How do you explain Diggs invisibility act

[LABILLBACKER]

3 hours ago, SectionC3 said:

I didn’t buy into the malcontent narrative before this year.  Now, I’m more open to the idea.  At the very least I sense he’s a headache.  I know some people who have dealt with him and—take this for what it’s worth—I can see how he would be an extremely difficult and grating co-worker. 

All the way up to this season I tried so hard to defend him.  But I can't do it anymore.  Between his silence and tweeting innuendos,  along with zero information about his so called injuries, I don't know what to make of him anymore. Maybe we get 1 more decent year out of him but his intense chemistry he had with Josh is probably over. His contract is brutal, as is Von & Tre.  Just start drafting a bunch of wrs please.

Edited February 3 by LABILLBACKER

[Beck Water]

19 minutes ago, DCofNC said:

I said it when he was good, he’s never been a guy that scares anyone, he’s a good possession guy, not a big threat.

 

LOL at "never".

 

In 2020 when Diggs first came to Buffalo and was leading the league in targets, receptions, and yards while rocking a catch % of 76.5%, teams were plenty scared of him.

 

Not viewing a guy who is leading the league in receptions as a threat, Sure guy.

[Warcodered]

2 minutes ago, Beck Water said:

 

I can't disagree with what he said, but I also think if he and Josh were tight from his POV, he would have said "that's my brother, and you're never gonna hear me say a bad thing about him". 🤷‍♂️

He's said words to that effect before nobody cares it gets brought up over and over again. Josh and Diggs both get a ton of ***** from sports media, Josh's typically is more just doubt/hate on him as a QB he has always said his perspective is to just ignore it, he can do that let it fuel him whatever. With Diggs it's always he's a problem doesn't get along, want's out, bad teammate. Never mind that we literally saw the opposite all season, did he fall off play wise down the stretch this season, sure, was that because of injuries or him just losing a step, I don't know. But what we did see in all the mic'd ups and shots of the sidelines was Diggs working with and being engaged with the younger playmakers on the team, he seemed to be a great teammate this season.

[LABILLBACKER]

Stef's last 12 games this season (incl. playoffs) resulted in a 57% catch rate. Regardless of the truth or real reason for this drop off, it's still a 27million dollar problem. 

[SectionC3]

24 minutes ago, LABILLBACKER said:

All the way up to this season I tried so hard to defend him.  But I can't do it anymore.  Between his silence and tweeting innuendos,  along with zero information about his so called injuries, I don't know what to make of him anymore. Maybe we get 1 more decent year out of him but his intense chemistry he had with Josh is probably over. His contract is brutal, as is Von & Tre.  Just start drafting a bunch of wrs please.

He’s been a butthead behind the scenes.  I’ll leave it at that. 

[Governor]

13 minutes ago, LABILLBACKER said:

Stef's last 12 games this season (incl. playoffs) resulted in a 57% catch rate. Regardless of the truth or real reason for this drop off, it's still a 27million dollar problem. 

Yeah, I think he’s gone in the off-season. Beane will just say it was a really tough decision (it isn’t) and most will believe him and move on.

[Turk71]

Bills need top young talent at wr...1st and 2nd rounders on rookie contracts.  Davis can move on, too expensive to keep and not worth it. Diggs is also too expensive for his current production and seems to have an attitude issue. 

 The Bills should be uberstacked with weapons on offense and have the mindset of simply outscoring every opponent. Stop spending and tooling with the defense so much every year and focus on the teams biggest strength, Josh Allen's offense.

Edited February 3 by Turk71

[JMM]

Diggs is what I would call a mercurial personality.  It gives him his intensity,  but also makes him frustrated and irritating at times. Frankly it might not be a bad idea to move on from him now. His value will really drop from here on in. Yes I know we need WR desperately,  yes I know he still can be terrific.  But KC traded away a HOF wr in his prime and they seem ok with their HOF qb, and so would we. Move on from him.

[Warcodered]

35 minutes ago, Buffalo619 said:

Brady our interim oc was terrible at getting matchups for a true 1 like Diggs is.  Drops went way up also. Receivers checked out once Brady took over, last in league in drops is really bad.  

