Rich Eisen on Wider Implications of the Stefon Diggs Trade on the WR Position in the NFL 

Fact: Bills last 10 games of 2023--Receiving yards Stef Diggs 422 on 80 targets, Khalil Shakir 462 yards on 38 targets. Diggs' production won't be hard to replace. Beane is just proving why is a top 5 GM in the NFL.

Chiefs beat Bills 27- 24. Diggs and Gabe Davis combined for 3 catches for 21 yards. Thats what they lost in the biggest game of the season. The Bills will be fine.

Washington fan here Curtis Samuel is going to be phenomenal. The dude has elite speed elusiveness and hands. He’s not just some guy. He is going to get fed, and he will prove to be a great great signing. I’m happy his career has a chance now after leaving ours and the panthers dumpster fire.

Welcome back Rich

The Patriots also had a lot of success with a relatively unknown receiver room. It’s like the philosophy in Miracle - sometimes it’s not about getting the best players, it’s about getting the RIGHT players.

Totally agree with all you said about Costa Rica. Beautiful country and people!

Thank You Rich, none of the talking heads has been able to put it as succinctly as you have. Going for young guys @ WR and their rookie contracts.

I am still with the Bills on this, it was not working between those two players. The Bills start playing better team football and winning more games when he wasnt the focus, its tough and your right he is still talented and it makes the Texans better this year. I am suprised that the Bills havent talked to OBJ yet, maybe draft a couple young guys and see how far this running/TE style can get you.

Good to have you back Rich!

Welcome back. Glad to see you back in the chair, so that I can watch again.

Everyone looks good on paper until the game starts.

Boy oh boy were you missed. I can finally watch again

Welcome back Rich.

The rif between Diggs and Allen is just normal for Diggs?

Welcome back rich

When someone is a bad teammate you get rid of them. That's it. It doesn't matter how good he is. Having this guy in the team is going to be a big test of CJ Stroud's leadership abilities. We know he is a great QB but how is he going to react when Diggs is yelling at him on the sideline because he didn't think he is getting the ball enough? It's a lot to ask from a young QB.

Happy to see you! Everyone praying on the bills downfall I know as a fan that they’ll figure it out🔥🦬

Ever since the Bills made the change at OC, Diggs became the invisible man.

Rich you are welcome here in Dominican Republic!! 🇩🇴 hope to see you soon

Look at green bays receiving core. All less then 3 years and they did well

Love the Swingers reference!!! All growns’d up!!!

Omg you’re back! Finally!!

Simple economics. Supply is becoming greater than the demand, just like RBs. Is it time to add another team to the nfl? Maybe two?

So excited for this season 🤘

Pura vida RIch...!!!

Long term planning is way more important than next year in their situation. I think they made the right decision to do some cleaning up and possibly grab a huge amount of young talent to build up for the future. Rich makes it so clear what he expects to be going on and i fully agree.

Someone suggested trading up for a wr around the top 10, and then taking another in round 2. I liked that idea but I kinda like the idea of getting a few guys in, especially with a deep wr class.

I cannot recommend Costa Rica enough!!! It's such an amazing country.

It's all well and good for Diggs to demand the ball and be a #1 WR, but actually beibg open and catching the ball is another thing. The guy wasnt consistent, overpaid and needed to be moved on. Josh Allen will thrive with his current and incoming Receiver Room

This move tells ya that Buffalo doesn’t take Houston seriously

You send Diggs to an ascending team in your own conference because you know Diggs will help that up and coming QB and team, begin to descend...Pretty brilliant...And I like Stroud a lot but bringing Diggs into that locker room will only hurt Strouds progression

Ah, it's the Maholmes effect again. Some teams just don't get it and they are trying to copy someone else's system without understanding the underlying factors. First, you need a QB that can scramble and make plays either with your legs or throwing off script passes. That is why Caleb and Daniels is rated so highly. The QB also needs to throw passes normally but the scrambling aspect is more important. Anticipation, accuracy, and reading defenses is not important. Then, you need a TE as your safety blanket if none of the WRs are open. This TE needs to be in tune with the QB to find the open space or be open when the QB is scrambling. Finally, you need a top tier defense that can hold opposing offense with lockdown DBs and fearsome DTs that can sack opposing QBs up the middle. Swarming LBs that can contain opposing running game is nice but can be found using regular LBs. This is the stage that current teams are shifting towards. So need to invest in talented WRs and RBs as they can be by committee. Strong O-Linemen is nice but not much investment needed outside of LT. No need for elite pass rushers just having standard pressure will open up sacks just by the havoc created by the inside penetration. Thus the team's cap space is eaten up by the QB, DT, LT, and one quality TE. Lockdown DBs can be gotten by rotating DBs through the draft. So, I believe Bills will either select a DT that may fall through or a CB to replace their depleted DBs, and a quality safety in the second round.

