Bills Staring Down Possible Reunion With Former All-Pro Receiver

For four seasons, a No. 1 receiver helped Josh Allen break out with the Buffalo Bills. Now, the Bills are searching for help at that position, and that same receiver is surrounded by drama.

Stefon Diggs' questionable future with the New England Patriots could lead to a reunion between him and Allen, which would be a major boon for new head coach Joe Brady.

Stefon Diggs, who earned Pro Bowl honors in each of his four seasons with Buffalo, finds himself in a tough situation in and out of his organization.

How could the Bills see Diggs hit free agency?

Diggs' situation starts with his legal status. He pleaded not guilty on Friday to felony strangulation and other criminal charges stemming from an apparent dispute with his chef.

The 11-year veteran was allowed to play in the Super Bowl, but is scheduled for a pretrial hearing on April 1.

If the Patriots are uncomfortable with the situation, they could cut Diggs, who's set to enter the second season of a three-year, $69 million contract he signed in March.

Releasing Diggs, 32, would not harm New England financially. In fact, releasing him would free up $16.8 million in cap space before June 1 and $20.8 million afterward, according to Spotrac. The real benefit, however, could belong to Buffalo.

If Diggs is released and his legal situation resolves favorably, the Bills could pick him up on a short-term contract to reunite Allen with a familiar and productive target.

“At that point, I was saying I wanted to finish my career in Buffalo,” Diggs told the Buffalo News' Jay Skurski during Super Bowl week.“It didn't happen that way. That's part of the business. We're not in the 1970s and '80s, where guys are on one team for the rest of their career.”

What role would Diggs play in Joe Brady's offense?

Diggs had 445 receptions for 5,372 yards and 37 touchdowns, all of which are fourth-most in Bills history. He topped 1,000 yards in each of his four seasons in Buffalo. Since his departure, only one Bills receiver has surpassed 800 yards in a season (Khalil Shakir in 2024).

With Brady's reportedly more open and player-friendly coaching style, Diggs could feel more comfortable being vocal about his role in the offense. That may have played a part in his trade to the Houston Texans following the 2024 season.

If Diggs returns to Buffalo, he would ensure he commands a target share closer to that of his first season in Buffalo, when he led the NFL with 127 receptions and 1,535 yards.

That said, there are more mouths to feed on offense. James Cook led the league in rushing in 2025 and may see an expanded role in the passing game under Brady. Tight end Dalton Kincaid is entering a critical fourth season to prove he's here to stay after a couple of injury-riddled seasons.

Diggs' legal status could present a rare win-win opportunity for division rivals, but a reunion in Buffalo would require every domino to fall the right way.