The Buffalo Bills surprised the NFL world by trading Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans.
The Bills ate over $31 million in dead money and took a $4 million cap hit to immediately part ways with their No.1 wide receiver. To close the deal, Buffalo also sent Houston a 2024 sixth-round pick and a 2025 fifth-round pick. In exchange, the Bills received a 2025 second-rounder.
While Bills general manager Brandon Beane informed quarterback Josh Allen of the move beforehand, the franchise star spoke publicly about the trade for the first time on Thursday, April 18.
“We’ve made a lot of changes this offseason, lost a lot of veteran leadership. Stef being one of them,” Allen told reporters. “I guess that’s the nature of the business. Going into Year 7 now, it is what it is. I don’t get paid to make changes on the team.”
“I shared a text with him,” Allen said of Diggs, “and got one back. Just thanking him for everything he did for me and always have a spot in my heart for him, always love that guy like a brother, I wish him nothing but the best… He meant a lot. You look at the statistics, numbers don’t lie.”
On what he learned from Diggs, “His mentality. The way he attacked every practice was infectious, especially to the younger guys.” As for his lasting memory of Diggs, “The receiver that helped me become the quarterback that I am today.”
Bills QB Josh Allen Is ‘Excited’ Step Up as a Leader With Stefon Diggs & So Many Veterans Gone
GettyBills quarterback Josh Allen at Highmark Stadium on January 21, 2024.
As for why the question over whether Diggs was happy or unhappy in Buffalo seemed to linger, “I couldn’t answer that question,” Allen said. “You may have to ask him at some point. With this, there’s a lot of opportunity for the guys in that room right now as an offense… and become the new version of the Buffalo Bills.”
“Bringing in guys like Curtis [Samuel] and Mack [Hollins], and having guys like Khalil [Shakir], Dalton [Kincaid], and Dawson [Knox]… who know how things go. Within the system, anyone can get the ball at any given time and these guys are very excited for that and they’re working extremely hard.”
With Diggs gone, “It’s an opportunity for myself to grow as a leader,” the 27-year-old said. “It’s an opportunity that I’m frankly very excited about. It’s going to be very challenging but I’m very willing to do it.
Before Diggs was traded, the Bills cut six veterans from the team in a cap-saving move. “To lose those guys is going to hurt,” Allen admitted, as he leaned on the longest-tenured players for guidance. But Allen is looking forward to being one of the guys that helps mold the younger players on the team.
Josh Allen Addressed How Much Pull He Has on Which Players The Bills Draft
Allen told reporters that last year he texted Beane a two-word message ahead of the NFL draft that read, “Dalton Kincaid,” whom the Bills traded up to land last year. While Allen has said which prospective wide receivers he particularly likes this year, the final decision remains with Beane.
“I’d like to think I have input in who we pick, but in reality I don’t,” he said.
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