Nico Collins is officially staying put in Houston until the 2028 season after the Texans signed him to a three-year contract extension worth just over $72 million. This deal puts Collins in the top 10 of the highest-paid wide receivers in the league, according to Spotrac.
One question that pops into mind is: how will this impact Stefon Diggs' future on the team? The answer is one that not many people might agree with. That is, nothing about Collins' new contract changed anything to do with Diggs' future in Houston.
After taking his new deal and voiding years in his contract, this was always going to be a season in which Diggs had to prove that if he wanted more money heading into his 2025 campaign, where he will turn 32 years old, he could still go at a high level after seeing his production dip in the back end of the 2023 season in Buffalo.
Nothing about the meaning of this season has changed for Diggs. There was always going to be an acclimation process for the new Texan. Getting on the same page as quarterback C.J. Stroud, learning the playbook, and gelling with a new receiving group, among other tasks, was always going to be a big part of this season for Diggs.
That said, gelling with a new receiving group is a little more interesting now that Collins has this new, big-money contract. "Who is the real wide receiver one on the Texans," is a question that could rear its head if a couple of things shaky for Diggs to start the season.
The main thing is Diggs' target share. More specifically, how will Diggs fare with guys like Collins, Tank Dell, and even Dalton Schultz having more targets than him? As noted in past seasons, Diggs can lose his cool at some points during the season for something such as his target share during a game.
Stefon Diggs getting frustrated on the #Bills sideline. pic.twitter.com/NVdZUb5wL6
— Henry McKenna (@henrycmckenna) October 8, 2023
That is not an attribute exclusive to Diggs, though. It is a sign of his competitive nature, and wanting both personal and team success. There is nothing wrong with that. However, it could be something to keep an eye on this season.
Overall, there is no change in Diggs' future with the Texans following Collins' extension. The receiver was already on a one-year deal, and if the team was going to bring him back on a new deal, he was always going to have to prove it by his play and actions in the 2024 campaign.