Diggs traded to Texans for picks

[Special K]

Too bad the Texans had already traded pick 17 to the Vikings....would have been a better trade with a 1st round pick swap.

 

Diggs and 28 to the Texans for pick 17.

 

That would have also made it a lot easier to get Thomas Jr., or trade up into the top 10 for one of the big 3 WRs.

[Bruffalo]

8 minutes ago, T master said:

1 of the things i don't get with these trades is how do the Bills get left holding the bag for so much cash ? If you take the player you need to take his contract too !! 

 

Is the reason why the Bills get stuck with that much of a cap hit $31 million next year because they paid him bonuses in order to make more cap space and pushed it down the road ?  I don't get it .

That’s right. The deferred money all comes due immediately now that he’s been traded.

 

The upside is now after this season his cap hit is 0, freeing up a lot moving forward.

[4th&long]

8 minutes ago, T master said:

1 of the things i don't get with these trades is how do the Bills get left holding the bag for so much cash ? If you take the player you need to take his contract too !! 

 

Is the reason why the Bills get stuck with that much of a cap hit $31 million next year because they paid him bonuses in order to make more cap space and pushed it down the road ?  I don't get it .

That’s exactly it. Houston has to pay this years salary about 18-19 million. But all that signing bonus that was spread out over the life of the contract accelerated to this years cap. Signing bonus money spread out is not tradable.

[dave mcbride]

45 minutes ago, PBF81 said:

 

Don't tell me, I'm not the one arguing it by implication.  But that definitely appears to be the tack taken by so many implicitly.  

 

I'm a bigger fan than that.  

 

What needs to be given a rest is this sentiment that we haven't underachieved come playoff time or that KC is invincible.  If the latter is the case, who cares who's coaching.  

 

 

Arguing who is the “bigger fan” is a chump’s game. Everyone here is a fan in their own way. 

38 minutes ago, RyanC883 said:

 

I won't mind a big move, bit draft wise I’m not sold that anyone other than Harrison is worth more of a move up than it takes for Thomas. I may need to watch some more Malki Nabers and Rome Odenzu highlights.  

I think Nabors is the best receiver in the draft.

[Beck Water]

32 minutes ago, T master said:

1 of the things i don't get with these trades is how do the Bills get left holding the bag for so much cash ? If you take the player you need to take his contract too !! 

 

Is the reason why the Bills get stuck with that much of a cap hit $31 million next year because they paid him bonuses in order to make more cap space and pushed it down the road ?  I don't get it .

 

Actually, you got it exactly.  I've explained before, I'll recap:

 

An NFL contract consists of two parts -

-bonuses (signing etc), which are paid to the player up front but broken into chunks corresponding to the years of the contract for cap purposes.

-yearly cash, which is the salary plus any workout and per-game roster bonuses.  Salary is pai

d per-game.
 

A "capology" tool, is that salary can be renegotiated into a vet minimum salary, plus a renegotiation bonus that is then split into chunks.

So when the player is traded, the new team becomes responsible for the yearly cash due the player for the remaining contract

 

But the trading team has already paid out the bonus money, so that doesn't go with the trade.  The trading team doesn't have any years of remaining contract after the trade, so the chunks all get summed and fall into the trade year's cap.

22 minutes ago, Special K said:

Too bad the Texans had already traded pick 17 to the Vikings....would have been a better trade with a 1st round pick swap.

 

Diggs and 28 to the Texans for pick 17.

 

That would have also made it a lot easier to get Thomas Jr., or trade up into the top 10 for one of the big 3 WRs.

 

The point Cosell made was that from his POV as a tape watcher who is not employed by the Bills, Diggs is not at this point a #1 WR who is worth that kind trade value.  See transcript up-thread.

See post by Virgil for pick values.
Edit: here
Rd #1 pick 17 is valued at 950; 28 is valued at 660.  Difference of 290 pts, which is a low 2nd round pick of this year.

