The Buffalo Bills announced on April 3, 2024, that they would trade star wide receiver Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans, sending shockwaves across the NFL community. Buffalo sent Diggs, along with a 2024 sixth-round pick and a 2025 fifth-round pick, to Houston in exchange for a 2025 second-round selection.
It caused much confusion in the league for a team competing at the top of the league to part ways with a receiver of Diggs’ caliber during quarterback Josh Allen’s prime.
Looking Back at The Details of The Stefon Diggs’ Trade
Diggs’s trade wasn’t just about his performance; it was heavily tied to Buffalo’s salary cap situation. Bills GM Brandon Beane openly admitted that the team needed to make tough financial decisions. Diggs’ hefty contract extension in 2022, valued at $96 million with $70 million guaranteed, left Buffalo with little wiggle room.
Although the trade hit the Bills with a significant dead cap charge of $31 million, it helped clear future salary obligations and eased their long-term financial constraints.
Why did the Bills choose to trade Stefon Diggs now?
GM Brandon Beane explains that it was more prudent to eat the cap hit now rather than later on The Athletic NFL Show.
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The offensive shift under new coordinator Joe Brady also played a role. Diggs’ production dropped significantly in the latter half of the 2023 season as the team moved to a more run-focused system. His statistics reflected the change, as he went from being one of the NFL’s most reliable targets to struggling with reduced involvement.
The trade wasn’t entirely unexpected for Diggs. The receiver revealed he had been in a challenging mental space during his final season in Buffalo, which made him subtly push for a fresh start. Reflecting on the transition, Diggs told GQ Sports.
“If I’m not in a good space, it’s not the best for me. So that’s when things had to start shaking out.”
“I love the noise,” he says. “Push me in the corner, I’m gonna show you my best shit. I’m a person that enjoys being doubted. I enjoy proving people wrong, but also, I enjoy doing it for myself. Everything I say I am, I am. I’m standing true to it. And every time I prove myself right, everybody disappears. I like when they get quiet.”
Despite the struggles, Diggs has embraced his new role in Houston. Playing alongside quarterback C.J. Stroud and a promising receiving corps, he’s already making an impact while adding veteran leadership to the Texans’ young offense. However, his season-ending injury definitely stunted his growth with his new team.
Without Diggs, Buffalo has had to adapt. Josh Allen has spread the ball across multiple targets, showcasing a balanced offense. The shift underscores a broader overhaul within the team, signaling a new era for the Bills as they aim to stay competitive despite high-profile departures.
Even Allen admitted how tough losing a player like Diggs was.
“It’s definitely hard to part ways with a guy that’s been very instrumental in our success here over the last four years,” Allen said.
“… Obviously, I wish we can keep everybody. You know, we’ve made a lot of changes this offseason, lost a lot of veteran leadership, Stef being one of them. I guess that’s the nature of the business. And going into Year 7 now, it’s just kind of is what it is. I don’t get paid to make changes on the team. I get paid to be the best quarterback that I can be and try to lead the guys on this team.”
While the Diggs trade may have closed a chapter in Buffalo, it has opened a new one in Houston.