 2024 if they were to trade Diggs.
The team has also continually insisted that there are no plans to trade him, even as there were tensions between Diggs and the team last offseason. General manager Brandon Beane said in August that no teams reached out to the Bills to inquire about his availability, and the Bills never considered trading him.
“No, no one called on Diggs. I think people know that he’s ours,” Beane said in an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show. “Even if there was an issue, and he was never asking to be traded, it never came up.”
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Analyst Suggests ‘Frustration’ Will Lead Bills to Trade WR Stefon Diggs