The Bills got a 2nd round pick in 2025, which is usually equated to a 3rd round pick this year - so around 180 points - AND tossed in this year and next year 5th (6th this year), both valued at about 10 points.

 

So maybe we got about 160 points in trade value for Diggs?  We would have had to give them something more, if the value charts are correct and that's how they valued Diggs.

To get that 1st pick swap, we might have had to toss in both our 4th round picks or something 

 

 

Edited April 4 by Beck Water

[papazoid]

56 minutes ago, T master said:

1 of the things i don't get with these trades is how do the Bills get left holding the bag for so much cash ? If you take the player you need to take his contract too !! 

 

Is the reason why the Bills get stuck with that much of a cap hit $31 million next year because they paid him bonuses in order to make more cap space and pushed it down the road ?  I don't get it .

 

this is all approximate: not sure how this new bills contract money combined with his old minnesota contract

Stefon Diggs signed a 4 year, $2,507,713 contract with the Minnesota Vikings. YEARS 2015-2018 entry level

Stefon Diggs signed a 5 year, $72,000,000 contract with the Minnesota Vikings, and an average annual salary of $14,400,000. YEARS 2019- 2023 

Stefon Diggs signed a 4 year, $96,000,000 contract with the Buffalo Bills,  an average annual salary of $24,000,000. with $70 mil guaranteed. YEARS 2024-2027

NFL is a semi-hard cap. you can spread out the cap hit over many years at different increments, but eventually you must pay in full.

from year to year they can play cap games like taking all the current year base salary and converting to signing bonus and push that into future years.

Diggs may or may not ever see the full $96 mil. he will get the full $70 guaranteed.

2020 the bills took a cap hit of $14.8

2021 the bills took a cap hit of $6.4 mil

2022 the bills gave diggs $24.5 mil in CASH. but only took a $11.7 mil CAP HIT charge. pushing theoretically $12.8 cap hit into the future.

2023 the bills gave diggs another $24.5 mil in CASH (now $49.0 mil in cash). but only took a $14.9 mil CAP HIT. pushing theoretically $9.6 cap hit into the future

2024 bills trade diggs to Texans. time for bills to pay up the past years team friendly cap hit bill. he was scheduled to count $27.8 on bills cap.

2024 texans will pay diggs $19 mil in CASH (now $67.9 total cash). Essentially there is no more guaranteed money remaining. 

2024 bills are being charged $31 mil in DEAD CAP.

 

 

Edited April 4 by papazoid

[LABILLBACKER]

45 minutes ago, Bruffalo said:

That’s right. The deferred money all comes due immediately now that he’s been traded.

 

The upside is now after this season his cap hit is 0, freeing up a lot moving forward.

Yup, he won't be a cap problem next season also allowing us to June 1st 2025 both Von & Dawson.  We will have money available to spend on more wrs if necessary. 

[Special K]

29 minutes ago, Beck Water said:

 

See post by Virgil for pick values.
Edit: here
Rd #1 pick 17 is valued at 950; 28 is valued at 660.  Difference of 290 pts, which is a low 2nd round pick of this year.

The Bills got a 2nd round pick in 2025, which is usually equated to a 3rd round pick this year - so around 180 points - AND tossed in this year and next year 5th (6th this year), both valued at about 10 points.

 

So maybe we got about 160 points in trade value for Diggs?  We would have had to give them something more, if the value charts are correct and that's how they valued Diggs.

To get that 1st pick swap, we might have had to toss in both our 4th round picks or something 

 

 

Didn't the Bills move from 23 to 12 for Cordy Glenn??

 

You would think they could have moved from 28 to 17 for Diggs!

 

Oh well, doesn't matter at this point anyway.

[ngbills]

It was fun while it lasted. Bills are cash strapped and go/coach have limitations. I will gladly be wrong but let’s see how this plays out. 

3 minutes ago, LABILLBACKER said:

Yup, he won't be a cap problem next season also allowing us to June 1st 2025 both Von & Dawson.  We will have money available to spend on more wrs if necessary. 

