vtnatefootball11

That sure as heck wasn't Allen's fault! We wouldn't even be a .500 team without him.

Would love this trade for the Bills but no way the Titans would do it. Burks has more value than Elam straight up. If we could get Burks and also draft a WR round 1 though, I would feel a lot better about this offense.

Huh??? Almost all of them are significant. Benard is very significant, particularly without Milano; he's been huge all year and is the playcaller of our defense! Also, Douglas, Benford and Taron Johnson are very important defensive starters in the secondary, if even one or two can't go that's a problem (especially Johnson who is one of our best players). You can hide maybe one bad player but having reserve players over the defense will be exploited by Reid/Mahomes. Not saying we can't win with a great offensive performance and opportunistic defense, but the injuries will certainly be significant.

If he we was doing it to talk **** do you really think he would use "LongTimeBillsFan" as his name? Clearly a think skinned fan base.

I hear you but when two 3rd round picks are involved I'm not going to think twice about it, it's a net positive. Part of the consequences of being a successful franchise, other teams want your personnel. Would you rather us suck and not have anyone looking to hawk our guys?

Who cares man it's front office personnel, not a coach! Let him interview away. And fingers crossed he gets it too, not only good for him and his family but that's is two extra 3rd round picks for the Bills!

But if his injury is that severe then why are the coaches calling multiple screens (and even handoffs) to him that ensure he takes hits? Why not act a decoy on the most critical passing downs and take two defenders deep with you and clear out the underneath for someone else? Not to mention, what are the bills risking draft picks/fines to cover the injury up even after being asked about it by the media and scrutiny now on it? There is more to this than just an injury. Not saying it's some huge conspiracy, but speculating that there could be some discontent that has brewed since the clear display of frustration in the offseason is not crazy, it's an objective question to ask.

I agree with your bottom paragraph completely. This doesn't have to be some huge conspiracy. It could be that the Bills are trying to make sure they can develop ways to win without him (and maybe also he has a nagging injury as well, injury alone doesn't explain it given his odd usage). That is a little bit of a "we need to show we can win without relying on Diggs" though, not saying the Bills are shoving that in his face, but Bills coaches/Allen may be making a conscious effort not to overuse him and give other receivers chances in big situations. Maybe Diggs supports this as well and is trying to protect his body (and emotional investment) long term. Him coming out on crucial third downs (including by design from the Bills staff) is still very odd though, given his competitive nature. Still have yet to hear a great explanation for it.

Exactly. But he's our best skilled player and commands double teams, so either those are either TERRIBLE decisions by the coaches (like legit malpractice) or something else is going on behind the scenes here. Curious, what is my predetermined conclusion? I have stated over and over again, I'm not advocating a wild conspiracy theory, I'm asking why he is being taken out by coaches choice on third downs (this has been confirmed by coaches that it is their personnel decision, not Diggs taking himself out). There is a reason, we just don't know it. The coaches explanations don't add up and an injury doesn't fully explain it.

Agree with this 100%. Only makes it more likely that this is scheming him out on third downs, rather than him tapping out in the most critical situations. No way Diggs competitive as he is is keeping himself out.

Injury wouldn't fully explain it.

It misses the point of the entire post, why is Diggs being schemed off the filed on the most crucial third downs in must win games?

Something is up between Josh/Bills and Stef man, if you foolishly want to believe everything is great, go right ahead. I hope I'm completely wrong by the way, and it's purely an injury thing, but we won't know until the offseason. If Bills win it all, it would fix whatever is going on anyway. Let's hope that happens and this is a non-story.

I agree with you on the Go Bills. I wasn't putting those words in his mouth, that was off the cuff explanation, not his words, which I said was one of hundreds of possible explanations, cut your BS. Nobody is a bigger fan of Stef than me. You're the one suggesting he is tapping out every single play that he's off, which I'm telling you is wrong, I don't buy he would ever do that on crucial third downs. He is being schemed out for some reason on certain downs. Coaches have confirmed this. It doesn't make sense to make, that's why I'm asking about it trying to find answers. Even if he's hurt, keep him on as a decoy and draw two defenders in coverage.

Then why are the Bills reporting Allen's shoulder? Why did the report Diggs back a few weeks back? And by "proven" I meant the Bills coaching staff has said the exact opposite, and confirmed they schemed him out intentional not because he was asking or injury. I should have said "directly contradicted" rather than "proven" I'll give you that. But there is plenty of film of Allen not throwing his way when he is open on intermediate routes which has never happened in the past, he was always the first look. They could just be not trying to be so Diggs heavy on the first read, who knows. I'm not suggesting anything crazy, just asking the questions why he is being schemed out on crucial downs? An injury explanation doesn't add up, period.

That's a stretch to your first part. To your second it still wouldn't make sense if he is truly hurt. Nobody is suggesting that "Stef is mad so Bills are benching him". In fact, Stef may be good and just saying he's tied of carrying the load and is only gonna do minimal effort until playoffs and Bills are trying to get other guys opportunities to grow, who knows, could be a hundred different things. We are just asking the question, why is he intentionally being schemed out by the Bills on crucial downs? What the heck is going on? We won't know the real reason until season ends likely, but something is up.

