The Buffalo Bills just got hit with an intriguing decision to make that will no doubt test general manager Brandon Beane. After just one season with the New England Patriots, the Super Bowl LX runners-up announced that receiver Stefon Diggs will be released at the start of the new league year next week, according to NFL Insider Tom Pelissero.
Diggs, 32, suited up in a full season for the Patriots, catching 85 passes for 1,013 yards and four scores.
Now, Diggs joins the free agency pool, where Beane is rummaging through the options, looking for an answer at wide receiver that has been prevalent since he traded Diggs to Houston two years ago.
Stefon Diggs-Bills reunion talk may be inevitable after Patriots release
It’s worth noting that Diggs offered an olive branch to Bills Mafia ahead of the Super Bowl, expressing that he wished things ended differently and hoping that one day he and Buffalo can “hug it out.” Well, that opportunity just arrived, if anyone in Buffalo is interested.
Of course, Bills fans aren’t going to be lining up to push Beane to bring Diggs back. Diggs may have tried to mend the bridge from his side, but from the Mafia’s side, there isn’t much bridge left.
It's also worth keeping in mind that Diggs' off-the-field troubles aren't over yet, either.
Still, with Diggs becoming available, Beane might have to stop and ask himself if it’s worth kicking the tires on Diggs for a comeback. Of course, his play and finances are the top priorities to focus on in that regard.
Diggs played in New England on a three-year, $63 million deal, and it goes without saying, he’s probably not going to get that type of deal again. Still, he won’t be signing for the vet minimum either. Over the Cap’s free agent valuation for Diggs projects him to be worth $12.7 million annually.
As for his play, on one hand, Diggs did creep back into form in the stat sheet, getting his first 1,000-yard season since leaving Buffalo. However, on the other hand, it’s clear he’s lost a step and isn’t the same dynamic playmaker he was for the Bills from 2020 to 2023. Diggs was ice cold in the postseason and a relative non-factor in Super Bowl LX.
That’s enough to scare most Bills fans away, and for good reason. Buffalo’s season is defined by its postseason outcome. It’s tough to invest in any player, especially in a situation such as this with Diggs, if they can’t be relied upon in January.
It’s probably safe to say that it’d be a total shock if Diggs signed up to return to Buffalo. But the NFL offseason always seems to find a way to raise the bar on its unpredictability, too.