The Buffalo Bills front office was faced with multiple difficult decisions this offseason. Early last month, the team's key decision makers coordinated a high-profile trade involving star receiver Stefon Diggs.
The four-time Pro Bowler agreed to a four-year, $96 million contract extension with the Bills in 2022. But Bills general manager Brandon Beane suggested that moving forward with Diggs' contract on the books would effectively place an “albatross.” “financial around the team for the coming years.
The team had to take on about $31 million in dead money against its salary cap for the 2024 season, but that was something Beane said the organization was willing to endure in the short term.
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Stefon Diggs #14 of the Buffalo Bills reacts during the AFC Divisional Playoff game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Highmark Stadium on January 21, 2024 in Orchard Park, New York. (Timothy T. Ludwig/Getty Images)
“I mean, listen, there's a lot of things I think you weigh,” Beane said. “For a player of his caliber, you weigh a lot of things. But ultimately, we're just talking about the (salary) cap. … I don't need to explain all the reasons why we decided to go ahead and do that.” I would say from a cap standpoint we decided to go ahead and eat it now. We think we can compete and do what we need to do by eating it now. Can you think of a way to divide it in many different ways, it's like that albatross that hangs around your neck all year long… What is the 25th like?
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The Bills traded Diggs to the Houston Texans in April in exchange for future draft picks.
General manager Brandon Beane of the Buffalo Bills speaks to the media during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center on February 27, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Financial implications aside, Diggs seemed disgruntled in Buffalo recently.
Even without Diggs on the roster, Beane remains confident the Bills will be contenders in the future.
“I'm super competitive,” Beane continued. “I'm going to be gutted the moment we have to start a year and I feel like we have to play with one arm tied behind our back because the cap is what it is… We have Josh Allen, and we want to compete every year for a championship “.
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Wide receiver Gabe Davis also left the Bills this offseason, and the 25-year-old decided to sign with the Jacksonville Jaguars. But Beane and the front office landed veteran receivers Curtis Samuel and Marques Valdez-Scantling during the offseason.
In April, Buffalo drafted former Florida State wide receiver Keon Coleman in the second round.
“I'd say our reception room right now is like Baskin Robbins,” Beane joked. “We have many flavors.”
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