With wide receiver Stefon Diggs’ season coming to an end and his playoff performance capping an otherwise lackluster second half, the Buffalo Bills may have to make a difficult decision about Diggs’ future.
Only three of the eight targets the three-time Pro Bowler had for 21 yards were caught during Sunday’s devastating 27-24 divisional-round loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. This type of performance wasn’t an isolated incident; rather, it was the most recent example of Diggs and quarterback Josh Allen’s chemistry appearing to be dysfunctional.
Overcommunication between the two was a major factor in two plays that may have changed the outcome of Sunday’s last drive. Diggs missed what would have been at least a 50-yard reception on a lofty pass from Allen with 8:16 left in regulation.
Then, on second-and-9, Allen threw an incompletion into the end zone rather than finding a wide-open Diggs for a possible first down, two plays before kicker Tyler Bass gave us the sequel to “Wide Right.”
It was, in a sense, a fitting manner for Diggs to end the season and a statement of how dismal his second half had been.
Even though they are just below his typical level, Diggs’ 107 receptions for 1,183 yards and eight touchdowns during the regular season may still appear admirable on the surface. But more than half of his total yardage occurred in the first six games of 2023, when he recorded five 100-yard performances.
Diggs’ performance fell off over the next four games, during which Buffalo went 1-3, and he experienced what would turn out to be a season-changing setback in the Week 10 loss to Denver. In the thrilling 24-22 defeat, Diggs only managed to catch three receptions for 34 yards; thus, his Dallas Cowboys brother Trevon said on X that “14 Gotta get up outta” Buffalo.
Diggs forced his way out of Minnesota in 2020, and his brother’s post was especially interesting because he missed a portion of Buffalo’s required minicamp this offseason due to an internal football-related issue. Diggs ultimately played off the mysterious post, saying reporters he’s “fully invested from a professional aspect.” This further adds to the mystery surrounding his subsequent performance.
In addition, Buffalo’s defeat in Week 10 was the team’s final game under former offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey, who was fired and replaced by Joe Brady. With the Bills adopting a run-first philosophy under Brady, Diggs was essentially inconsequential over the remaining seven regular-season games, averaging just 45 yards and scoring just one score.
Diggs caught 10 catches for 73 yards in two games, extending his postseason touchdown drought to seven games. Diggs did not preserve energy for the postseason by decreasing his output.
It’s difficult to determine if Diggs’ decrease is mainly the result of his usage o
After being eliminated from the playoffs by the Chiefs once more, Buffalo could need some changes this offseason, but how significant should they be? Even though Diggs has made a name for himself as one of the best wide receivers in the league in Buffalo, a trade would make sense if Brady plans to keep Diggs in the lineup.
Diggs is by far the most gifted pass-catcher available to the Bills, but they have shown they can succeed without him playing a significant role. However, the 30-year-old still has four seasons left on his current contract, and considering the terms of the agreement, it’s likely that we’ll have to wait until after the season to make a move.
r ability, but either way, things aren’t great, especially considering Diggs was previously dissatisfied with his role.
Diggs has a $27.9 cap hit for 2024, and if he is dealt or cut before June 1st, Buffalo will lose $31.1 million in dead money. This information comes from Over the Cap. However, the Bills would save just over $19 million if Diggs were sold or released after June 1st, when he would only leave a $8.8 million dead cap cost.
Diggs could help build around Allen and his increasing cap hit in exchange for an additional $19 million in spending money and draft capital, which at this point could be too good of a deal to refuse. Buffalo could theoretically start prepping for a trade by selecting Allen as a new weapon in the wide receiver-heavy 2024 NFL Draft, even if any actual move would be a while off.
However, irrespective of
