Chris Simms: Bills did not want to trade Stefon Diggs to Chiefs

PFT’s Chris Simms says he heard #Bills did not want to trade Stefon Diggs to #Chiefs:

Stefon Diggs is now a member of the Houston Texans.

The Bills and Diggs had been in discussions about trading him. The transaction did not just happen out of nowhere.

However, there might have been just one team they were not willing to send Diggs to.

“From what I do know, is he was allowed to seek a trade from anybody in the league except the Kansas City Chiefs,” Chris Simms of Pro Football Talk said on Thursday’s episode of “PFT Live.”

The 30-year-old wide receiver fetched the Bills a second-round pick in the trade, which also involved two draft picks going from Buffalo to Houston. However, Diggs is now only under contract for one year in Houston after he agreed to shorten his deal. That makes the trade look a little better for Buffalo … but could Diggs end up in KC after that?

Time will tell what happens after Diggs’ upcoming campaign with the Texans.

The full breakdown from Simms can be found in the clip below:

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Stefon Diggs’ contract: A new twist to the Bills-Texans trade

An interesting new situation:

There was a new layer added to the Stefon Diggs trade.

The Buffalo Bills sent their top receiver to the Houston Texans in a move that shocked the NFL.

It was immediately viewed as a move that didn’t make the Bills look great. Buffalo had to eat more than $30 million of dead cap space to move him out only to land a second-round pick in next year’s draft.

Now for the twist.

Upon joining the Texans, Diggs has a new contract he’s playing on. It makes the Bills’ side of the deal look a bit nicer now.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the 30-year-old wideout is now on a one-year deal. Previously he had multiple years left on his contract. Houston could now lose him after one season:

For Diggs, he’s betting on himself. He led the NFL in receiving yards from 2020-2023. That could mean a big pay day after next year.

While Buffalo did also lose a pair of late-round selections in the deal (2024 sixth-rounder (No. 189) and 2025 fifth-rounder), this trade looks better from their perspective. From Buffalo’s vantage point it originally was giving up three years of Diggs for one pick… now that’s not the case.

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Bills sign OL La’el Collins to one-year deal

#Bills sign OL La’el Collins to one-year deal:

The Buffalo Bills have signed offensive lineman La’el Collins, adding interesting depth and possible competition to their trenches.

According to his representatives via ESPN, the free agent inks a one-year deal with the Bills:

After going undrafted in 2015 due to off-field concerns, Collins immediately became a starter with the Dallas Cowboys as a UDFA. In six years in Dallas, Collins established himself as one of the NFL’s best offensive linemen at right tackle.

He signed a five-year, $50 million deal with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2022 but has not played since tearing his ACL and MCL. Collins was out of football in 2023.

Pro Football Focus only graded Collins a 57.9 overall in 15 games with the Bengals prior to injury. However, in previously years with the Dallas Cowboys his marks include an 82.0 (2021), 86.4 (2019) and 72.5 (2018).

In December, Collins was in Buffalo and had a free-agent workout.

Collins has mostly played at right tackle in the NFL. His experience could put him into a competition with Spencer Brown for playing time or he could provide veteran depth.

In addition, it’s worth noting that Collins has played 897 career snaps at left guard and could factor into that discussion as well. Following Connor McGovern’s move to center, it was expected David Edwards was the front runner for playing time there.

Bills Wire will continue to update all roster transactions throughout the 2024 offseason.

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Bills are trading Stefon Diggs to Texans in swap of draft picks

The Bills are finalizing a trade that will send Stefon Diggs to the Texans for a 2025 second-round pick

The Buffalo Bills are making a huge trade ahead of the 2024 NFL draft. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, they’re finalizing a trade that will send Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans in exchange for draft-pick compensation.

Schefter reports that in addition to Diggs, the Bills will send the Texans a 2025 fifth-round pick and 2024 sixth-round pick. In return, the Bills will receive a second-rounder in the 2025 draft.

Diggs, 30, has been with the Bills since 2020 and has been selected as a Pro Bowler in each of his four seasons in Buffalo – including a first-team All-Pro nod in 2020, when he led the NFL with 127 catches and 1,535 yards.

