Why Stefon Diggs Does, Doesn't Make Sense for Cardinals

What is the solution for the wide receiver position for the Arizona Cardinals going into the offseason?

Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michael Wilson are a fine one-two punch, but beyond them is not much. There are no established players. There are no veterans to lead the group. And there are no guys who fill the needs of this room, especially for a need of a field stretcher.

I’d like to see Arizona make some significant investments to the room – I’m talking no less than two players and preferably more. There needs to be both young additions along with some older, proven players.

The upcoming free agent market has a bit of both, but several big-name veterans will be exploring opportunities for a new home.

Perhaps the biggest name of the group is Stefon Diggs.

It’s an intriguing situation when discussing Diggs. He’s got a track record that rivals nearly anybody across the league, but he’s coming off a serious injury that forced him to miss half the season.

There’s also no certainty about what a contract may look like for him or what he’s looking for when it comes to his destination of choice.

We’re wondering whether the Cardinals could/should throw their hat into the ring for Diggs. There’s plenty of perks to bringing someone of his caliber in, but there’s also some serious risk involved here.

Why Cardinals Make Sense for Stefon Diggs

Diggs is hitting free agency as a 31-year-old receiver (turns 32 at the end of November) with quite the resume. Prior to last season, Diggs had recorded six consecutive 1,000-yard seasons between the Vikings and Bills.

Of those six seasons, Diggs caught over 100 passes in five of them.

The Maryland product also scored 52 touchdowns in that’s stretch, made the Pro Bowl four times (all with Buffalo) and earned two All-Pro nods.

There aren’t many receivers in the league right now that have the career resume that Diggs does. In fact, until Davante Adams officially tests the market (he’s currently still under contract with the Jets), there is no other receiver on the market like Diggs.

The 10-year pro can also beat you in multiple ways as a route runner and deceptive speed.

The real value of Diggs to the Cardinals would be as not just a veteran player, but as an established and well-respected player in his position. It’s not just about time played here and it’s not just about the numbers – Diggs has earned the attention of the league.

We all know there’s no depth on the Cardinals currently and Diggs is a massive upgrade to the room. He could arguably be your number one target, but playing next to Harrison could open tons of space for him to work with.

All in all, Diggs would be a great addition to this receiving core – especially depending on what his price is. There’s a chance Diggs can be had for a cheaper deal rather than a long-term extension.

If the cards play out the way Arizona would like them to, Diggs’ addition to this team would be welcomed and could perhaps shake up the way this offense works as of now.

Why Stefon Diggs Doesn't Make Sense for Cardinals

There is no bigger drawback for Diggs than his season-ending injury from last season. Diggs suffered a non-contact ACL injury in late-October and his recovery timeline isn’t quite clear at this time.

That alone is a huge deterrent for a lot of teams, and the Cardinals are absolutely in that group.

Two things that Arizona must heavily consider this offseason as they look for a wide receiver to add whether it’s free agency or the draft is this – how quickly will they see the field and how quickly will they make an impact.

Diggs can’t answer either of those questions reliably at this point in time.

There’s also the question as to whether Diggs is completely dialed in right now. The Bills moved on from Diggs quickly after he became a bit of a cancer in their locker room.

We didn’t hear those rumblings much last season with Houston, but there were still moments throughout the season that showed some left-over angst and frustration from his previous stop.

Is that something the Cardinals want to add to a young team?

No matter what side of the debate you land on when it comes to looking at Diggs, you must take everything above into consideration.

There’s no doubt that Diggs may have some good seasons left in him, but how he recovers from a serious injury as a 31-year-old receiver (turns 32 at the end of November) could be a bit too ominous for the Cardinals to consider.

If they sign off on the injury, then you’re looking at an alpha receiver and a player who instantly juices up your passing attack. That could be worth any potential headaches he causes – which aren’t guaranteed to happen – but you must consider them.

This is all part of teambuilding.

It’s a weird spot for the Cardinals to be in when they address the wide receiver position. You need depth, but does that look like a veteran addition? Maybe a splash free agent? Using some draft capital for young, cheap talent? Maybe a mix of two of the three?

Maybe all the above? Who knows.

All that matters for the Cardinals is if Diggs I worth the dice roll. He could turn into an All-Pro receiver, or he could be a non-factor.