Our offense really checked out as we went on that 5 game winning streak to win the AFC East, not to mention the Jets and OT game with the Eagles.

[LABILLBACKER]

23 minutes ago, JMM said:

Diggs is what I would call a mercurial personality.  It gives him his intensity,  but also makes him frustrated and irritating at times. Frankly it might not be a bad idea to move on from him now. His value will really drop from here on in. Yes I know we need WR desperately,  yes I know he still can be terrific.  But KC traded away a HOF wr in his prime and they seem ok with their HOF qb, and so would we. Move on from him.

Absolutely perfect word to describe Stef. The constant interchanging moods, attitude and even his passion is never constant. I don't know how Josh, his teammates and the coaches deal with it without going crazy.

[Doc Brown]

4 hours ago, ALLinALLEN said:

Am I the only one that doesn’t see anything wrong with his answers today? It’s meaningless offseason chatter. 

Would I like him to say like I used too that he wants to retire a Bill like I used to?  Yes.  Does the media make more out of his comments than are warranted?  Yes.

[Orlando Tim]

This is vaguely related but WTF is he doing with these cryptic comments after a very underwhelming last 8 games? Unless he wants to return a large portion of his signing bonus, shut up at this point and prep for next year. You were a detriment to the team in the playoffs not a good player.

[Thrivefourfive]

On 1/24/2024 at 10:10 AM, Buffalo_Stampede said:

I remember hearing McDermott talk about preserving him or something. You wonder if this is planned. 

Preserve him for the beginning of next year

[Sammy Watkins' Rib]

On 1/24/2024 at 10:19 AM, BillsPride12 said:

I'll be honest I really thought he was playing through some sort of injury.  One where he was able to still suit up and take the field but enough discomfort he couldn't play at his level.  I thought for sure there would be some sort of acknowledgement of this after the season was over but neither Beane or McDermott said anything in their press conferences and Diggs didn't speak to the media so now I'm even more confused than I was during the season trying to get an understanding of what happened.  I just can't believe he completely fell off a cliff in the middle of the season and I don't question his effort as a competitor so it really is confusing.

If it comes out he was injured but wasn’t on the injury report most weeks wouldn’t that be a problem for the team? Not sure what the penalties are for that though. 
 

Team might refuse to acknowledge an injury to not be penalized.

 

Personally, I don’t really think he was injured. And what about the second half of 2022? Was he injured then as well? I don’t recall anyone thinking he was injured last year. He also hasn’t really had great postseason performances 3 years running now too. 
 

 

[FireChans]

10 hours ago, Alphadawg7 said:

 

Never fights for yards?  What games are you watching.  He is always fighting for extra yards and has even turned those into big plays and even TD's.  People want to talk about his stats in 2nd half of seasons, that is fair.  Talk about some of the drop issues he had this year, that is fair.  But to say he doesn't fight for yards its just not at all an accurate description of him or how he plays.  

 

I also disagree he takes himself out of games...I see him getting open and not getting the ball.  I see him blocking on run plays and for other receivers.  Ive never watched a Bills game and said to myself Diggs is dogging it or taking himself out of the game.   

 

I dont have a good explanation with the consistent drop in production, but his effort is not something I question.  

 

Personally, I think it has been centered around issues with the offense and once the league gets a blueprint on how to take Diggs away, we have struggled to adjust. 

 

But lets also not forget as good as Josh is, as much as I love Josh and we all love Josh, there were quite a few times this year Diggs was open and Josh didn't see or flat out missed on the throw too.  DIdn't help our OC sucked for first 9 games either.

Diggs has basically disappeared every playoff loss since being here.

 

2020: 11 targets 6 catches for 77 yards

2021: 6 targets 3 catches for 7 yards

2022: 10 targets 4 catches for 35 yards

2023: 8 targets 3 catches for 21 yards

 

It's not talked about enough because we like Diggs, and in some of those games the offense as a whole didn't look egregiously bad, but the dude is basically a playoff no-show in the the divisional round and later.

