Free agency prediction: Stefon Diggs ditches Bills reunion for move to NFC

The Buffalo Bills may be in the market for a WR, but Stefon Diggs likely isn't on the list

Oct 13, 2024; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Houston Texans wide receiver Stefon Diggs (1) runs with the ball after making a catch against the New England Patriots during the first half at Gillette Stadium. | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

It makes for fun speculation, but free-agent wide receiver Stefon Diggs is almost definitely not returning to the Buffalo Bills.

After being traded to the Houston Texans for draft capital last offseason, Diggs shortened his contract and subsequently tore his ACL. Now, he's looking to latch on somewhere as a free agent, and the Bills could use a difference-making wide receiver.

Meanwhile, recent Instagram activity sparked rumors of a potential Bills reunion as Diggs re-added photos of his Buffalo tenure to his personal page. In reality, however, the buzz is nothing more than social media fantasy as the Bills certainly had their reasons for trading Diggs away in the first place.

Not only was his relationship with quarterback Josh Allen apparently fractured, but Diggs was no longer performing at a level worthy of his mega salary. His production faded to a sub-WR1 level during the back half of the 2023 season. Additionally, he caught only 10 of 24 targets for 63 receiving yards combined over his last three playoff losses with the Bills.

Since the trade, he's only gotten older (Diggs will turn 32 during the regular season) and he's suffered a serious knee injury that requires a demanding rehabilitation process. Even a 25-year-old would struggle to attain peak performance less than 10 months after ACL surgery. It's unlikely Diggs is ready to significantly contribute in Week 1, and he may need a whole season to completely return to form. Such a situation is little help to the Bills, who are in win-now mode.

Jan 23, 2022; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs (14) reacts to a call against the Kansas City Chiefs during an AFC Divisional playoff football game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

While the Bills don't seem like a feasible fit for Diggs, USA Today For The Win writer Cory Woodroof suggests that the Dallas Cowboys are so much so that he connected the two parties while "Predicting where 20 second-wave 2025 NFL free agents will sign."

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"The Cowboys need a good receiver to pair opposite of CeeDee Lamb, and Diggs could stay in Texas and return to the NFC to help Dallas contend for the division," said Woodroof, who also projected Amari Cooper to leave the Bills for the New England Patriots.

Dallas has been a consistently rumored destination for Diggs since his brother, Trevon, is a starting cornerback for the Cowboys.

Prior to the season-ending injury, Diggs accounted for 496 receiving yards and four touchdowns in eight games for the Texans in 2024. He exceeded 100 catches each of his four seasons with the Bills. The former fifth-round draft pick went for 1,535, 1,225, 1,429 and 1,183 receiving yards from 2020 through 2023.

Oct 27, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Indianapolis Colts cornerback Jaylon Jones (40) breaks up a pass intended for Houston Texans wide receiver Stefon Diggs (1) in the first quarter at NRG Stadium. | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

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