It isn’t a real NFL offseason until Stefon Diggs starts vaguely tweeting about wanting a trade. Well, the league year officially began on Wednesday, and the former All-Pro didn’t wait long before hinting at his displeasure with the Buffalo Bills.
Diggs’ frustration with the Bills seems to stem from the lack of playoff success, and he’s been vocal about his displeasure since the 2022 season. Following their season-ending loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, the wideout missed a portion of mandatory minicamp and didn’t hold back from criticizing the team. While Stefon Diggs and the Bills worked out their differences and avoided a trade, it appears as though it was nothing more than a band-aid fix.
The Bills ended their 2023 season with a heartbreaking season-ending loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, and Diggs was in his usual unhappy mood. The wideout refused to speak to reporters after the game and, weeks later, said that he takes his Bills tenure “day by day” and wouldn’t commit to a Buffalo return. This was over a month ago, and time has not healed this wound, as Stefon Diggs seems to still want a trade.
Stefon Diggs Hints At Trade With Vague Twitter Posts
In his latest posts, Stefon Diggs hinted at his desire for a trade by tweeting out “ready for whatever” and changing his Twitter header to what appears to be him waving goodbye to Buffalo. This could all just be a cry for attention, but there are some on-field reasons to believe this could be the end of the road.
HERE. WE. GO. #Bills All-Pro WR Stefan Diggs seems to be saying GOODBYE to Buffalo and that he is being TRADED….
He changed his bio to a photo of him waving and said “READY FOR WHATEVER” pic.twitter.com/LOsLIOQAur
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) March 15, 2024
There were two big reasons the Bills never seriously entertained the idea of a Stefon Diggs trade last year: the money and the production. Buffalo would have not only lost the top option in their passing attack had they traded Diggs, but they also would have lost cap space by parting ways with the veteran. However, a lot can change in a year, and the Bills might now be open to dealing their star wideout.
After a strong start to the season, Diggs disappeared once Joe Brady took over as offensive coordinator. In the final eight games of the season, the former All-Pro recorded just 37 receptions for 349 yards and one touchdown. Now that Brady has the full-time job and Diggs is entering his age-31 season, the Bills might decide that Diggs’ on-field play doesn’t justify the off-field headaches.
Additionally, the Bills can save a decent chunk of cap space if they wait until after June 1st to trade Stefon Diggs. According to OverTheCap, Buffalo can clear $19 million in much-needed spending money by trading him on June 2nd or later – and there should be teams willing to roll the dice on the former All-Pro.
Possible Next Teams
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are having one of the least inspiring “all-in” campaigns of all time. Jerry Jones said the team was going to nuts in free agency, but the team has only added linebacker Eric Kendricks. With Michael Gallup gone, the team needs another big playmaker opposite CeeDee Lamb. Stefon Diggs might not be the player he once was, but the former All-Pro makes plenty of sense as a trade target. If he can accept being the second target in an offense, then he’d be a perfect fit for this team.
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals desperately need a wide receiver. With Marquise Brown and Rondale Moore gone, the Cardinals currently have Greg Dortch, Michael Wilson, and Chris Moore atop their depth chart. That’s not nearly good enough for a team hoping to get back into the playoffs, and seeing as they have six top-100 picks in the 2024 NFL Draft, they should be willing to trade a mid- or late-round selection for Stefon Diggs.
Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers released Mike Williams and traded Keenan Allen to save cap space. Now they have plenty of spending money, but nobody capable of catching the football. While the team reportedly wants to bring back Williams, they’ll be in serious trouble if the former top-10 pick signs somewhere else. Seeing as Quentin Johnston had an atrocious rookie season, the team might have no choice but to trade for Stefon Diggs. Justin Herbert is great, but he cannot throw and catch the ball. If this team wants to take down the Kansas City Chiefs, they’ll need to add some firepower to this offense.
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are not going to compete for the Lombardi Trophy in 2024, and they know it. Instead of trying to build an overnight contender, they are wisely building around Bryce Young to see what they have in the Alabama product. While they’ve done some great work with fortifying the offensive line and trading for Diontae Johnson, they could still use another reliable wide receiver. While they might not be willing to trade a draft pick, Stefon Diggs would easily be the best receiver on this roster. If the price is cheap enough, the Panthers might consider pulling the trigger.
New England Patriots
Would the Buffalo Bills ever trade Stefon Diggs to a divisional rival? Probably not, but if New England’s making the best offer, they might have no choice. Despite having plenty of cap space, the Patriots have continued to strike out in free agency. Whether it’s Jacoby Brissett or a rookie, New England’s starting quarterback will not succeed with Kendrick Bourne and Demario Douglas as his top receivers. Even in his current state, Diggs is a much better player than anyone New England currently has.
Main Photo: Nathan Ray Seebeck – USA Today Sports
