After four productive seasons in Buffalo, the Bills traded star wideout Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans along with a 2024 sixth-round pick and 2025 fifth-round pick in exchange for a 2025 second-rounder. It was a shocking move that raised several questions: Are the Texans now a contender? And is the Bills' championship window closed?
This trade didn't come as a surprise to everyone. Diggs' recent activity on social media had people talking, as did his comments at the Pro Bowl. One person that was not caught off guard by the Diggs trade was his good friend and now-former quarterback, Josh Allen.
On Wednesday, Bills general manager Brandon Beane revealed that he told Allen earlier this offseason that teams were inquiring about Diggs' availability, and that something could happen.
"I did alert (Josh) that there had been some inquiries and it wasn't 100% off the table," Beane said, via the Bills' official website.
"Josh and I have a pretty regular conversation on things and I think it's important for me to make sure if I think something could happen to make sure he's not blindsided."
Allen is regarded as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, but his rise directly coincides with when Buffalo acquired Diggs from the Minnesota Vikings. In his two seasons before the Bills traded for Diggs, Allen had completed just 56% of his passes, and thrown 30 touchdowns compared to 21 interceptions.
Beane claims the Diggs trade doesn't signal a Bills rebuild is coming, but at the very least a remake on offense is. Since joining the Bills in 2020, Diggs ranks first in the NFL in receptions (445), fourth in receiving yards (5,372) and is tied for fourth in receiving touchdowns (37). He leaves Buffalo as the franchise's fourth-leading receiver, and needed just 66 games to rack up those 5,372 yards.
