Buying extensive receiver Stefon Diggs from the Buffalo Payments is simply the newest transfer by the Houston Texans to bolster a roster that misplaced within the divisional spherical of the playoffs final season.
The Texans acquired the four-time Professional Bowler for draft-pick compensation, sources informed ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Wednesday, and it marks one other transfer for the group that has already spent probably the most assured cash this offseason.
Diggs’ time in Buffalo involves an finish for a franchise that had Tremendous Bowl aspirations however peaked within the AFC Championship Recreation. The Payments have needed to make some robust selections this offseason whereas attempting to stay cap compliant. The exit of Diggs is the newest — marking the tip of a fruitful, but rocky relationship for him with quarterback Josh Allen and the Payments.
The Payments are retooling whereas attempting to maintain a championship window open with 27-year-old Allen main the cost.
The Texans are surrounding reigning Offensive Rookie of the Yr C.J. Stroud with playmakers, having additionally acquired working again Joe Mixon this offseason. The franchise, which entered the league in 2002, has by no means superior previous the divisional spherical of the playoffs.
So what does all of it imply for the Texans and Payments? Our panel of reporters and analysts solutions the largest questions surrounding the commerce:
Why did the Payments commerce Diggs, and what does the WR room seem like now that he and Gabe Davis are gone?
The extensive receiver room seems like it’s missing a No. 1 choice. Of the 5 extensive receivers who caught a go for the Payments in 2023, just one stays: Khalil Shakir. Buffalo acquired Curtis Samuel in free company this offseason, however there is no doubt the room is missing a No. 1 receiver and arguably a No. 2 — Davis signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars in free company — with Samuel extra of a flexible participant who can be utilized all around the subject.
PlayerReceptionsStefon Diggs445Davante Adams441Tyreek Hill436– ESPN Stats & Info
There is not any doubt Diggs will go down as pivotal in Allen’s improvement, and the pairing introduced super success to the Payments. The rumors that Diggs may very well be a commerce candidate have been round for a while and, though he remained dedicated to retiring as a Invoice earlier than the 2023 season and began the primary six video games on a historic tempo, he turned in a number of the lowest statistical video games of his profession from the center to finish of the yr. This included the one seven-game stretch of his profession with no touchdowns and a career-high seven drops. Diggs and coach Sean McDermott each insisted that Diggs was wholesome and gave totally different causes for the dearth of manufacturing, together with opposing groups specializing in locking him down. McDermott additionally stated on the finish of the yr, “I can not say particularly why particularly [Diggs’ production dropped]. If I might, we might flip it again that means, proper? To the way in which it began earlier within the yr.”
For the reason that finish of the yr, the receiver, who is understood for his obscure tweets, appeared much less certain of his future in Buffalo. Amid an offseason roster overhaul, the 2 sides apparently reached a breaking level. — Alaina Getzenberg
With so many veteran departures in free company, what does this imply for Allen and the Payments’ championship window?
There is not any means round it, the Payments are resetting this offseason and getting into a brand new period. Six of the staff’s eight captains will not be on the roster, with solely Allen and Von Miller remaining.
The dialog concerning the Payments’ window began through the 2023 offseason. The fact of getting a quarterback like Allen is it would at all times be open, not less than to an extent. This might be a very new problem for Buffalo with youthful gamers, like tight finish Dalton Kincaid, needing to step up, along with no matter extensive receiver is probably going chosen early within the draft. Basic supervisor Brandon Beane has by no means chosen a receiver on Day 1 or Day 2, nevertheless it’s clear there’s work to be performed on this roster.
How aggressive can this model of the Payments be with a loaded AFC round them? That continues to be to be seen, on condition that Allen’s enchancment coincided with Diggs’ arrival in Buffalo. Time will inform how Allen will carry out with out the veteran extensive receiver in offensive coordinator Joe Brady’s system. — Getzenberg
Why have been the Texans trying so as to add one other receiver, and what does Diggs convey?
Houston already had dynamic extensive receivers in Tank Dell or Nico Collins, nevertheless it wanted extra choices. Stroud and the offense’s manufacturing dipped when accidents got here into play. Dell suffered a season-ending leg harm in Week 13, and the offense averaged 17.3 factors per recreation (twenty sixth) throughout the remainder of the common season compared to 22.9 (ninth) earlier than.
Including Diggs elevates the depth and ceiling of the playmakers. Since 2020, Diggs is fourth in yards (5,372) and touchdowns (37) whereas main in receptions (445) amongst all pass-catchers. He is a No. 1 receiver who instructions consideration from opposing defenses. — D.J. Bien-Aime
C.J. Stroud will get a real No. 1 receiver, however how will he hold all of his pass-catchers glad in his second season?
