Bills trading Stefon Diggs to Texans in AFC East-altering move
BOSTON -- The Bills and Texans have added some chaos to an otherwise quiet portion of the NFL calendar, with Buffalo trading star receiver Stefon Diggs to Houston on Wednesday.
And the most shocking part of all is how little Houston had to give up to acquire the four-time Pro Bowler.
According to ESPN and NFL Network, the Texans are sending a 2025 second-round pick to Buffalo in the deal. And Buffalo is sending a sixth-round pick (2024) and a fifth-round pick (2025) to Houston in addition to Diggs.
To be specific:
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 3, 2024
-- It's a 2025 2nd round going to Buffalo (Minnesota's).
-- The #Bills are giving a 5th rounder in 2025 and a 6th this year, and Stefon Diggs. https://t.co/gPdruAC0Gb
The 30-year-old Diggs has at times created some turbulence in Buffalo, but his production outweighed most issues.
He joined the Bills via trade in 2020 and led the NFL in receptions (127) and receiving yards (1,535) while catching eight touchdowns. He was a First Team All-Pro that season, the lone year of All-Pro honors in his career.
In his four years in Buffalo, he's averaged 111 receptions, 1,343 yards and 9.3 touchdowns per season. He's also caught 69 passes for 909 yards and four touchdowns in nine playoff games for Buffalo.
In his career, he's caught 810 passes for 9,9995 yards and 67 touchdowns, ranking 56th in NFL history in receiving yards and 57th in touchdowns.
Diggs signed a four-year extension with Buffalo in 2022, a deal what runs through the 2027 season. He's due to make $18.5 million in base salary this season and average $17.5 million in base salary over the next four seasons, per Over The Cap. His cap hit ranges from $27.4 million to $28.4 million over the next three years before going to $22.5 million in 2027.
The move should significantly help the Texans, who were ahead of schedule in rookie C.J. Stroud's rookie season with a 10-7 record and AFC South crown in 2023. With Nico Collins and Tank Dell leading the team in receiving last year, the Texans now add a true No. 1 receiver who should make Houston a very real threat in the AFC.
It should also have a ripple effect in the AFC East, as Diggs has been the Bills' most dangerous playmaker since joining the team. Nobody in New England will be sad to see Diggs leave the division, as the Bills went 6-2 vs. the Patriots during Diggs' tenure with the team. Diggs averaged roughly six receptions, 82 yards and a touchdown in those eight games vs. New England. Certainly the Jets, who are in win-now mode with Aaron Rodgers, likewise won't shed a tear upon seeing this news, nor will the Miami Dolphins.
Diggs led the Bills in receiving -- by wide margins -- in all four of his seasons in Buffalo. But it'll now be a new era for Josh Allen and the Bills.