After two offseasons of speculation, it finally materialized last week.
At some point, it seemed inevitable that Stefon Diggs would leave the Buffalo Bills. General Manager Brandon Beane eventually made the decision to trade the two-time All-Pro receiver to the Houston Texans in exchange for a 2025 second-round pick, upending the AFC’s power structure.
Although Beane claimed quarterback Josh Allen wasn’t kept in the dark about the change, it appeared to happen swiftly.
Last week, Beane told reporters, “I did alert (Allen) that there had been some inquiries and it wasn’t 100% off the table.” “.. Josh and I talk about a lot of topics on a regular basis, so I think it’s crucial that I let Josh know if I think something might happen so he won’t be taken by surprise.
In public, both players seemed to be saying otherwise, but over the past two seasons, Allen and Diggs’ friendship seemed to deteriorate.
Over the years, Diggs and the two-time Pro Bowler have had their fair share of sideline arguments, with the Bills’ Week 1 loss to the New York Jets likely being the tipping point. After the game, Allen and Diggs allegedly got into a heated argument in the locker room.
But regardless of any conflict, Allen and Diggs were among the NFL’s top QB-WR combinations for the previous four seasons.
In his first season in Buffalo, Diggs set league records for receptions and yards gained. Each season he spent with Allen, he had 150 or more targets, 103 or more receptions, 1,183 or more yards, and eight or more touchdowns.
In contrast, Allen has been the starting quarterback for the Bills with Diggs for 48-18 and without him for 15-12. In each of his 29 seasons with Diggs, he has passed for 4,283 yards and 29 touchdowns or more. During Diggs’ four seasons with the Bills, Allen placed among the top five MVP candidates in three of those seasons.
Beane remarked, “They’ve been a really good duo.” “I don’t think Stef was an All-Pro before coming here, and he was in multiple Pro Bowls as well.” Josh also increased his intensity. Indeed, I believe that during their periods of peak performance, whether in games or seasons, they were on par with most quarterback-receiver combinations.