Isn't this what the Bengals have done as well? 1 Super Bowl appearance and two AFC Championship games to show for it.

Rich is THE MAN do not sleep ON THE BILLS!!!!!

Read that Gabe Davis was unhappy with the offense too

Pura vida!

its 100% the end of bills window. The window is shut and boarded shut.

Bills are retooling. It’s time to get younger and faster. Defense played surprisingly well with so many injuries, so the personnel they lost is not as impactful as you may think. Especially as the unit jels late in the season.

I promise nobody worried about was gonna happen this year in Buffalo

Rich talks very eloquent and nice and alot of non sense.

You forgot Wicks!

If you are a team pushing to win a SB then paying the WR & a QB high end money is difficult But if you are team rebuilding around a young QB then paying the WR the bag makes sense So I’m not sure it will compromise the WR getting big money in the near future cos guys like Lamb, Jefferson and Chase are getting $30M no debate but in the future it will depend on the quality of talent coming through the draft

I'm more worried about the defense, I know they were aging, and it was likely time but losing White, Poyer and Hyde hurt.

The fans aren’t worried about the window

Good ‼️ He's a prima Donna ‼️‼️‼️

So basically luck out on a top 8 QB, have a great OL and DL, and good corners, and you can cheap out on everything else.

I hope we are not getting into a trend of using up college players and then all a sudden 28 is the new old player and not worth the money. Sad situation if we get into that.

Pura vida

It's still, "In Beane we Trust". He has an 18 member Pro-Scouting department he meets with every day, and they are very good. He has many friends in the league and he is universally liked by all, just adding to his comm venues. People are willing to help a guy like that out if he were to ask for something. And he's no dummy, you can rest assured there is a plan_A, B and C. I wonder if this wasn't the penultimate play by Diggs? A year or so ago snuggle up to a nice contract extension, then turn around and cause such a commotion/unrest they are happy your gone, w/31M, just to get rid of you, and you're free to "double dip" for a few years!! Whatever, now we don't have to put up with that anymore. Thanks for the memories #14! JMHO --gary

sorry, Bills learned they could win without Diggs. at the same time they learned that not having to force Diggs the ball, helped Allen cut down on the turnovers. you cant keep a guy who doesnt want to be there anymore. clearly issue between Diggs and Allen, not getting rid of the QB, so Diggs goes. Bills got more than fair value for a 30 year old receiver. switching to a more run focused offense will make Allen last longer, and give McD what hes always wanted, a running game that can protect his defense and QB. taking the hit now was all about getting him out the door, and maximizing the return. keeping Diggs for the extra season with terrible stats, gets nothing in return for Diggs after next season. Bills made the best of a bad situation.

WNY resident here. Problem was big enough to eat 31M in 2024 and get the best the NFL market was offering at this time. Problem was big enough not to wait until June 1st to release him. Problem was big enough not to wait until next year when he is older and worth less. Couldn’t beat KC with Diggs and advance. Maybe trading him just like the Vikings did and getting a top WR in draft is the best way to go. Diggs was 3rd WR on Vikings with no Pro Bowl or All-Pro selections. Comes to Buffalo and has 4 best career years but has problem with QB or organization? Good riddance and thanks for the last 4 years but he out lived his welcome.

Costa Rica is amazing

the offseason is when you spend over 9 minutes talking about this story

So you don't draft running backs early or pay them. You can only win unless you're Mahomes when your QB is on a rookie contract and now you can't pay WR's either. Where is all the money going?

Go Bills!❤

That model depends on a competent front office

The guy couldnt catch a tire in the playoffs… too worried about showing up looking “cute” to pre game

The Texans are a new example how to build a team. And some are following their steps.

