Exclusive; Bills GM Bets Brutally Honest on Why Team Traded Stefon Diggs
Brandon Beane, the general manager of the Buffalo Bills anticipated a challenging decision to arise regarding Stefon Diggs at some point and thus opted for an earlier resolution.
The decision by the team to trade Diggs to the Houston Texans was unexpected, and Beane made a statement regarding it. The general manager of Bills clarified that there were various aspects contributing towards this choice; however, salary cap consequences played a vital role in finalizing it.
According to Beane’s statement on The Athletic Football Show, when considering a player of his skill level in such circumstances, many factors are taken into account. However, ultimately the decision was based solely on the team’s salary cap situation and there is no need for him to explain further reasons behind their choice. In terms of managing their financial resources effectively overall though, they decided it would be best just to take this hit at present time.
The 2024 Bills take a cap hit.
According to CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin, the Bills incurred a dead-cap hit of $31 million when they traded Diggs and lost nearly $4 million in cap space for 2023. Despite this, the team managed to gain almost $19 million in cap space for 2025 while simultaneously acquiring additional talent as an attempt to address some of the void left by Diggs’ exit.
Beane stated that they believe they can be competitive and achieve their goals by consuming the resources now instead of postponing it to the next year. He added that if they attempted to distribute these resources amongst various areas, it would burden them all year round like an albatross hanging on one’s neck. They don’t want a scenario where dead money stays in their cap for too long, making them regret not using it earlier.
Keon Coleman was the top pick drafted by the team, and veteran free agents Chase Claypool, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Curtis Samuel were also brought in. Beane emphasized that rather than depending solely on Diggs, there will be an increased distribution of targets among Bills players during the upcoming season.
According to Beane, our receiver room currently resembles Baskin-Robbins with its diverse range of flavors.
Bills Look to Rookie Receiver to Boost Offense.
Coleman, the No. 33 overall pick in the draft, appears to be highly anticipated by the Bills. According to quarterback Josh Allen, Coleman can fill a void on the team as a capable and imposing receiver who excels at winning contested passes.
According to Bleacher Report, Allen stated that “His playing approach is exactly what our offense required. After conversing with offensive coordinator (Joe Brady), quarterbacks coach (Ronald Curry), general manager Brandon Beane and head coach Sean McDermott, we concluded the need for a physically imposing wide receiver capable of winning back-shoulder fades.”
Allen expressed admiration for the entirety of the team’s receivers and their catching abilities.
Allen suggested that teaming him up with some of our current players in the room would be beneficial. He praised Mack Hollins for his addition to the group, citing his contagious mentality and mindset as an asset to others around him. Additionally, Allen mentioned Curtis Samuel’s consistency and strong work ethic during every practice session. With Dawson Knox and Coleman entering into the mix, solidifying a group dynamic should not be difficult according to Allen.