Huge cap available on 2029 season.  Woohoo. 

[uticaclub]

1 hour ago, major said:

Brandon Beane has turned into Billy Beane of the Oakland A’s. This must be our version of moneyball ⚾️

Wheres Zito, Mulder & Hudson

[buffaloboyinATL]

1 hour ago, major said:

Brandon Beane has turned into Billy Beane of the Oakland A’s. This must be our version of moneyball ⚾️

The A’s always had a really low team salary, we do not.  The A’s always traded away their home grown talent, once there was a market for them, we do not. 
 
so, maybe, kinda, sorta?…

[LABILLBACKER]

1 hour ago, T master said:

1 of the things i don't get with these trades is how do the Bills get left holding the bag for so much cash ? If you take the player you need to take his contract too !! 

 

Is the reason why the Bills get stuck with that much of a cap hit $31 million next year because they paid him bonuses in order to make more cap space and pushed it down the road ?  I don't get it .

Stop kicking the can down the road. Do your homework better on guys like Knox, Von etc.  Start drafting more offensive players on 4-5 year cheap contracts. 

[Buffalo_Stampede]

Can’t wait to hear the players reactions in a week or so when they arrive for OTA’s. I want Josh Allen to pour gasoline on the fire. Set the tone for the season. You’re either with us or against us.

 

[Nihilarian]

What does it tell you that they could only get a 2025 second-round pick for the guy? Hey, the man was great when he was productive.

 

Lastly, let's not forget what Beane stepped into when he took the Buffalo GM job way back when and he needed to clean house. 

 

Trust the Beane! 

[Bills Fan in MD]

Ok, so I've been trying to process this all day and I'm starting to like this trade more and more.  At the end of the day Beane is taking a huge gamble, which either results in him revitalizing the team or costing us next season.  It's a virtual lock that he goes WR in round 1, no lower than 28 and hopefully higher.  If he hits on that pick, we're suddenly younger and cheaper at a key position, and without all of the drama that Diggs brings.  With Diggs gone an athletic receiver also should help Shakir and Kincaid take it to the next level, and both of them can replace 14 as great route runners on third down plays.  And on top of that we get a boatload of cap space next year.  If that happens the window is as wide open as ever.  Obviously the flip side is that Beane's pick is a bust, in which case it could be a long year, but the reward is worth that risk.  

Edited April 4 by Bills Fan in MD

[Freddie's Dead]

1 hour ago, dave mcbride said:

Arguing who is the “bigger fan” is a chump’s game. Everyone here is a fan in their own way. 

I think Nabors is the best receiver in the draft.

 

Well gollllllay!

 

 

[That's No Moon]

45 minutes ago, buffaloboyinATL said:

The A’s always had a really low team salary, we do not.  The A’s always traded away their home grown talent, once there was a market for them, we do not. 
 
so, maybe, kinda, sorta?…

A's always lost in the playoffs, so there's that.

[Beck Water]

1 hour ago, Special K said:

Didn't the Bills move from 23 to 12 for Cordy Glenn??

 

You would think they could have moved from 28 to 17 for Diggs!

 

Oh well, doesn't matter at this point anyway.

 

21 to 12 for trading Glenn, who had been a starting LT before injury in 2017

 

Look, I'm pretty stupified that all the Bills got for Diggs was essentially a 3rd round pick (2nd round, next year).  My first reaction was "Holy Crap, the Texans stole him!"   But from what OBL and some others here have been saying, the Bills were trying hard to move Diggs for some time, and next year's second (like a 3rd this year) was their best offer.

What I'm saying is according to the best offer the Bills actually got, that wouldn't have been sufficient to go from 28 to 17.

 

2 hours ago, BuffaloRebound said:

Pretty sure if we traded Diggs after June 1st we could’ve split that $31m dead cap between 2024 and 2025.  

 

Yes, we could have.  How common are post June 1 trades?  They're after the draft and FA; they're after OTAs start.