Stroud led the league in passing yards per recreation (274) with Collins, who had lower than 1,000 yards receiving in his first two seasons mixed, and Dell, a rookie out of Houston. Stroud’s accuracy and management will hold everybody on the identical web page. He had 5 pass-catchers with greater than 400 yards receiving final season, together with tight finish Dalton Schultz. Stroud additionally finds numerous methods to attach along with his teammates off the sphere to maintain morale excessive. — Bien-Aime
What does the commerce imply for the Texans’ Nico Collins and Tank Dell, each nonetheless on their rookie contracts, for the longer term?
Dell has three years left earlier than his contract is up, so that is extra about Collins, who’s within the final yr of his rookie deal. He had a breakout yr in 2023, ending with 1,297 receiving yards (eighth within the NFL) and eight touchdowns. The 2021 third-round decide is 25, and, if he has a repeat of final season, he can command over $20 million. Diggs’ contract runs via 2027, and he’s an costly receiver, so if Collins performs effectively, is Houston snug with two extremely paid receivers within the close to future? — Bien-Aime
What does this do for the Texans’ expectations for 2024?
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It turns them as much as a midsummer Houston temperature. Basic supervisor Nick Caserio and coach DeMeco Ryans are aggressively attacking this two-year window with Stroud taking part in underneath his low-cost rookie deal. The Texans might have discovered consolation in final yr’s 10-win season and run it again. As a substitute, they despatched a flare to the sky to place the remainder of the league on discover: It is a contender proper now. This does not come with out danger: Splashy additions Danielle Hunter and Diggs have performed a mixed 17 seasons and include massive salaries.
That would disrupt chemistry on a younger, ascending staff. However Diggs has no assured cash after 2024, giving the Texans flexibility if issues do not work out. And, make no mistake, Diggs continues to be a bona fide No. 1 choice regardless of a dip in manufacturing final yr. With a contemporary outlook, a gifted younger quarterback and an absence of contractual safety long run, Diggs must be motivated. — Jeremy Fowler
What does this commerce imply for every staff’s wage cap scenario?
It is a cash-saving transfer for the Payments … however not a cap-saving transfer. Diggs’ 2024 cap quantity would have been $27.854 million if he had stayed on the staff, however buying and selling him means the Payments will carry a dead-money cost of $31.096 million for Diggs this season. Per ESPN Stats & Info analysis, that would be the highest-known dead-money cost for a large receiver in any season all time. (If Buffalo had waited till after June 1 to execute the commerce, it might have taken a dead-money hit of $8.849 million this season and the remaining $22.247 million subsequent yr.)
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Nonetheless, the Payments’ money funds might be freed from the $18.5 million in totally assured wage that Diggs is owed this season. They have been already just about proper up towards the cap earlier than this transfer, so it does not release any cap area for different strikes.
As for the Texans, they will tackle a $19.005 million cap hit for Diggs ($18.5 million in wage and one other $505,000 in bonuses) for 2024. That might eat up nearly all of their present cap area, so it is potential they may rework Diggs’ contract to transform a few of that wage right into a signing bonus and save cap room in 2024 if wanted. If they do not, they may get out of the Diggs deal very simply after one season. The one assured cash Diggs has left on his deal after 2024 is a $3.5 million injury-only assure for 2025. If the Texans have been to maintain Diggs on his present contract past this season, they’d owe him $18.505 million in wage and bonuses in 2025, $19,597,941 in 2026 and a good $18 million in 2027. — Dan Graziano
Are the Payments undoubtedly taking a receiver within the first spherical now, and who might match?
Even earlier than the blockbuster commerce, the Payments have been doubtless going to reap the benefits of this yr’s deep WR class. They misplaced Davis in free company and have Shakir and Samuel as their prime two targets. However the want is now pressing, and sure, addressing that gap instantly in Spherical 1 is smart. Buffalo can actually stick at No. 28 total — or it may be aggressive and commerce up for a specific wideout it covets. I’ve 11 receivers in my prime 50 proper now, so Buffalo can have choices.
LSU’s Brian Thomas Jr. suits rather well right here. His downfield potential matches Allen’s strengths completely. Ten of his FBS-leading 17 receiving touchdowns final season got here on vertical routes. Thomas has nice palms and tracks the ball effectively within the air, and he confirmed his velocity with a 4.33-second run within the 40-yard sprint on the mix. — Jordan Reid
