The Buffalo Bills’ decision to trade star wide receiver Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans on Wednesday threw the NFL world for a loop.
General manager Brandon Beane and Co. fancy themselves as Super Bowl contenders despite playoff struggles in recent seasons.
Trading one of the most-productive wide receivers in the NFL just didn’t seem to make sense. Despite the drama that Diggs provided in his final two seasons with the Bills, his on-field dominance is by now well known.
- Stefon Diggs stats (2020-23): 445 receptions, 5,372 yards, 37 TD
Moving off Diggs without letting star quarterback Josh Allen know what was happening beforehand was not a good look for the Bills.
Beane talked to the media after the blockbuster trade was finalized on Wednesday. His take was rather interesting and could be a harbinger of things to come in Western New York.
“Every move we make is because we’re trying to win and we’ll continue to do that going forward,” Beane on the Diggs trade.
If that is indeed the case, Buffalo has a lot of work to do moving forward this offseason. That should include kicking the tires on a blockbuster trade for an emerging wide receiver.
Related: Potential Stefon Diggs replacements for the Buffalo Bills
Will the Buffalo Bills make a play for Brandon Aiyuk?
It’s a realistic question to ask. Buffalo moved on from Diggs primarily due to how the relationship between the two sides had taken a bad turn in recent seasons. It needs to find a way to at least replace some of the production the four-time Pro Bowler provided on the field.
Enter into the equation a younger Brandon Aiyuk of the San Francisco 49ers who has not provided anywhere near that type of drama.
Aiyuk, 26, is entering the final year of his rookie contract. The former first-round pick from Arizona State is also looking to become one of the highest-paid wide receivers in the NFL.
For good reason. He dominated a season ago for the defending NFC Champions, recording 75 receptions for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns. Brock Purdy also boasted an otherworldly 124.0 QB rating when targeting Aiyuk.
Buffalo would likely have to give up its first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft (No. 28 overall) and another mid-round selection to make it work.
But if Beane is really serious about making moves under the guise of attempting to win, a trade of this ilk should be considered.