I honestly don't know, I'm asking.

My guess is strategically, that wasn't something Beane wanted to do.

Edited April 4 by Beck Water

[Buffalo_Stampede]

59 minutes ago, buffaloboyinATL said:

The A’s always had a really low team salary, we do not.  The A’s always traded away their home grown talent, once there was a market for them, we do not. 
 
so, maybe, kinda, sorta?…

Unless something changes this years Bills team will be significantly lower in cash spent than previous years. They could’ve kept it going a year or two but decided to budget a little this year.

[Beck Water]

2 hours ago, GoBills808 said:

People have been saying for several years now how we lack at wr talent

 

and when I said it I included diggs, he's very good but does not have the elite tier tools cosell is talking about

 

It's interesting.  Cosell was very clear and concise; he thinks Diggs is on the decline, he thinks Diggs isn't a "true #1", he's good but not elite.

I don't think the Bills paid Cosell off for that opinion because 1) I think Cosell cares about his cred more than $ 2) he's said similar things before.

 

On the other hand, we have this:

where they clearly slot Diggs in ahead of Nico Collins as a #1 WR

 

and then this:

where the guys are all talking about Diggs as a "freakazoid" talent, and referring to Collins as not a true #1.  (they said every team has about 3 freakazoids, and if you don't have enough freakazoids, you're gonna lose.  they said SF has 6 or 7)

 

"I am only an egg" relative to these guys, but what I saw of Nico Collins last year I really liked, and his Y/Tgt last season, 12, argues more boundary guy.

 

McCoy and all know ball, but Cosell knows his tape, so I don't know.  Maybe the former ballers have a bit of "halo effect" based on the Diggs of 2 years ago whereas Cosell is meticulously focused on what he sees?

 

By the way McCoy and others (Emmanuel Acho I think? not sure who is the 3rd guy) were very clear with the woman host (Joy Taylor?) that Josh Allen's relationship with Stefon Diggs is "bad".  She didn't want to theorize what it's like other than what we see, but they were very definite.

 

Edited April 4 by Beck Water

[Turk71]

If I recall all this correctly; his contract before they gave him an extension in 2022 would have expired after last season. No dead cap, just a mutual parting of ways. I remember thinking that the extension didn't seem necessary, he was already under contract for that season and the next. The new contract saved them $6 million in cap space that year.

 Now they trade him for a future pick and take the biggest one year dead cap hit for a WR in the history of the league. $31 million of your cap gone for no player at all. In all likelihood throw away your chances for an entire year for absolutely nothing. He was already under contract through last season. 

  That's some real brilliant chess

[davefan66]

8 hours ago, Seventeen said:

 

Isn't 31 mil in dead cap a cap nightmare ? 

Not really. His 28 million salary was on the cap regardless if Diggs was here or not. That doesn’t change.  Only 4 million dead money was added to the cap this year.  Plus we get a ton of cap relief next season.

 

Beane got himself in a place where he had cap space and made the best move for the team.  Remember, there is another 10 million more in cap space after Tre’s post June 1 hits the books.

 

Yes, it may keep us from signing a big money WR.  Unless, they get creative in pushing dollars to the backend of a new guys contract.  Expect as least 2 receivers to be drafted in the higher rounds for sure and another FA.

The question that needs to be asked is, are the Bills better or worse after trading Diggs?  I say the same, or better.  I admit I was shocked and saddened when I saw he was traded.  But one must look at his stats and impact on the team.

 

Stats - production dropped off at the end of last season for sure. Couple that with less than stellar playoff stats.  And not just this past years playoffs.  We will get another receiver.  With that new guy, and our existing guys, Josh will continue to have success.

 

Impact - Cap relief next year.  And if the stories are true that he was a cancer in the locker room, better off he is gone.

 

[BRH]

He’s someone else’s problem now. 

