Bills’ decision to trade first rounder for Stefon Diggs looks smart again

Here’s why the #Bills’ decision to trade for Stefon Diggs, again, looks smart:

The Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings conducted a rare win-win trade back in 2020.

Prior to the 2020 NFL draft, the Bills sent a few picks including a first-round selection to the Vikings for Diggs. It’s a deal that’s worked out well for both sides.

But right now we’re talking about Buffalo’s end of it. For the Bills, it’s looking like an even smarter decision four-years later.

In the aftermath of the trade, general manager Brandon Beane referred to Diggs as the Bills’ “first-round pick” in 2020 after moving that selection to Minnesota.

But potentially compared to an actual Round 1 player… Beane made a smart choice based on what the NFL thinks of the 2020 first-round class.

This offseason, teams in the league have to decide whether or not to pick up the fifth-year options on the contracts of players taken in that year’s first round.

According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, the 2020 class will set the record for the least amount of fifth-year options picked up. Only 12 teams have done so. The previously low is 17.

While some still may make the case that the Bills still could have drafted All-Pro receiver Justin Jefferson, who the Vikings ended up taking, that’s not exactly the full story.

Maybe Beane and the Bills thought Jefferson was great, pre-draft. But it was no guarantee he would be on the board still at No. 22 overall when Buffalo was slated to pick.

Instead, the Bills could have looked at the entirety of the 2020 draft’s first round and thought the first-round value just… wasn’t there.

What was a guarantee? Trading for Diggs.

Or maybe that wasn’t the case in terms of the way the Bills thought of the 2020 first round. Regardless, they’re getting a compliment from us right now as the trade for Diggs keeps aging like a fine wine.

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