Easier said than done- the packers hit on 4/4 WRs and 2/2 TEs in the last 2 drafts. If everyone could do that they would

The 1 year they gave Brady a wide receiver (randy moss) they went undefeated. You must have someone to throw to

Diggs had an issue with the team. Allen took the team's side. Diggs showed up small in a lot of big games, esp the playoffs. This year's draft is loaded with tier 1 WRs. Perfect time to unload a malcontent like Diggs, even with a $31 mil cap hit. He can be replaced by a lot of the guys coming out of college for a lot less money.

If what Rich said works pretty soon the only players getting payed any kinda money will be QBs and OTs lol

Cant afford a vacation rich but thanks for rubbing my nose in it! ;)

The hell goin on

Welcome back Rich. I sort of hate this narrative. Mahomes is on another level so I don't think we can compare anyone to him right now. Why I hate this is we want to crown all these young QBs. Love, Stroud have 1 year of play. Historically, we have seen regression in year 2. That is why I want to take 3 years to evaluate QBs. To me Love is more problematic than Stroud. Love had like 2 months (I think it was 6 games) where he just looked awful and the Packers also had an easy schedule. I don't think Josh Allen can succeed without help. Heck I don't think 99% of QBs can. Looking at that division they are now the 3rd team in that division. I would not be surprised if they miss the playoffs this year. Historically, it also takes WRs two years to adjust to the NFL. That might be changing or maybe the last two years were just aberrations. You brought up the Chargers so I will bring them up. Justin Herbert has won exactly zero playoff games. He now looses Ekeler, Williams, and Allen. I don't see how any of this helps the Chargers for this year. He went 5-8 this year when healthy. I don't care who they draft. The team last year (offensively) was a better team then they will be this year. I think if you are a GM of any of these teams in a 'championship' window. You can't do what the Bills/Chargers just did. Let's play this out. McDermit was on the 'hot seat' last year. There was talk about him being fired. Lets say the Bills finish 3rd in their division and miss the playoffs. McDermit is gone and the GM is most likely gone. That leaves the Bills looking for a new head coach (maybe Bill Belichick) and a new GM (See Bill Belichick). At least, Jim has some runway. EItherway, the 2024 Bills and Chargers are now a worse team than the 2023 Bills/Chargers. One team will at least keep their head coach.

Rich where have ya been bud Oh costa rica. Nice 😅

I’m wondering if any of the national media pays attention to anything? Diggs is a turd in the playoffs since forever and he was a bum after week 6! The bills big run was powered by Shakir and Kincaid and Cook.

None of the players that Buffalo has released had any sort of a significant impact on their late season run

I'm just thinking of the 4D chess move of making other teams stacked in the AFC to make it so THEY beat the Chiefs for you.

About time a talking head nails it: WRs market is following the RBs market. With so much talent balling right out of college, why pay a fortune older players? The trend is there on all, positions. Only irreplaceable players (some QBs, some OL and DL guys, the odd RB or DB) will get the big check. Futures vets (established starters about to get that first exetnsion after 3 or 4 years) better adjust their expectations.

Just hope Buffalo don't trade up and give away a heap of trade picks!

WEVE GOT TONIGHT WHO NEEDS TOMORROW LETS MAKE IT LAST LETS FIND A WAY TURN OUT THE LIGHT

Diggs is giving me Antonio Brown vibes

Rich GB is a decent example, but what about KC? Not exactly great WRs. The template may be to have that elite WR but let them walk and don't over pay. ... especially at a cost of culture and team chemistry.

The Bills losing to the Chiefs repeatedly despite having Diggs proves they don't really need Diggs, especially with how he disappeared in those games. I do wonder how this affects some of the upcoming WR contracts, especially on teams where there's this false notion that any WR can be successful, like Aiyuk on the 49ers. People think Kyle can just scheme any WR open, which is kinda true, just like he could get any RB to look like a star, but we all saw how much better it is with a real superstar RB and a WR who can actually run routes and get separation. Still, this could mean the 49ers won't have to pay as much to keep him, if WR value goes down. After Brady and now with Mahomes, it's clear that the strategy of surrounding a great QB with cheaper talent works. The contracts already reflected the QB is above everything else but it will keep getting more and more extreme. The QB will get a lot more money, the left tackle who protects the QB will get big money, the great pass rushers who can disrupt the QB will get big money. It's all about the QB...