 

For a guy who wants to win a Superbowl, he sure doesn't play like it when we need him to.

[Einstein]

7 hours ago, Toyo321 said:

Just posted on MSN 2/2/24

 

ORLANDO, Fla. - Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs, in his first comments since his team was ousted from the playoffs, expressed a bit of uncertainty about his future in Buffalo while admitting regrets about the team's season-ending loss.

Diggs, who is participating in this weekend's Pro Bowl Games in Orlando, was asked whether he was optimistic about the future in Buffalo and delivered an answer that could be construed as non-committal.

 

"I feel like I take it day by day," he said. "Obviously, there's a lot of changes going on, a lot of things going on. I can't really put the carriage before the horse, you know what I'm saying? But I got a great offseason in front of me to put a lot of work in and kind of build around what we got and what we're doing.

"I can't tell you what the future holds, but I'm still being me."

When asked whether he was ready to move forward with the Bills, Diggs replied, "I'm ready to go no matter which way it goes." He did not elaborate.

Diggs declined comment after the Bills' 27-24 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Divisional round and had not spoken to reporters since the days leading up to the game. In the absence of his comments, speculation has emerged about Diggs' future in Buffalo.

Earlier in the season, when asked about his future, Diggs was adamant. He said, "I've never really said anything about being unhappy or any instance of that. So, when you're drawing conclusions as to stuff I've never said, that's what kind of troubles me... I've spoken true words. I've said the same thing over and over and over."

 

Asked about the Chiefs playoff game, Diggs on Friday said, "I've been in league for a long time. Obviously, even as players, some plays we want back and some plays I want back, especially at the end of the game. But it's not much you can do about it. Now, here as you take a couple of weeks to decompress and think about it, things could have been better. But [I'm] kind of rolling with the punches and moving forward."

 

Why does he always have to talk so cryptically?

 

Diggs was then asked if he’s prepared to move forward with the Bills. He replied that he will be “ready to go no matter which way it goes.”

 

Do you want to be here or not? Just answer yes or no! 😂

Edited February 3 by Einstein

[BuffaloRebound]

I don’t have a problem with Diggs, but I think it’s time for both sides to move on.  

[Warriorspikes51]

Are we able to completely redo his contract to make him more trade friendly?

 

either way, call Dallas. 

Diggs + toss in a 6th this year and a mid rounder next year

 

for their 24th overall

 

Jerry Jones just said he is “going all in” for 2024 and not building for future. Consider this a real possibility now.

 

Move up from 24 for Brian Thomas Jr

 

At 28 take 1 of Troy Franklin / McConkley / Xavier Legette / Xavier Worthy

 

+ sign Hollywood Brown

 

Suddenly your offense has been reborn with dynamic players for Allen

Edited February 3 by Warriorspikes51

[par73]

If a trade involving draft picks could be worked out, I think it would benefit both parties. Diggs' play here has clearly slipped (does not look like a #1 receiver to me anymore-- maybe a change of scenery helps), and his teammates must be annoyed, at least to some extent, by his cryptic comments to the media, when it would be so easy to answer questions like yesterday's with a standard cliche (regardless of his true feelings for the team, coach or QB).

[Comebackkid]

9 hours ago, Brand J said:

For someone who “can’t tell you what the future holds,” despite the fact he’s firmly under contract the next four years, to me it sounds like he got word the team may want to do something with his contract that doesn’t benefit him. Pay cut request?

or just seeing a system that doesnt benifit his wants.    that was why he wanted out of miny and it was much better for him in miny when he

got out that it was for him since Brady took over.

[Neo]

He’s an excellent number two receiver with an intolerable number one receiver attitude.  Who’d rely on him to excel in a super bowl?  Dante’s undiscovered Tenth Circle - those whose self admiration and compulsion to talk exceeds their ability to produce or provide insight.   Last thought.  He’s often defended, and his childish behavior excused, because he runs around and yells on the sideline.   What a competitor!   Being a competitor requires more than sullen days and weeks interrupted by occasional bursts of anger.   No one even looks at him during his fits.  Sayonara, Steffon.   I hear you believe  “you’re him.”  Hope that works out for you.

