Will Seahawks Make Play for Disgruntled Vikings WR Stefon Diggs?
As free agency and the NFL draft quickly approach, the Seahawks have a plethora of needs to address, including bolstering one of the league's worst pass rushes and sorting out an offensive line that could be breaking in multiple new starters.
When it comes to Seattle's offseason priority list, adding another receiver to the mix alongside Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf isn't one of the team's most pressing concerns. With Jadeveon Clowney, Jarran Reed, and Germain Ifedi hitting the market, general manager John Schneider has bigger fish to fry at the moment.
However, quarterback Russell Wilson has made his desire for additional weapons known on multiple occasions this offseason. The Seahawks title window remains open and acquiring big-name talent will be vital to returning to the Super Bowl after early exits in the postseason the past two years.
Keeping that in mind, it wouldn't be a surprise if Schneider has already contacted the Vikings about the availability of star receiver Stefon Diggs, who doesn't seem happy with his situation in Minnesota.
Per reports, Diggs deleted all of his Vikings-related posts of Instagram. While that may seem like an absurd reason to speculate a pending trade, such choices on social media can be telling in 2020. Just look at Jalen Ramsey's decision to sever his virtual ties with the Jaguars last September shortly before coaxing a trade to the Rams.
If Diggs truly wants to leave Minnesota, players like Ramsey have created a blueprint for stars to force their way out of town. And the Vikings currently find themselves in salary cap hell, as the team currently sits $11.2 million above the cap per OverTheCap.com.
Searching for financial relief, the Vikings are expected to void the final three years of defensive end Everson Griffin's contract. This would create more than $13 million in cap room, bringing the franchise out of the red.
Other moves would likely need to be made, which has fueled further discussion about the possibility of Diggs being dealt for draft picks.
The Vikings are in win-now mode and jettisoning a 26-year old receiver who has produced over 1,000 yards in each of the past two seasons would be detrimental to the team's chances of making a title run. Trading Diggs also isn't very beneficial to the Vikings from a cap standpoint, as dealing him only would create $5.5 million in cap room and the team would have to absorb a $9 million dead cap hit.
Still, general manager Rick Spielman must find ways to generate additional cap relief. $6 million in cap space is barely enough to cover a rookie draft class. And if Diggs isn't happy with his surroundings, his presence could have a negative effect in the locker room.
From the Seahawks perspective, Diggs has an affinity for Wilson and views him as one of the best quarterbacks in the game. He'd jump at the opportunity to catch passes from him in Seattle.
“He’s a 10. I love Russ. He’s a winner, he has that winning mind. I always admire his game,” Diggs said in response to a fan’s question on Bleacher Report last month. “When he has a supporting cast he plays extremely well. Even by himself, he will make it work.”
Imagine opponents trying to game plan for defending the Seahawks next season if they acquired Diggs, one of the best deep threats in the NFL today. Last season, he averaged nearly 18 yards per reception and scored five touchdowns of 50-plus yards, including a 61-yard score in a wild card win over the Saints.
Wilson already has Lockett and Metcalf, who have proven themselves capable of taking the top off of defenses, at his disposal. Coordinators would have to pick their poison and double coverage wouldn't be an option, especially after adding reliable veteran tight end Greg Olsen.
On the flip side, the Seahawks don't throw the football near as much as many other teams and rely heavily on the ground game. How would Diggs respond if he's not getting as many targets? There's only one football on the field each play and having so many mouths to feed could do more harm than good.
There's also the compensation issue. Seattle has nearly $50 million in cap space and could make a few moves to create more financial flexibility, so absorbing Diggs' $11.5 million cap hit would be doable. But it also may prevent the team from signing another pass rusher or pursuing offensive line help.
Schneider would also have to send a high draft pick, possibly a first-round selection or one of their two second-round selections, to the Vikings in exchange to finalize any deal.
Between the draft compensation and the substantial cap hit, Seattle would be spending a great deal to facilitate a move that should be viewed as a luxury more than a need. Those types of decisions can backfire on organizations.
As Schneider always does, he's going to explore every avenue searching to improve his roster and build around his franchise quarterback. If the Seahawks actually listen to Wilson and plan to air it out a bit more in 2020, then acquiring a dynamic talent like Diggs to pair with Lockett and Metcalf would make more sense.
But even considering Schneider's past aggressiveness orchestrating blockbuster trades, given Diggs' price tag and other obvious needs Seattle must tend to in coming months, it seems such a deal is more likely to happen on Madden than in reality.
