Bills trade star WR Stefon Diggs to Texans for 2025 draft pick

The Buffalo Payments traded four-time Professional Bowl vast receiver Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans for draft choose compensation Wednesday.

The Payments obtained a 2025 second-round choose (by way of the Minnesota Vikings) in trade for Diggs, a 2024 sixth-round choose (No. 189 general) and a 2025 fifth-round choice. The Texans acquired the choose from the Vikings once they traded their 2024 first-round choose to Minnesota final month.

The commerce comes a day after Diggs responded “You certain?” to a social media consumer’s declaration that he wasn’t important to Payments quarterback Josh Allen’s success.

“I need to thank Stef for 4 actually good seasons,” Payments common supervisor Brandon Beane mentioned Wednesday. “… Actually respect every part he delivered to the crew, was an enormous a part of us profitable 4 divisions. These strikes are by no means straightforward. Very arduous. Not made in a single day or something like that, however anytime you make a transfer like this … you are making an attempt to win, and typically individuals might not see that.

“That is not at all the Payments giving up or making an attempt to take a step again or something like that. All the pieces we do, we’re making an attempt to win. And we will proceed to do this.”

Beane declined to say whether or not Diggs or his agent requested a commerce.

Diggs took to Instagram later Wednesday night time to specific his due to the Payments group and followers, writing: “I can not start to specific the quantity of affection and respect I’ve for town of Buffalo. 4 of the very best years of my life, town welcomed me with open arms. I am perpetually grateful for you all and the Buffalo Payments group! One thing particular was constructed over these years with some very particular males, that can all the time have a spot in my coronary heart. Payments mafia, so many nice reminiscences created all through the years. These video games have been loopy due to you. Sadly good issues come to an finish till we meet once more.”

It is the most recent win-now transfer for the Texans, who’re surrounding quarterback C.J. Stroud with veteran expertise this offseason.

The Texans traded for working again Joe Mixon final month, buying him from the Cincinnati Bengals after which signing him to a three-year, $27 million extension. Additionally they made a splash on the defensive facet, signing star pass-rusher Danielle Hunter to a two-year, $49 million contract, together with $48 million assured, in free company.

Diggs, 30, joins a loaded Texans offense that’s headlined by Stroud, the NFL’s reigning Offensive Rookie of the 12 months, and contains Mixon, receivers Nico Collins and Tank Dell and tight finish Dalton Schultz.

Within the 2023 season, Dell was on tempo for 1,205 receiving yards earlier than struggling a season-ending harm within the first quarter towards the Denver Broncos in Week 13. Dell and Stroud completed with the eighth-most passing yards for a first-year quarterback and vast receiver duo (709). Collins ranked eighth in receiving yards (1,297) and had eight touchdowns.

Final month, the Texans tried to commerce for Keenan Allen and supplied a Day 2 choose from the 2025 draft. The Los Angeles Chargers as a substitute despatched Allen to the Chicago Bears, nevertheless it was an indication the Texans have been keen to enhance their receiver core to assist Stroud in his second season.

The Payments, in the meantime, have moved on from a number of veterans this offseason. Buffalo launched cornerstone defensive gamers Tre’Davious White and Jordan Poyer and beginning heart Mitch Morse in wage cap strikes. As well as, receiver Gabriel Davis signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars and outdoors linebacker Leonard Floyd signed with the San Francisco 49ers in free company.

Final season, Diggs had repeatedly publicly expressed a dedication to the Payments and a need to retire with the crew. The three-time captain signed a four-year, $104 million contract extension in April 2022.

The Payments will carry a lifeless cash cost of $31.096 million subsequent season after buying and selling Diggs, in line with Roster Administration System. That would be the highest identified lifeless cash cost ever for a large receiver in any season, in line with ESPN Stats & Info analysis.

“The timing is the worth that you just’re being supplied for the participant versus what you suppose is honest, and also you’re all the time trying not solely at this yr, however you are all the time trying in future years as effectively,” Beane mentioned. “… I feel everyone knows what we walked into this yr, this league yr, with the wage cap and the place we have been. And whereas, sure, we’ll eat slightly bit this yr, it frees over $27 million off of our cap and provides us some extra flexibility sooner or later.”