 

As to the question posed.  He’s slower and less shifty than he used to be and he drops footballs more often than he used to.

[uticaclub]

I'm more disappointed that Diggs is playing in the Pro Bowl than anything else. I was hoping that an injury he was playing through was the cause of his drop in production. The Bills and Diggs are in a tough spot because his production doesn't warrant his contract, and he doesn't believe that we have a coach capable of winning a Super Bowl. Unfortunately, they are stuck with each other for at least the next two years.

[Magox]

Joe Brady will get to have the entire off season to design plays for this offense, this past season he didn’t have “his” plays for this offense to execute under his vision and they still executed pretty well.

 

Joe will need to figure out a way to get Diggs in positions to win.

 

Diggs will go into the season as WR #1.

 

Diggs will need to perform like a #1 WR this next season specially when it matters or he will most likely be cut before the 2025 season.

[DCofNC]

12 hours ago, Beck Water said:

 

LOL at "never".

 

In 2020 when Diggs first came to Buffalo and was leading the league in targets, receptions, and yards while rocking a catch % of 76.5%, teams were plenty scared of him.

 

Not viewing a guy who is leading the league in receptions as a threat, Sure guy.

He catches the ball, but at no time has anyone been scared of Diggs.  He’s not a game breaker in anyway, NEVER has been.  He’s been a PITA to cover in short areas, but nobody was worried about him “taking over” a game.   The entire defense has to be aware of where a guy like Hill is at all times because on mistake and it’s going to the house, even if you don’t make a mistake, he may just flat out burn you.  Diggs might get a first down, but that’s the end of the threat.

[Epstein's Mother]

10 hours ago, LABILLBACKER said:

Absolutely perfect word to describe Stef. The constant interchanging moods, attitude and even his passion is never constant. I don't know how Josh, his teammates and the coaches deal with it without going crazy.

 

This is exactly why Diggs came from a team where the rumor was he was a bad teammate.  He got to Buffalo and for the first couple of years I think we all thought that those rumors were just that... rumors.  I think the last 2 years have changed a lot of Bills fan's minds.

[CNYfan]

I wonder if the gamblers got him.   Game changed mid-season. 

[Ray Finkel]

On 1/25/2024 at 1:11 PM, Toyo321 said:

We need to send him to Dallas to play with his brother, and we get CD in a trade.  I actually want new #1 and #2 receivers.

 

We need youth and speed and we don't have that at all with #1, #2 or #3

 

 

 

Trade his butt to Carolina.  Screw him

[nedboy7]

His place is so sensitive and emotionally immature.  The over reaction to everything is amusing.  

[Beck Water]

1 hour ago, DCofNC said:

He catches the ball, but at no time has anyone been scared of Diggs.  He’s not a game breaker in anyway, NEVER has been.  He’s been a PITA to cover in short areas, but nobody was worried about him “taking over” a game.   The entire defense has to be aware of where a guy like Hill is at all times because on mistake and it’s going to the house, even if you don’t make a mistake, he may just flat out burn you.  Diggs might get a first down, but that’s the end of the threat.

 

Tyreek Hill has blazing speed.  So what's your argument now, that defenses only fear 1 or 2 WR in the league who can "burn them" on one mistake?

 

That's a silly argument.  When a receiver is turning in 8-10 reception, >100 yd games you can safely bet that opposing DCs are scared of him and are striving to shut him down.  If they don't, you'll see debacles like our first game with Miami where defensive Savant Vic Fangio left Kader Kohou on an island to cover Diggs, and Diggs toasted the Dolphins for 120 yds and 3 TD. 

 

Again, I'm not trying to argue that Diggs has scared defenses every game (no receiver does, including Hill), and Diggs has had long silent stretches the last 2 seasons.

 

But to say he has "never" scared defenses or taken over a game flies in the face of actual documented facts.

 

The Bills didn't offer him a big contract extension because he "never" scared defenses.

