A new report about the Houston Texans swinging a surprise blockbuster trade for Buffalo Bills Pro Bowler Stefon Diggs revealed a nugget of information that will have some wondering about tampering.
After months of rumors and speculation, the Bills pulled the trigger on a deal that sent four-time Pro Bowler and Josh Allen’s favorite target, Stefon Diggs, out of ton. What made the trade all the more surprising is that it was the Houston Texans that landed the game-breaker wide receiver.
- Stefon Diggs trade: Houston Texans get Diggs, Buffalo Bills get 2025 second-round pick
Related: Houston Texans pull crazy tactic with Stefon Diggs contract following blockbuster trade
The Texans were one of the biggest stories in the league in 2023 as rookie QB CJ Stroud showed Pro Bowl-level talent and took the team to a surprising birth in the playoffs. After adding Diggs — and Joe Mixon in March — Houston has an elite offense and will make them a sleep Super Bowl pick when training camps open this summer.
The trade was a bold move for a franchise not known for bringing in stars from other franchises. However, it seems that the surprise swap was not one made randomly and the Texans might have had some inside intel on Diggs’ hopes to land with the franchise in 2024.
In a Friday report from The Athletic on the trade, NFL insider Dianna Russini reported that Diggs “had been talking with Texans players over the last month, including C.J. Stroud.” She also claimed the organization had suggested interest in the pass-catcher during the NFL Combine but did not make a real offer until this week.
Could the Houston Texans be investigated for tampering?
The timing of everything is quite interesting. Houston let the Bills know they had an interest in a potential Diggs trade, Texans players were having conversations with Diggs for at least a month after — most likely about joining the team — and then a trade gets done.
It has been well-documented over the last year about an apparent dissatisfaction Stefon Diggs had with being on the Bill roster. However, recent reports suggested he was likely to be on the team in 2024. While it has not been reported that Diggs asked for a trade, it isn’t impossible he did in recent weeks and requested one to the Texans.
It is always difficult to prove tampering, and players talking amongst themselves is not considered a violation of league policies. It is when officials from rival organizations talk to players and then problems start. But when it comes to tampering, it usually also takes a complaint from another team for an investigation to possibly occur.
That is unlikely since the Bills probably see the trade as addition by subtraction of a disgruntled player and probably won’t levy any allegations against the Texans even if they did persuade Diggs to find a way to their roster for next season.
- Stefon Diggs contract: Restructured to 1 year, $22 million
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