Bills general manager Brandon Beane explains decision to trade Stefon Diggs to Texans

The Buffalo Bills appeared to pull the short stick in their trade with the Houston Texans, sending star wide receiver Stefon Diggs to Texas with a 2025 fifth-round and sixth-round pick in exchange for a 2025 second-round pick. The unevenness of the deal and the remaining $31 million dead cap hit in 2024 had reporters pressing Bills general manager Brandon Beane for his reasoning on Wednesday.

“These moves are never easy — very hard, not made overnight, anything like that — but any time you make a move like this, as I said, very difficult, you’re doing it because you’re trying to win,” Beane explained Wednesday. “Sometimes people may not see that. This is by no means the Bills giving up or trying to take a step back or anything like that.

“Everything we do, we’re trying to win, and we’re going to continue to do that. It’s April the 3rd, and we’ll continue to work on this roster and make sure we’re ready to play come September.”

Beane: ‘The timing made sense for them and for us’

The team opted to move Diggs after four highly productive seasons in Buffalo, but those four seasons came with a lot of drama. Ultimately, Beane believed this was the right time to move on. Now, they can focus on adding a top weapon for their star quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft.

“If you’re going to move a player, there can be plenty of times,” Beane said. “It’s not the first time we’ve been called to ask would we move him, even prior to this year. But you discuss it when you get calls, and there’s been plenty of players that’s been called about that never got moved that we discussed and just felt like that wasn’t the right time, or wasn’t the right value.

“I think with this move, as we’re talking with Houston in this case the last couple days, the value seemed to make sense and the timing made sense for them and for us, and we worked on the deal and got it finalized today.”

In 66 games, Diggs hauled in 445 receptions for 5,372 yards and 37 touchdowns. He earned a Pro Bowl selection in each season in Buffalo. He also earned his first and only AP first-team All-Pro honor in 2020 when he tallied a career-high 127 receptions for 1,535 yards.

Diggs posts farewell message to Bills Mafia

Diggs had several of viral moments that raised eyebrows about how long his time in Buffalo would last. In a playoff loss to the Bengals in 2022, cameras caught the receiver yelling at quarterback Josh Allen. Diggs then vacated the locker room before the press conferences started. In April, he posted, “Comeeeeee anddddd rescue me…,” which led to renewed questions about his status.

After the trade, Diggs still took the time to say goodbye to his beloved Bills Mafia.

“I can’t begin to express the amount of love and respect I have for the city of Buffalo,” Diggs wrote. “Four of the best years of my life, the city welcomed me with open arms. I’m forever grateful for you all and the @buffalobills organization!

“Something special was built over these years with some very special men, that will always have a place in my heart. Billsmafia, so many great memories created throughout the years. Those games were crazy because of you. Sadly good things come to an end until we meet again.”