[Freak-O]

1 hour ago, Turk71 said:

If I recall all this correctly; his contract before they gave him an extension in 2022 would have expired after last season. No dead cap, just a mutual parting of ways. I remember thinking that the extension didn't seem necessary, he was already under contract for that season and the next. The new contract saved them $6 million in cap space that year.

 Now they trade him for a future pick and take the biggest one year dead cap hit for a WR in the history of the league. $31 million of your cap gone for no player at all. In all likelihood throw away your chances for an entire year for absolutely nothing. He was already under contract through last season. 

  That's some real brilliant chess

In 2022 he wanted to be here and the Bills thought he was good so they extended him. Now he doesn’t and they don’t. He’s not old enough to warrant this drop off in production. Is it easy to always be right in hindsight? Yes. 

[Bill Grundy]

Nobody ever talked about Big Game Diggs did they

 

When it really mattered, postseasons, it was other receivers that stepped up. First Davis, then Shakir. 

[BeastMaster]

7 hours ago, FireChans said:

DC’s weren’t sweating Diggs 40 YPG output near the end there.

 

Sneed gets put on Diggs and erases him for 4 Q’s. He’s closer to an afterthought than you think. 

You're mistaken if you think that defensive coordinators weren't prioritizing the coverage of Diggs before anyone else

 

Calling him closer to an afterthought is simply sour grapes on your part

 

 

[JGMcD2]

13 hours ago, Ethan in Cleveland said:

Be a McDermott fan boy if you want. Others on here agree with me

As for my other points, is the failure to adequately address the OL an unfair criticism? 

The only redeeming factor for Epenesa is he is only 25. He had 2.5 sacks in the final ten weeks of the year. Again started the season strong and was a non-factor the rest of the way. He had 1 tackle and no sacks in 2023 playoffs. Terrible decision to bring him back.

 

I've generally given Beane high marks for his off-season moves. 

As he said today, the Bills are worse today after this move. If he thinks Shakir, Kincaid, and Samuel can replace Diggs as he was implying he is insane. But he is lying. He will trade up and draft a WR. That is his MO. He burns picks to move up and get a guy he wants. The only thing left to be seen is how much he gives up and how high he goes up. 

It has nothing to do with being a McDermott fan boy and everything to do with you being an incessant whiner. Over and over again, your posts just read like a middle school girl, occasionally you provide a little more depth, but it’s tired.
 

As for your second part pointing out that the Bills are worse after trading Diggs, as if that’s something that Brandon Beane doesn’t think is true? He said it today in the press conference. You’re choosing to incorrectly read between the lines and then skip real words that came out of the man’s mouth. 
 

Your separate thread about your emotional attachment proves the point. 

Edited April 4 by JGMcD2

[NoSaint]

35 minutes ago, BeastMaster said:

You're mistaken if you think that defensive coordinators weren't prioritizing the coverage of Diggs before anyone else

 

Calling him closer to an afterthought is simply sour grapes on your part

 

 

were they more worried about him than gabe? Sure. 
 

were they up at night trying to figure out how to contain tyreek or Jefferson when they came to Buffalo? No way.

[eball]

10 hours ago, Ethan in Cleveland said:

If he thinks Shakir, Kincaid, and Samuel can replace Diggs as he was implying he is insane

 

He implied nothing of the sort.  He repeatedly said, “it’s not September.”

 

[babulator]

I mentioned it earlier in the thread, I saw another discussion about the dead cap hit, but who were we going to sign? What big FA's were left for us to sign? Unless Beane was banking on making some blockbuster player trade this year, it makes more sense to take the entire cap hit this year.  Ideally, we move up and get the WR we want in the draft and free up a boat load of money next year. 

[Pete]

1 minute ago, babulator said:

I mentioned it earlier in the thread, I saw another discussion about the dead cap hit, but who were we going to sign? What big FA's were left for us to sign? Unless Beane was banking on making some blockbuster player trade this year, it makes more sense to take the entire cap hit this year.  Ideally, we move up and get the WR we want in the draft and free up a boat load of money next year. 

