Sean McDermott, the head coach of the Buffalo Bills, is aware that Stefon Diggs won’t be back next season.
The Bills lost their top wide receiver and a key component of their ascent to the Super Bowl when they unexpectedly traded Diggs to the Houston Texans. When discussing the trade with media on April 18, McDermott stressed that the team will never be able to fully replace what they lost and that several players’ combined efforts will be needed to fill the vacuum.
“You know it’s difficult? McDermott praised Stef as a fantastic player. “We had a great time together. won a large number of games. He had a major role in helping those games be won. He will be missed. Stef Diggs is one of those players you never replace. We hope the best for him and his family, Stef. It’s difficult to move on from a player like that, but we do so by returning our attention to our roster and become enthusiastic about the chances we have for guys to step up in that room.
Bills have to make “tough decisions.”
McDermott conceded that Diggs’ trade was an unfortunate reality for a team with a severe salary cap shortage. About a month before shipping Diggs, the Bills made a number of significant roster moves to clear budget space, including renegotiating Von Miller’s deal and releasing veterans Mitch Morse and Jordan Poyer.
“Those are difficult choices,” he remarked. “People and players like that are hard to replace. No two individuals or players are alike. However, it’s still a chance for people to step into new jobs.
Although Diggs’ trade increased the team’s salary cap by $3.24 million, Mark Gaughan of the Buffalo News pointed out that the team will reap even greater benefits the next season.
Gaughan noted, “The biggest salary cap upside is that Diggs won’t count towards the Bills’ 2025 cap.” Diggs would have been worth $27.3 million if he had been a member of the team in 2025. The Bills have thereby significantly eased their cap predicament for 2025.
Matthew Bové
@Matt_Bove, Matthew Bové
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Prior to trading Diggs, McDermott claimed there had been some internal talks. Josh Allen, the quarterback, may have participated in those discussions, but McDermott just mentioned “collaboration” in response to a question about it.
The head coach of the Bills stated, “You always have conversations, sometimes multiple conversations, and you communicate multiple times and you collaborate.” “We didn’t take this decision lightly; it was a major one. Simply attempting to act in the team’s best interests, both now and in the future.
