Buffalo Bills

Did the Buffalo Bills give up too much to land Stefon Diggs?

Was Stefon Diggs too pricey? NFL Draft Diamonds owner Damond Talbot breaks down the deal that sent the disgruntled wide out to the Bills. (KCM Sports Photo Credit)

As you know I am a die hard Buffalo Bills fan. Growing up in Western New York, I fell in love with the Bills at a young age, and now it is great to cover my team and to watch my little cousin cover the Bills in Buffalo (Ryan Talbot).

When I look at this blockbuster trade last night, I give the Buffalo Bills a ton of credit. Many are probably saying that the Bills were robbed by the Vikings especially after seeing what DeAndre Hopkins was dealt for, but please do not put Bill O’Brien and the Vikings upper management in the same boat. We all know that DHop should have went for way more than he did. So I want to take a second and break down this trade to see how bad it really was.

The Buffalo Bills traded their first round pick in 2020, a fifth round pick in 2020, a sixth round pick in 2020 and a fourth round pick in 2021 for Stefon Diggs and a 7th round pick.

That sounds like the Bills gave up quite a bit, but if we really look at the details of this trade you will see something different.

We all knew the Buffalo Bills were going to use their first round pick on a wide receiver. There were rumors up to 8 wide receivers could be taken in the first round of the NFL Draft in 2020, so let’s say the Bills were able to land Tee Higgins or Justin Jefferson. That would have been a great deal, but they still would have used a draft pick on a wide receiver.

The fifth round pick and the sixth round pick in 2020 were from trades the Bills made last year. They sent Russell Bodine to the Patriots and they sent Wyatt Teller to the Cleveland Browns. The Bills still have their original picks in both rounds and an additional pick in the sixth round.

The Bills have cut draft picks several years in a row, so with 9 picks this year you knew they would have to cut a few of them already. I am not justifying it, but let’s just look at this trade overall now.

  • 1st from Buffalo – Tee Higgins/Justin Jefferson
  • 5th/6th for Russell Bodine and Wyatt Teller
  • and a 4th in 2021

for

  • a wide receiver that over five seasons, compiled 365 catches for 4,623 receiving yards and 30 scores. 
  • 7th round pick

So here is my question, would you rather have Tee Higgins/Justin Jefferson, Russell Bodine, Wyatt Teller and a 4th round pick or Stefon Diggs and a 7th round pick?

If you break it down like this, it is much easier to swallow.

Damond Talbot

NFL Draft Diamonds was created to assist the underdogs playing the sport. We call them diamonds in the rough. My name is Damond Talbot, I have worked extremely hard to help hundreds of small school players over the past several years, and will continue my mission. We have several contributors on this site, and if they contribute their name and contact will be in the piece above. You can email me at nfldraftdiamonds@gmail.com

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