On Wednesday, the Buffalo Bills engaged in a thrilling trade that sent star wide receiver Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans. Thus, Josh Allen lost one of his prime throwing targets. GM Brandon Beane dropped an eye-opening revelation about his communication with Allen amid the Diggs trade.
Beane said he did not inform Allen that the Stefon Diggs trade was happening, per Ari Meirov. Allen probably woke up to the news as everyone else did. Nevertheless, Beane said he did alert Allen during the offseason that there were inquiries for Diggs, and something could happen.
In the end, the Bills GM traded Diggs to the Texans in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Many questioned the move, but Beane is likely bracing to make another big follow-up transaction, given his reaction to the trade.
“Are we better today? Probably not. I just hope people know I'm competitive as hell,” Beane said, according to Bills beat writer Joe Buscaglia.
There was more to Brandon Beane's move than meets the eye.
Stefon Diggs had tremendous success alongside Josh Allen. The 30-year-old earned four trips to the Pro Bowl between 2020 and 2024 in addition to an All-Pro nod in 2020. However, there were signals Diggs was not happy in Buffalo, particularly during the 2023 offseason.
Trade rumors heated up, but Diggs continued to stick things out. Fuel was added to the fire after the Bills' heartbreaking postseason run. Buffalo advanced past the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-17 during the NFC Wild Card round. Yet, the team could not escape the jaws of Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional round.
The Bills took a 27-24 loss in what marked another failed attempt to reach the Super Bowl with the Allen-Diggs duo. Diggs may now be gone, but his tenure in Buffalo will not be forgotten.
A stellar Bills career leads into a new era
Stefon Diggs started his Bills career in 2020 after five seasons with the Minnesota Vikings. His first year in Buffalo was historic. The former Maryland Terrapin amassed a career-high 1,535 yards and eight touchdowns in 15 games. As a result, he earned his first and lone All-Pro honor.
Diggs continued his stout production for three more years and was Buffalo's top receiver. His tenure did not result in a Super Bowl appearance, but his contributions have undoubtedly elevated the Bills offense. Now, he will continue his efforts on a growing Houston Texans team.
The Texans struck gold with rising second-year quarterback CJ Stroud. Stroud led Houston to a second-round postseason finish and won the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year award. The star QB will have a great target to throw to in Diggs.
Moreover, the Texans further bolstered their offense by landing former Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon. Mixon is coming off his fourth 1000-yard rushing season and adds an upper hand to Houston's squad.
It will be interesting to see how the Bills cope with losing Diggs after their big trade. Can Brandon Beane and Josh Allen find a respectable replacement? The answer lies within the rest of the 2024 NFL offseason period.