Final yr, Diggs was “excused” from the primary day of the crew’s obligatory minicamp by coach Sean McDermott, who mentioned he thought the matter together with his star receiver was “resolved.” That clarification got here a day after he had mentioned he was “very involved” about Diggs’ absence.

“Stef is a really aggressive man, and I would not need to change that for him, and I do not suppose that was one thing that after we acquired him, I feel we have been very conscious of his aggressive nature,” Beane mentioned. “… When making a decision like this, it is usually , until somebody broke the regulation and did one thing very dangerous, and it is usually not one factor. … Making the choice, and also you’re contemplating all components.”

Diggs spoke throughout the season about his continued dedication to the Payments, saying in November, “I’ve by no means actually mentioned something about being sad or any occasion of that. So, if you’re drawing conclusions as to stuff I’ve by no means mentioned, that is what sort of troubles me as a result of it type of throws a wrench in it. It type of creates chaos the place I have not created.

“Chaos created round me, whereas I simply been in the identical house, I have been in the identical place, and I’ve spoken true phrases. I’ve mentioned the identical factor again and again and over. So, if you draw a conclusion as to how I really feel in my foreseeable future right here, I’ve by no means mentioned something, however I used to be a Buffalo Invoice. I gave it every part I obtained. I am an expert and I deal with this recreation as such.”

On the time, Diggs was distancing himself from tweets his brother, Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs, wrote, together with: “Man 14 Gotta rise up outta there.”

Stefon Diggs’ manufacturing decreased following the primary six video games of the 2023 season. He didn’t have one other 100-yard receiving recreation the remainder of the season and solely caught three extra touchdowns. Over the Payments’ remaining seven video games of final season, together with the playoffs, Diggs averaged 41.0 receiving yards and had zero touchdowns. It is the one time in Diggs’ profession that he has gone seven straight video games with no landing.

Beane mentioned after the season that he nonetheless seen Diggs as a No. 1 receiver.

Diggs set a wide range of crew and league information throughout his time with the crew, together with being one among 4 gamers in NFL historical past to report 4 consecutive seasons with 100-plus receptions (Antonio Brown, Davante Adams and Marvin Harrison are the others).

His acquisition in 2020 (in a commerce with the Vikings that included the Payments’ first-round choose) coincided with the rise of Allen’s efficiency. Allen’s second-best whole QBR within the NFL and 137 passing touchdowns in that span path solely Patrick Mahomes.

Diggs is one among two receivers to be chosen to the Professional Bowl in every of the previous 4 seasons, together with Tyreek Hill.

The commerce of Diggs leaves a Payments depth chart topped by 2024 free agent additions Curtis Samuel (Washington Commanders), Mack Hollins (Atlanta Falcons) and Khalil Shakir, who had 39 receptions for 611 yards and two touchdowns for Buffalo final season.

Beane pointed a number of occasions Wednesday to the crew’s roster being a piece in progress.

“Are we higher right this moment? In all probability not. It is a work in progress, and we will proceed to work on that. I might simply hope that folks know I am aggressive as hell, and I ain’t giving in,” Beane mentioned. “… [We’ll] be able to roll when it comes time in September.”

Upon the information of the commerce, ESPN BET moved the Texans from +140 to +115 to win the AFC South, from 11-1 to +750 to win the AFC and from 22-1 to 18-1 to win the Tremendous Bowl. The Payments, in the meantime, moved from +135 to +160 to win the AFC East, from +600 to +750 to win the AFC and from 12-1 to 13-1 to win the Tremendous Bowl.

Diggs will face his previous crew subsequent season because the Texans will host the Payments at NRG Stadium. The date of the sport will not be identified till the 2024 schedule is launched, possible in Could.

ESPN’s DJ Bien-Aime, Alaina Getzenberg and Doug Greenberg contributed to this report.