Despite their playoff loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, the Buffalo Bills are expected to approach the upcoming season as one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl. For this to happen, the team may have to trade Stefon Diggs.
Despite a downturn at some time last season, the Bills concluded the regular season with an 11-6 record, leading the AFC East division. Buffalo defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers in the wild card round, led by Josh Allen.
Unfortunately, Buffalo fell short against the Chiefs, 27-24, as Tyler Bass’ try to tie the game failed. This is the Bills’ third consecutive divisional round loss, and the third time in four seasons they have been eliminated by Kansas City in the playoffs.
At this point, Buffalo must make a trade during the summer in order to compete for a postseason spot. Along with the forthcoming draft, the team will need to add new players while trading some who haven’t performed well in previous seasons.
Why the Buffalo Bills need to trade Stefon Diggs this offseason
Diggs hasn’t been the same player as he was last season. Along with a drop in performance, keeping the wide receiver will hurt the Bills’ efforts to keep their squad under the salary cap. Aaron Schatz explains more in his essay on ESPN.
“The question is, what can the Bills get for Diggs?” He’s unlikely to be drafted in the first round. Teams are aware of his age and current state of deterioration. There has never been a receiver who went from over 1,400 yards to under 1,200 yards before returning to over 1,400 yards at age 30 or older. Reggie Wayne came the closest.
Between 2010 and 2012, he moved from 1,355 to 960 to 1,355 again at the age of 34.
The Bills would have to deal Diggs after June 1 or he would cost them more under the salary cap. “A post-June 1 trade would save them $19 million on the salary cap, plus $8.8 million in dead money,” Schatz wrote.
As it stands, the Bills have a lot more to lose if they decide to keep Diggs for next season. Buffalo will move the wide receiver due to a reduction in performance, an increase in age, and a desire to keep the squad under the salary cap.
It remains to be seen what the Bills will do in the future months with Diggs, who was handed a $96 million contract during his stay with the team. What is certain is that the front management will do everything possible to capitalize on Allen’s peak years in Buffalo.
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