The Stefon Diggs trade continues to make less sense as time goes on
By Chad Porto
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When the Houston Texans traded for Stefon Diggs, the idea was that he would be here long-term. Why else give up a second-round draft pick to acquire Diggs? The pick is pretty valuable and the idea was that Diggs would be here for four seasons.
Then the Texans voided the three final years on that four-year deal. So now Diggs was playing on a one-year deal. A deal that we all thought was now designed to get him one last payday; hopefully with the Houston Texans. The club wanted Diggs and now that they had him, they wouldn't do anything that would jeopardize his future, right?
Well, with a few days left to go in May, the Texans made a shocking decision to sign fellow wide receiver Nico Collins to an extension. His deal would be for three years and will cost the team $72.5 million over that period. $52 million of it guaranteed. Essentially, it was the money that we all thought Diggs would get this offseason from the Texans.
Compensation update: Texans and WR Nico Collins agreed to a three-year, $72.75 million extension with a max value of $75 million that includes $52 million guaranteed. The deal was negotiated and confirmed by Drew Rosenhaus, Ryan Matha and Jason Rosenhaus. https://t.co/0bPRUQll10
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 28, 2024
With Collins now making around (if not over) $20+ million over the next three years, there's very little likelihood that the team would offer Diggs a similar contract. After all, that's what Diggs was making with the Buffalo Bills. Would the Texans give $40+ million to two players, at the same position over the next four years?
What about Tank Dell? What happens when his rookie deal comes due, assuming he continues to produce and improve? This is the issue at hand. The Texans have all but assured the fandom that Diggs is gone after the 2024 season. There's a chance he'd take a pay cut, sure, but with his track record, and past behavior, we know that he's not going to take a significant pay cut if he doesn't have to.
He'll leave, thinking he's still a $20+ million a year player. So either you over-pay for an aging Diggs, just to justify the second-round draft pick you gave up in the process, or you let him walk and essentially waste that second-round pick.
Knowing that the pick may essentially get wasted, just makes his whole trade all the more confusing. After all, the Texans didn't need Diggs. So why waste a pick to get him for one year?
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