2023 QB "A" - 29 TDs, 18 INTs, RTG 92.2 (17 games) QB "B" - 26 TDs, 8 INTs, RTG 98.0 (15 games) Maybe Diggs is right about QB "A" "A" is Allen. "B" is Wilson.

When Diggs had the gall to wear a navy blue skirt with black knee socks, that did it for me. I mean one or the other, fine. But not both

ALL answers are held by the QB of the Falcons...Cousins can speak about Diggs

This wasn't a strategic move, not with getting next to nothing in return. This was cutting out a cancer, a very unhappy cancer

The Bills are just going to do what the Packers did? Land 5th,6th and 7th rounders as good as Doubs, Wicks and Melton? That requires the best scouting dept and GM in the NFL and the Packers are currently #1 after what their young team pulled off. And it wasn't just the receivers. It was the tight ends, the offensive line, the defensive line, the corner backs and the Quarter Back. That entire football team was practically picked in the last 4-5 drafts. Zero free agents. Hit after hit after hit on both sides of the ball and in the trenches. The Packers have the BEST scouts and GM talent evaluators in the NFL right now, period. The Bill's aren't pulling off what the Packers did unless they are stealing that front office.

Chiefs have a top ten defense and a Hall of Fame TE that you have to plan for. So yea not exactly using a bunch of unknowns

I HATE the Packers. But, they have always been good at drafting and developing WRs. It's a program thing. Other teams will have a hard time replicating it

Allen could throw to a recycling bin with wheels and let it roll and get better results than diggs

Literally said this years ago. Receivers are the 2nd most dependent position after QB. On top of that there are so many ways to win as a receiver in today's game that you have way more options to find a productive receiver. It won't get as bad as RB because the shelf life is longer, but better believe receivers are more dime a dozen than people think.

The Bills lost almost all of their good veteran players besides Allen. I'm comfortable sleeping on them, or at least snoozing.

Buffalo plays Texas in Texas in the upcoming schedule. --Capt Obvious

I wouldn’t say that it’s an indication of the wr position necessarily. I mean Evans and Pittman got their bags and they are kind of a tier below some of the other guys. Diggs is more so bc he’s been a diva

maybe Bills feel Texans will suck more with Diggs and Bills were willing to take on more cap space to get that done haha.

As a Packers fan! YES! The Bills should absolutely just go do what they did! All of them became studs that you can seriously plug and play and fire all over the field! The Packers totally showed the league what it’s like to have the youngest offense in the league and they showed so many teams that your team can play at a very high level no matter how good your receivers are, you can make it all work

It’s not that the Bills have to deal with the Houston Texans now…The Houston Texans have to deal with Diggs now. Good luck with that.

Khalil better than Diggs in Last 7 games of 2023 Josh and the Bills will be fine 💪🤘😎

You hit the nail on the head Rich but the wrong team. The Chiefs created the new template because they won the championship. Draft several young serviceable wide receivers and allocate the funds on the offensive line, which is the true strength of the offense sans quarterback. Plus, teams are tired of dealing with these dependency positions like wide receiver and running back causing unnecessary drama. These GMs talk and you better believe they are starting to figure out what positions are fungible.

WR's better chill out before the nfl does them like the RBs

The bills problem is they only see KC as competition. The bills are showing that they are the team that if they need an OT they will draft a position that's not high priority to keep them from falling to KC. Ie the reason why they would allow diggs to go to any team not named KC. Bills need to put that pride up and understand they're not number 2 or 3 in the afc anymore.

Yeah and miami took Hill and everyone said the same thing..........what's your point? There is nothing to worry about. Chiefs are solid. This move means egh........

Just how insanely talented Josh Allen is? He nearly beat the Chiefs on his own. And Diggs letting that perfectly thrown 70 yard bomb sail right by him. Ugh. Allen is the Bills. But he's going to need some motivated, sympatico weapons on offense to work with. He can't do it on his own, no matter how great he is. That Kansas City game said it all.

SILVER BULLET BAND

As long as Josh Allen is on the team then the window is open. Better to ship out the locker room cancer and draft a good rookie.

Perhaps Josh hasn’t progressed running an offense on script as much as it appears? More run, less complex big boy qb pass heavy offense in 2024?

Its all demand and supply.