Getty Stefon Diggs looks on during a Buffalo Bills game.
The Buffalo Bills have not been able to put the drama with Stefon Diggs behind them this offseason, and an insider is issuing a warning that the issue may still be unresolved.
Diggs caused a stir when he was not present on the first day of the team’s mandatory minicamp on June 13, an absence that came after months of speculation over cryptic statements from Diggs hinting at his unhappiness. Though Bills head coach Sean McDermott cleared up the issue the following day when he said that the star receiver’s absence was excused, Buffalo News insider Jay Skurski hinted that there could still be a “red flag” over one coach’s role in the drama.
Issues Still to Address for Bills, Stefon Diggs
In a mailbag column published on June 24, Skurski fielded a question from a fan about a meeting that reportedly took place before Diggs left the team facility prior to the start of minicamp. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that the team had some closed-door meetings with Diggs and key members of the coaching staff, and a reader asked Skurski if it was a bad sign that offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey was reportedly not there.
Skurski wrote that it could point to a bigger issue if Diggs were to have met with the coaching staff and not gotten a chance to share any potential concerns with Dorsey.
Stefon Diggs working releases
“It’s possible offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey was in those meetings, but not named,” Skurski wrote. “Let’s consider both scenarios: If Dorsey was in the meeting and simply wasn’t mentioned, it’s a nonissue. On the other hand, if it’s true Dorsey wasn’t in the meetings, it’s absolutely a red flag and gives serious credence to the idea Diggs’ frustrations center on his role in the offense.”
Ben Volin of the Boston Globe shared some insight on Diggs’ reported frustrations, noting that he saw a noticeable dip in usage during the playoffs.
“Since joining the Bills for the 2020 season, Diggs is top six in all of those stats, and his 484 targets rank second behind only Davante Adams,” Volin wrote.
“Over the last six games in 2023, including two playoff games, Diggs caught just one touchdown pass and averaged a meager 63 receiving yards per game,” Volin added. “In the playoff loss to the Bengals, a listless, blowout defeat at home, Diggs had just four catches for 35 yards.”
Bills Moving in the Right Direction
There are signs that the Bills could be working through their issues, with some tentative hope that Diggs would be a full participant for the rest of the offseason. Fowler said in a June 26 appearance on the Rich Eisen Show that it was seen as a good sign that Diggs returned to practice on Wednesday, the day after his missed practice.
Diggs is expected to be back with the team when training camp opens in July, Fowler added.
“I was told pretty adamantly that Diggs would not have been there for that minicamp practice on the field had he not felt that they were in a little better of a place than they were before that Tuesday,” Fowler said. “I do sense that things are positive, and I’m told the Bills fully expect him for training camp. They don’t really expect any funny business here; they do believe they have this resolved.”