Texans Tweak Stefon Diggs's Contract After Blockbuster Trade With Bills

After four years with the Buffalo Bills, wide receiver Stefon Diggs is starting fresh.

The Bills traded Diggs to the Houston Texans on Wednesday, bidding farewell to one of the greatest wide receivers in franchise history. For Buffalo, it signaled a reshuffle of quarterback Josh Allen's supporting cast; for the Texans, it meant a veteran addition to one of football's best young cores.

As Houston acquired Diggs, however, the team did something notable—it adjusted the receiver's contract to allow him to attain free agency after this season.

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Texans struck the final three years from Diggs's contract and grafted $3.5 million in guaranteed money on to the approximately $19 million he was set to receive this season.

Added incentive for Stefon Diggs: As part of the Buffalo-Houston trade, the Texans wiped out the final three years on Diggs’ contract, giving him the ability to become a free agent after this season, league sources tell ESPN. The Texans also took the $3.5 million guaranteed to… pic.twitter.com/3CdRZY0LhK

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 4, 2024

NFL insider Albert Breer suggested the tweak might preclude Houston putting the franchise tag on Diggs next year.

This is interesting, and if it's done without dummy years on the back end, would also escalate Stefon Diggs' franchise number to a spot where Houston would be unlikely to tag him next March. If his cap number for Houston is $22.52 million, his tag would be over $27 million. https://t.co/MbcEGbR1SL

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) April 4, 2024

As much of an in-the-weeds storyline Diggs's contract may appear on the surface, it bears watching how the Texans approach negotiating with him as 2025 looms.