Watch the film and read the athletic article, I don't have time to pull together the statistics. McCourty highlights some of the intermediate routes where Diggs is wide open and Josh doesn't even look his way. I'm not suggesting some childish conspiracy on the bills part to not get the Diggs the ball, but clearly something is off between him and Allen, and the Bills are intentionally using him in less significant ways, and intentionally designing him off the field on third downs even when he isn't calling to be tapped out. Something has been going on in recent weeks, it's obvious if you don't have the blinders on. And no don't tell me this is all just part of huge injury conspiracy scheme to hid an injury and risk fines/draft picks when they easily just could report it as they have with all other players every year. Even if, everyone has nagging injuries, it's something more than that.

This has been proven incorrect. Josh hasn't even looked his way when is open on several intermediate routes in recent games, which is crazy and never would have happened in the past. He also has been intentionally schemed off on some third downs (not asking for it), and the Bills coaches have confirmed as much. Unless they are part of a massive coverup that could subject them to fines/loss of draft picks (which why would they do that? just report he has a nagging back), it's not just an injury thing. I'm sure everyone is banged up right now, but something else is going on.

But then why is he playing some unimportant plays but coming out crucial third downs in must win games? Why are they throwing screen passes to him that all but ensure he's getting hit?

That's not it. At least that would be stupid if so. The Bills already reported his back injury a while back, why would they hide it now? Also, even if Stef was nursing a back, do you think Stef would play part of the games but not crucial third downs? You think they would design screens to him so he automatically gets hit? That doesn't make sense. Something is going on.

I want to believe the injury thing but then why aren't the Bills going along with a scheme to hid his injury and not report it? That would be stupid and would make no sense. They report nagging injuries all the time, including Josh's shoulder and whatnot (that would be the one to hide if any). I don't buy the injury thing. I think you're naive if you don't think there is anything going on behind the scenes. Don't know exactly what it is but something is up.

I'm sure all of you that watch the games closely have noticed Diggs coming off the field several times each game in crucial third down and other passing situations. Has happened a lot in recent weeks. His general snap count is down as well, has played less than 70% of offensive snaps in all recent weeks. Tim Graham has an article today in the Athletic about it, where he quotes Devin McCourty who has been examining this very issue leading up to the bills/fins game. https://theathletic.com/5180397/2024/01/05/buffalo-bills-dolphins-stefon-diggs-devin-mccourty/ It's behind a paywall but the gist of it is that McCourty is speculating that something is going on behind the scenes with Bills/Diggs, and the coaches/Allen won't say it but they are just trying to get through this season and the Bills may even be doing a little bit "we don't need you to win" type stuff by not playing him in certain crucial moments that any other #1WR would be in for. Why else would our best skill player not be on the field on crucial third downs in must win games? McCourty states that it has to be something serious going on or else it's coaching malpractice. I agree with him. I have noticed Diggs coming off the field too (not just when he asks for a breather but being designed off on third downs). Graham/McCourty got a lot of negative reaction from Bills fans in the comments, but I thought they were asking all the right questions. The coaches have said a few different things about why his production is down but none of them make sense. The double team thing has been sighted a lot, but then why isn't he playing almost every single play if that the case, as that would open up the offense ? Curious to hear people's thoughts on this board.

That's fair.

Bills have never been in this position being so bare at starting caliber WRs as they will in 2024 + plus the uncertainty with diggs. I don't think the Bills will have to give up a 2nd to move up and get a legit WR, but they may, and they will if they have to. They have no other options. This all started by you saying the Bills "cannot trade up." I'm saying why the heck not? In fact they have to. Now you are saying despite the huge hole at WR they will only fill it if they move up 2-4 spots max? That's idiotic. No way Beane throws away the 2024 year because he refuses to move up a couple other spots. Hopefully there is value at WR that falls to us, but don't think for a second Beane would be afraid to trade upon 4/6/8 spots, whatever it took. He would and he has to.

Obviously we are not making the decision, but you are proving my point here by not even being able to offer any possible viable solution Beane could do at #2 if we miss on the top WR grouping in this draft. We have to do what it takes to trade up for a starting caliber WR. You yourself were the one saying that we likely won't get one one of the top 5-6 guys in this draft that are widely considered starting caliber wr#1/2 type prospects if we pick late (and I agree with you on that). Yes, hopefully we only have to move up 2-4 spots to get our guy, but Beane has shown that he will be aggressive in moving up further if needed. If the difference in getting a bonafide starting caliber WR in the draft that would be on a cheap contract and could eventually be a wr#1 type was giving up a 2025 2nd rounder vs a 2024 third, for example, you don't think Beane would do it? We would be throwing any shot at a Super Bowl in 2024 out if we don't have a WR #2. Free agency is not an option, only viable starers there (maybe Higgins or Pittman) would be way out reach price wise in FA. Please offer up another viable solution that Beane could take at #2 WR, otherwise you are proving my point that Beane would HAVE to do it.