Another year, another offseason filled with Stefon Diggs trade rumors following a disappointing early playoff exit. Despite Josh Allen playing like a demigod, Buffalo fell to the Kansas City Chiefs, and their star wide receiver was not happy after the game. Following the loss, the $96 million man refused to speak to reporters, mirroring what happened last year when the Bills lost to the Cincinnati Bengals. Diggs has never been shy about expressing his frustrations, and this year, things might finally hit a breaking point.
The Bills essentially went all-in on Diggs’ prime and Josh Allen’s rookie contract window. That window is now closed, which means the team will need to make some hard decisions. As of this posting, the team is currently $43.6 million over the allotted salary cap, so it will not be easy to create a roster that can finally topple the Kansas City Chiefs. However, if the Bills trade Stefon Diggs with a post-June 1st designation, they can save $19 million in cap space. Normally, this is a price you’d be willing to pay for an elite wide receiver, but Buffalo might be willing to say goodbye.
In addition to the potential locker room issue, Stefon Diggs simply didn’t do much of anything down the stretch. Diggs’ role reduced dramatically with Joe Brady as the offensive coordinator, as he recorded just 37 receptions for 349 yards and one touchdown over the final eight games of the regular season. Now entering his age-31 season, there is a chance that we’ve already seen the best of Diggs. If age has finally caught up to him, then the Bills will probably decide that his attitude and ability don’t justify his contract.
5 Teams That Could Trade For Stefon Diggs
Of course, just because the Bills and Stefon Diggs might be headed for a divorce doesn’t mean that no other teams will be interested. While his season ended on a low note, we are talking about a small sample. There is a chance that Diggs’ collapse was a random blip on the radar, or it could have the product of a nagging injury. Either way, some team will probably be willing to bet on his insane talent.
Before we get to the most likely fits, we need to also acknowledge that Buffalo probably won’t be willing to trade Stefon Diggs to an AFC contender. Even if they believe that Diggs is done, their ultimate goal is to make it to the Super Bowl, and they’re not going to allow Diggs to make their path any harder than it needs to be. So, even though a team like the Chiefs needs a wide receiver, the Bills would never trade him there.
Most Likely Destinations
Dallas Cowboys
For better or worse, the Dallas Cowboys are running it back with Mike McCarthy for one more season. Dak Prescott played at an elite level for most of the season, and CeeDee Lamb has established himself as one of the very best receivers in the game. However, they need to find another option in this passing attack. Brandin Cooks didn’t do much of anything, and it looks like Michael Gallup will never rediscover his pre-injury form. Stefon Diggs might only have a handful of years left in his tank, but McCarthy will lose his job if he can’t bring this team on a deep playoff run.
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are well ahead of schedule in their rebuild. Green Bay had the youngest roster in the league, yet they still found a way to go all the way to the NFC Divisional Round and nearly toppled the San Francisco 49ers. The core is strong, but now this team needs a veteran presence to help steady the ship. If Stefon Diggs is willing to take on a leadership role, he could be exactly what this team needs. As a bonus, he’d probably love the idea of facing off against the Minnesota Vikings twice a year.
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are one of the few teams in a worse salary cap place than the Buffalo Bills. However, this is familiar territory for New Orleans, and they always find a way to clear up cap space for the players they want. 2024 should be no exception, especially since Dennis Allen is on the hot seat. The Saints head coach has yet to bring his team to the playoffs, and if he can’t do it in 2024, he’ll probably be on the unemployment line. Chris Olave is great, but this team needs another reliable target machine. Injuries appear to have sapped away what used to make Michael Thomas great, and Stefon Diggs could step into that role nicely.
Carolina Panthers
Every other team on this list is going to try and compete in 2024. The Carolina Panthers, however, are a few years away from that, but they should still have some interest in Stefon Diggs. Bryce Young did not live up to his draft billing as a rookie, but can you blame a guy for struggling when his only starting-caliber receiver was Adam Thielen? Back in 2020, Diggs helped turn Josh Allen into one of the best quarterbacks in the game. Now, he has a chance to do the same thing for Bryce Young.
Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers are the only AFC team that could feasibly acquire Stefon Diggs in a trade. While they are over the salary cap, they can easily make up that difference by releasing Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. However, this would leave them without a starting-caliber wide receiver. If Williams and Allen are not willing to restructure their deals, then perhaps the Chargers could go after a proven receiver in Stefon Diggs. Pairing him with Justin Herbert and (presumably) Jim Harbaugh makes plenty of sense, and the Bills probably aren’t too worried about giving a 30-year-old receiver to a 5-12 team.
Main Photo: Jamie Germano – USA Today Sports