 

14 hours ago, Dr Krentist said:

His nephew's got his back 😆

 

 

I actually like Sauce better for how he behaved towards the kid.  He was 100% cool.   Well played Gardner!

 

Pity, I'd prefer to dislike him.

Edited February 3 by Beck Water

[Brand J]

Diggs’s disappearing act in the playoffs is no different from every single member of the defensive line. I don’t understand it really.

[CincyBillsFan]

1 hour ago, DCofNC said:

He catches the ball, but at no time has anyone been scared of Diggs.  He’s not a game breaker in anyway, NEVER has been.  He’s been a PITA to cover in short areas, but nobody was worried about him “taking over” a game.   The entire defense has to be aware of where a guy like Hill is at all times because on mistake and it’s going to the house, even if you don’t make a mistake, he may just flat out burn you.  Diggs might get a first down, but that’s the end of the threat.

Correct. The only player on the Bills offense that terrifies defensive coordinators is Allen. 

 

 

[SCBills]

I’m leaning towards Diggs is an elite technician who may have been banged up a bit and also lost a “slight” step.

 

Is he a 2 now?  I don’t know.. probably a 1B if we get a 1A in the Draft, but it seems obvious after last year that he’s not a guy you can make the focal point of your offense… which means he’s not an elite WR1. 

[John from Riverside]

I was sure he was injured
 

But there hasn’t been anything come about it after the season

[Buffalo_Stampede]

I don’t think we need his experience. I’m ready to move forward with a young cheaper WR core. Maybe a young veteran like Curtis Samuel added.

 

I don’t think Josh needs Diggs anymore.

 

Kincaid

Samuel

Shakir

Rookie 1st rounder

Rookie 2nd/3rd rounder

Knox

Cook

Shorter

 

 

 

[BillsFan2313]

39 minutes ago, John from Riverside said:

I was sure he was injured
 

But there hasn’t been anything come about it after the season

 He got over that injury quick then if he is participating in the pro bowl. He just didn't play good football. 

[jahnyc]

Who knows what Diggs is communicating to his agent and the Bills front office about his future with the Bills, but he is putting the Bills in a bind because I doubt the Bills will want to do a simple contract restructuring providing cap savings for the current year under current circumstances.  If there is a break-up between the Bills and Diggs, it seems the only real option would be a post-June 1st release designation, which would provide significant cap savings for the Bills.  Not sure a trade would work unless it happened after June 1st.

[uticaclub]

26 minutes ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

I don’t think we need his experience. I’m ready to move forward with a young cheaper WR core. Maybe a young veteran like Curtis Samuel added.

 

I don’t think Josh needs Diggs anymore.

 

Kincaid

Samuel

Shakir

Rookie 1st rounder

Rookie 2nd/3rd rounder

Knox

Cook

Shorter

 

 

 

Do you think we are going to sign a guy like Curtis Samuel, and spend a first-round AND a day 2 pick on WR? What about the dozen or so pass rushers? 

[Maine-iac]

Watching a rerun of an old (1990) Bills vs Eagles game.  Lofton at 34 years old was eating the Eagles lunch.  Diggs should still be dominating and not just 6 or 8 games a year.  

[Ga boy]

3 hours ago, DCofNC said:

He catches the ball, but at no time has anyone been scared of Diggs.  He’s not a game breaker in anyway, NEVER has been.  He’s been a PITA to cover in short areas, but nobody was worried about him “taking over” a game.   The entire defense has to be aware of where a guy like Hill is at all times because on mistake and it’s going to the house, even if you don’t make a mistake, he may just flat out burn you.  Diggs might get a first down, but that’s the end of the threat.

Don’t agree with the comparison.  Every team game plans to shut down Diggs.  Sometimes they do because no one else scares them.  Agree that Hill can take it to the house often, but our guy is easier to scheme double team, double zone, because no one else scares them.  Shakir was getting a lot of those targets because of the D shift to Diggs.  Must get a WR in the draft.

[TurfToeJam]

Perhaps diggs foot injury is more serious than announced.  And the bills didnt want other teams to know about it.  McD did mention his foot injury in a presser.