We are gonna double dip on the greatest WR class ever!

[babulator]

4 minutes ago, Pete said:

We are gonna double dip on the greatest WR class ever!

It definitely changes the draft outlook for sure. 🤞

[aristocrat]

hoping we can sign justin simmons somehow so we can really double dip on wide receivers in this draft with the defense all set. would love a trade up for brian thomas and see who is left in the second round

[papazoid]

only Josh is irreplaceable

 

the bills can win with or without diggs. 

[finn]

7 hours ago, Beck Water said:

 

Factually, Diggs was #7 in receptions and #6 in targets this past season.  #10 in TD and 1D.  But in terms of Y/G, falls to #17 and Y/R falls to #67.

His catch-rate percentage is pretty mediocre, too: 68%. Compare that rate to his teammate Shakir catching ball from the QB: 86.7%. 

 

Let's put this all together. Diggs was (and is) earning the second highest salary on the team, drawing a huge percentage of targets. Yet last year he caught a far lower percentage than any of his teammates, except long-ball Davis, he's a distraction, he disappears in the playoffs, and he's washed. 

 

Beane was right to flush him. He extended Diggs when he was a top receiver, not knowing he would bottom out so quickly, which happens. To be blunt, his production is no longer worth the money or his whining, which was going to only increase as he declines. Take the hit and move on. 

[juno999]

3 hours ago, Turk71 said:

If I recall all this correctly; his contract before they gave him an extension in 2022 would have expired after last season. No dead cap, just a mutual parting of ways. I remember thinking that the extension didn't seem necessary, he was already under contract for that season and the next. The new contract saved them $6 million in cap space that year.

 Now they trade him for a future pick and take the biggest one year dead cap hit for a WR in the history of the league. $31 million of your cap gone for no player at all. In all likelihood throw away your chances for an entire year for absolutely nothing. He was already under contract through last season. 

  That's some real brilliant chess

Diggs appeared to be on board the first 2 seasons and then the drama kicked in after the contract extension.  It must have been pretty bad for them to trade him and take that kind of cap hit.

[Rigotz]

All the people saying “a 2nd round pick next year is only valued at a 3rd” will be thanking the heavens when the Vikings draft top 5 next year.

 

A 2nd round pick is a 2nd round pick. Have a little patience.

[Fan in Chicago]

19 minutes ago, babulator said:

I mentioned it earlier in the thread, I saw another discussion about the dead cap hit, but who were we going to sign? What big FA's were left for us to sign? Unless Beane was banking on making some blockbuster player trade this year, it makes more sense to take the entire cap hit this year.  . 

A WR who fits may become available after the draft , Beane said that. Then there is post June 1 cuts. While hope is not a strategy, the likelihood of one of the two occuring is pretty high given the plethora of good WRs coming into the league via draft. 

[Warriorspikes51]

12 minutes ago, Rigotz said:

All the people saying “a 2nd round pick next year is only valued at a 3rd” will be thanking the heavens when the Vikings draft top 5 next year.

 

A 2nd round pick is a 2nd round pick. Have a little patience.

 

50/50 chance Beane uses the pick in a deal to move up this year in Round 1 or 2  

[PromoTheRobot]

4 hours ago, Turk71 said:

If I recall all this correctly; his contract before they gave him an extension in 2022 would have expired after last season. No dead cap, just a mutual parting of ways. I remember thinking that the extension didn't seem necessary, he was already under contract for that season and the next. The new contract saved them $6 million in cap space that year.

 Now they trade him for a future pick and take the biggest one year dead cap hit for a WR in the history of the league. $31 million of your cap gone for no player at all. In all likelihood throw away your chances for an entire year for absolutely nothing. He was already under contract through last season. 

  That's some real brilliant chess

 

Wasn't that extension more for creating cap space? It's also pretty disingenuous to call a lack of ESP being a bad GM.

Edited April 4 by PromoTheRobot