Before we get into this, we have to make one thing clear: Stefon Diggs will play for the Buffalo Bills this season. Any speculation to the contrary would be not only unfounded and ignorant, but harmful. Even if we look at this purely from a money standpoint, Stefon Diggs’ contract makes him untradeable and he cannot be cut. Moreover, we wouldn’t want to cut him, and he wouldn’t want to leave. It’s nonsense, so put it behind you.
Now that we’ve got that out of the way, there’s a whole lot more to unpack.
The Stefon Diggs Timeline
To start, we know that Stefon Diggs is in Buffalo, and was prepared to attend mandatory minicamp. He was at the team facility on Monday, as well as Tuesday morning, but left before practice. We don’t know why. He told his trainer, Myron Flowers, that he intended to practice. His agent directly stated that it isn’t contract related. In his press conference, Sean McDermott stated that he’s “very concerned”, before shutting down the topic completely.
Josh Allen and Von Miller also both spoke on the matter, but never explicitly gave any information out, aside from a note from Josh stating “It’s not football related”. Josh Allen stated that “I f****** love him”, as well as saying that he has his back.
Von Miller in particular seems comfortable dismissing this, and maybe he’s right. He repeatedly stated that it isn’t that serious.
Per Von Miller himself, minicamps aren’t that important, and he’s on Diggs’ side. He goes on to state that what the media is saying about the situation isn’t true.
He’s almost definitely correct there, as the media doesn’t have any information on the matter at all. What they do have is speculation, so we’ll take a look at that.
UPDATE: As of Wednesday June 14th, Stefon Diggs is present and practicing, per Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic.
Pure Speculation
When we know nothing about a scenario, we cannot help but wonder. It’s a human trait not one of us is exempt from. So, what could possibly explain this sudden and dramatic change in climate at One Bills Drive?
Injury Concerns
Stefon Diggs came for his medical checks on Monday, and left before practice on Tuesday morning. There could have been something that came up in his checks, and he went for a second opinion. If this is the case, however, it’s unlikely Sean McDermott would have omitted it.
Past Frustrations
We all remember how things went down after the Bengals game last postseason. There may be some lingering resentment at the way last season ended. Conversations that should have been had when things were fresh that got left until now. The blame in that situation can lay everywhere. From a lack of trust in Ken Dorsey to frustration at his usage in this offense, there are any number of possibilities here.
He openly stated on the Dan Patrick show earlier this offseason that he felt like they got away from their winning formula around the middle of the season. He said that his frustration on the sideline was cumulative, citing a number of moments throughout the close of the season which built up.
Staff Decisions
Last offseason, Josh Allen was included in discussions about the hiring of the new OC. He selected Ken Dorsey, and that was that. Perhaps Stefon Diggs wasn’t involved in the selection of new Bills WR coach Adam Henry, and perhaps he believed he was deserving of that courtesy. If this were true, it wouldn’t be an unfounded complaint.
“Not Football Related”
Perhaps there’re are some off-the-field concerns in his personal life. There doesn’t appear to be any fresh contention between the front office, coaching staff, or players, so perhaps it truly is “not football related”. There were rumours of family trouble, which are unconfirmed, but would explain his sudden change of intent.
Personnel Problems
This one is highly unlikely, as are many of these theories. Honestly, I hate to even mention it, as I believe it to be totally unfounded. The Buffalo Bills have had open interest in FA WR DeAndre Hopkins this offseason. Stefon Diggs has been the leader of this WR core for three years, and may not have appreciated the implication that he and his unit aren’t enough. We’ve seen no evidence that this could be the case, but some fans have chosen to run wild with it.
The Breakdown
As stated above, all of these possible options are pure speculation, and hold no value. They’re interesting, and there may be shreds of truth amongst it all, but the information we have is limited. The Buffalo Bills have yet to speak on the matter in any substantial way. Maybe they never will.
We do know this, however. Stefon Diggs is a phenomenal athlete. He is a leader in this locker room, and he’s earned the right to be heard. He’s not going to be traded, nor is he going to be cut. When September rolls around, Diggs will be on this field, catching passes from Josh Allen.
That, you can count on.
Like this piece? Check out the previous Buffalo Bulletin on James Cook and his status as our future RB1.
The Buffalo Bulletin on Buffalo Fanatics is a weekly editorial by Iestyn Harris. Check back regularly for hot topics, riveting discussion, and, occasionally, some actual insight.
Original Featured Image: Michael Reeves/Getty Images; Composite by Iestyn Harris
