The Buffalo Bills are in the final stages of a blockbuster trade that will send WR Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans in exchange for a 2025 second round draft pick.
Adam Schefter broke the news Wednesday in addition to Diggs, Houston will also receive a 2024 6th round selection, and a 2025 5th round pick. The second rounder which Buffalo will receive previously belonged to the Minnesota Vikings.
Since joining the Bills in 2020, Diggs leads the NFL in receptions with 445 catches over the last 4 seasons. The 30 year old wideout recorded 107 receptions for 1,183 yards, and 8 TDs in 2023 en route to his 4th consecutive Pro Bowl selection.
Originally selected 146th overall in the 2015 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings, Diggs has recorded 6 straight years of at least 1,000 yards receiving, and will now join a revamped Texans offence down in Houston.
After struggling through 3 seasons of 4 wins or less between 2020 and 2022, the Texans won 10 games, the AFC South division title, and a playoff game in 2023. With the reigning offensive (C.J. Stroud) and defensive (Will Anderson Jr.) rookies of the year, Houston has made waves this offseason by insulating their young talent with veteran weapons via trade and free agency.
Last month the team acquired former Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon, and then signed him to a 3 year, $27M extension. They then went out and inked pass rusher Danielle Hunter to a 2 year, $49M contract in free agency, with $48M of that deal in guaranteed money.
With Diggs now in the mix, the Texans will feature a pass catching group with the likes of Nico Collins, Tank Dell, John Metchie III, and Dalton Schultz.
Meanwhile, the disgruntled WR becomes the latest veteran jettisoned from Buffalo since their season ended, joining Tre’Davious White, Jordan Poyer, Mitch Morse, Gabriel Davis, and Leonard Floyd as players who will star for new teams in 2024.
Diggs and the Bills enjoyed a strong on field relationship production wise. However the former Maryland standout had voiced his displeasure to the media on multiple occasions about his role with the team.
Just yesterday Diggs esponded to a social media post suggesting that he wasn’t essential to Josh Allen’s success by replying, “You sure?”. Stefon’s younger brother, CB Trevon Diggs had also previously posted that “14 Gotta get up outta there” after another report surfaced that tensions were rising between the Bills front office and the elder Diggs.
As a result of the trade, Buffalo will now carry a $31.096M dead money charge in 2024 which would be the highest ever for a WR. It also almost assuredly indicates that Buffalo will be in the market for a new pass catcher at the upcoming NFL Draft.
Buffalo’s current depth chart features Curtis Samuel, Mack Hollins, and Khalil Shakir as the presumed starters. The Bills currently own the 28th overall pick in this spring’s draft, but now also own the 42nd pick as well.
Combining those two assets to potentially move up in the draft to select Diggs’ replacement has to be high on GM Brandon Beane’s list of potential outcomes in his preparation for April 25th.
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