What are some of the things that resulted in the recent trade that sent wide receiver Stefon Diggs from the Minnesota Vikings to the Buffalo Bills?
Stefon Diggs no longer had a desire to play for the Minnesota Vikings, there is no doubt about that. Diggs was never really too shy when it came to expressing his feelings about his role on the team either, no matter how they were interpreted.
The former Vikings receiver did nothing to end the trade rumors that existed during the early part of the 2019 season and he continued to fuel the trade speculation with a number of posts on social media since Minnesota’s exit from the 2019 playoffs.
Ultimately, Diggs got his way and the Vikings decided to trade him to the Buffalo Bills last week. While the Bills were one of many teams interested in landing the disgruntled receiver, how did the deal between them and Minnesota even happen?
For starters, Diggs’ tweet last Monday that read, “It’s time for a new beginning,” is reportedly what ignited the trade talks between the Vikings and Buffalo according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.
The Bills were among a number of teams who contacted Minnesota after the receiver’s tweet. According to Breer, the New England Patriots were also interested in acquiring Diggs, but they ultimately pulled out of the trade talks after figuring out that Tom Brady was going to move on to a new team.
Conversations between the Vikings and Buffalo eventually resulted in a deal being made that sent Diggs and a seventh-round pick to the Bills for a first, fifth, and sixth-round selection in this year’s draft and a 2021 fourth-round pick.
Believe what you want about what got the trade talks going last week, but it’s pretty clear that Diggs’ tweet last Monday was just his latest attempt to get out of Minnesota.
Now that he’s no longer with the Vikings, the 26-year-old pass-catcher has the opportunity to be a clear-cut No. 1 receiving option in Buffalo’s offense. Will Diggs be able to take advantage of his change of scenery and vault himself into elite status next season or will Bills quarterback Josh Allen just become the latest victim of the receiver’s on-field frustrations?