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Alaina GetzenbergESPN
BUFFALO N.Y. — Interest in future of Stefon DiggsContracts are nothing new.
His first news conference as a member the Buffalo BillsA potential extension of the contract was discussed.
In March 2020, the Bills traded Diggs to them for four draft picks and a first-rounder in return for a five year extension. This was less than two years after Diggs signed a five year extension. Minnesota Vikings. They’ve restructured Diggs’ deal but haven’t extended it to Diggs, 28,
Now, the Bills and the quarterback have given the wide receiver two years of success. Josh AllenHe has a lot of experience under his belt, including two Pro Bowls and two years left on his contract that no longer pays him what he is worth in a market where there’s been a surge.
The offseason saw a huge increase in large wide receiver contracts Tyreek Hill($30 million for an average annual salary). Davante AdamsAverage of $28 million Mike WilliamsThe average annual income is $20 million.
“When you look at the top of the market with Davante Adams, obviously Tyreek Hill, they’re pushing the market,” former NFL general manager and ESPN analyst Mike Tannenbaum said “We kind of coalesced around $20-21 million (per year for wide receivers) for a while, and when DeAndre HopkinsHe flew out to Arizona from Houston and raised it to $27million. Now … anywhere between $25 to roughly 30 million a year for Adams and Hill, and based on how Diggs has played, he’s certainly in that conversation as well, which is always good news/bad news for Buffalo, which is he’s played terrific. He has helped, contributed, and been part of the solution.
“… If I’m Diggs, I’m thinking I don’t want to take anything less than Tyreek Hill or Adams.”
This is not surprising as players rarely get extensions for contracts with more than two years remaining.
“I don’t think they were gonna make him a priority above anything in free agency,” former sports agent and salary-cap expert Joel Corry said “… They didn’t get Josh Allen done until right around the start of training camp, so I’m not sure that I would really fault them for not getting ahead of Davante Adams and Tyreek Hill. … He’s likely to have a difficult time reconciling. Christian Kirk is at $18 million per year.”
Diggs currently ranks 23rd among wide receivers in terms of average annual earnings ($14.4million) and his $40 million total guarantees contract is 11th.
“We’ve had open dialogue since the season ended,” Bills general manager Brandon Beane said at the NFL owners meeting this week. “Stef and I have talked a couple times and he’s got a really good agent [Adisa Bakari]Who I have dealt with before.
“As I said a couple week ago, and I’ve always said back to Josh’s contract or somebody else’s, contracts get done when they’re supposed to get done. If something gets done at some point this offseason, we’d let you know.”
Allen recently replied to a SportsCenter with his thoughts. tweet:
No.
— Josh Allen (@JoshAllenQB) March 26, 2022
The Bills have also made no secret about the fact that they’d like Diggs to be part of the team for the long term.
Diggs signed the extension in 2018 and has the third-most receiving yards (4,911), fourth most receptions (395), and eighth-most touchdowns (33) since that time. Diggs has caught 230 passes, totalling 2,760 yards and 18 touchdowns during his two years in the Bills. His 2020 season was a record-breaking year for the Bills with 127 receptions and 1,535 receiving yards, eight touchdowns and a league-best season.
In 2021, he caught a career-high 10 touchdowns in the league’s first 17-game season. Since becoming a Bill, he has never missed a single game.
“I want to give all players their respect and a fair pay, whoever it is, and Stef’s no different,” Beane said. “… I think the world of Stef, I think what he’s brought our team has been great. He’s been great with Josh. He’s been great for our offense and his leadership has stepped up and we want to see Stef in Buffalo for years to come.”
Diggs’ $17.1 million cap hit this year is the largest on the team. After signing the likes Offensive Player of the Year, Diggs’ cap hit of $17.1 million this year is the highest on the team. Von MillerThis offseason. Buffalo currently has $1.09million in cap space. This is second in the NFL (the New York Giantsare 32nd), with other options available to create more space such as restructuring cornerback Tre’Davious WhiteContract
Allen already has his second contract signed so the front office can be familiar with what they are working with. There’s no doubt that keeping a player of Diggs’ caliber is important for the Bills success with the team’s ceiling being so high, but Buffalo must also balance that with building the best roster possible. Diggs is the star in the wide receiver room. Gabriel DavisThe promising No. 2 option, Isaiah McKenzieReceiver slot new Jamison Crowder.
Seahawks wide receivers include players like Seahawks. DK MetcalfAlso, extensions are possible and overall cap increases will be made. It is better to get something done sooner than later.
“The whole market is shifting, he signed a deal in 2018 that he’s clearly outperformed,” Corry said. They may want to address that sooner rather than later, because it’s only human nature that Stefon Diggs is going to be disgruntled if he isn’t already.”
It would be a win for both the Bills and Diggs to keep Diggs on contract, as they look to capitalize upon a strong roster in coming years.
“Stef has done a phenomenal job of changing the culture or helping change the culture,” coach Sean McDermott said. “His competitive nature, his ability to put the team first at a position that is not always know for that – I think goes a long way in our locker room and us, in terms of the team that we’ve become. … He works extremely hard at it, and the results are out there.”