The Bills’ wide receiver room is looking much different now than it did in 2023. Diggs is being traded to the Texans and Gabe Davis signed with the Jaguars in free agency, leaving Josh Allen without his top two receivers.

Buffalo did add Curtis Samuel this offseason, but this trade makes wideout a much higher priority in the upcoming draft. It will also thrust tight end Dalton Kincaid into a more prominent role after a solid rookie season in 2023.

Contract details for extension Taron Johnson signed with the Bills

Contract details for extension Taron Johnson signed with the #Bills:

The Buffalo Bills signed cornerback Taron Johnson to a contract extension. Some details were already known.

At the time of reporting, it was said Johnson will now be the NFL’s highest-paid slot cornerback. He’s now inked to a deal with the Bills through the 2027 season.

Now we have the full details of the contract.

As the offseason has gone for the Bills, the salary cap played a big part.

Originally slated for a $12.4 million salary cap hit, it’s been lowered by almost $4M to $8.448M according to Over The Cap. Helping there is base salary that dropped down to $1.125M. In addition, there are two void years at the end of Johnson’s deal to spread out the cap hits.

Overall, Johnson signed a three-year, $31M extension.

That $8.44M cap hit is accompanied by a $22.5M dead cap. If the Bills were to release Johnson, it would cost them $22.5M against the cap as opposed to his actual cap hit. That same circumstance can be found in Year 2 of his deal, a $8.16M cap hit is next to a $15.25M dead cap hit.

Following that year, there is a potential out in his contract and Buffalo could release him and save against the cap.

Here’s how those salary cap hits break down (dead cap):

  • 2024: $8.44M ($22.5M)
  • 2025: $8.16M ($15.25M)
  • 2026: $11.06M ($4.35M)
  • 2027: $12.34M ($2.9M)

Bills Wire will continue to bring all roster updates throughout the 2024 offseason.

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Former Bills CB Vontae Davis dies at age 35

#Former Bills CB Vontae Davis dies at age 35

Vontae Davis, who spent a brief time in his 10-year NFL career with the Buffalo Bills died on Monday, April 1. He was 35.

Initial reports state that there is no foul play occurred in Davis’ death. A house assistant called the police after finding Davis in the residence according to the latest reports.

The police have not released details of Davis’ death at this time.

Davis was the 25th pick in the 2009 NFL draft by the Miami Dolphins. He played three seasons in South Florida before being traded to the Indianapolis Colts.  Davis earned two Pro-Bowl nominations with the Colts.

Davis signed with Buffalo in 2018 to add veteran stability to the cornerback spot. In Week 2 against the Los Angeles Chargers, Davis pulled himself out of the game at halftime. It was a surprising exit for the veteran, as he announced his retirement shortly after.

Davis shared his reasoning for the abrupt retirement decision after the game: “This isn’t how I pictured retiring from the NFL. But today, on the field, reality hit me hard and fast. I shouldn’t be out there anymore. … I meant no disrespect to my teammates or coaches.”

Davis recorded 395 total tackles and 24 interceptions in his NFL career.

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This Bills proposed resolution was passed by the NFL

This #Bills proposed resolution was passed by the NFL:

The NFL has made a change to one of their policies, and it came by way of a proposal by the Buffalo Bills.

While a new kickoff rule change and the removal of the hip-drop tackle were the headlining changes by the league At the NFL annual meetings, one of the Bills’ proposed resolutions was passed as well.

That proposal was “to make the injury reporting rules for players who do not travel with their clubs to games away from their home city competitively fairer.”

The team also submitted a second proposal, which didn’t get passed as written but the Competition Committee presented their own version that was approved. As Bills head coach Sean McDermott now serves on that committee and with the purpose of the resolution being more what it was meant to solve, it getting passed was considered a success.

“The end of the day, it’s what’s best for the overall league, not just what’s best for the Bills,” McDermott said to the press. “So, sometimes you have to kind of hit a middle ground on things and then reassess from there.”

That Committee’s version of the second proposal by Buffalo was meant “to expand the Standard Elevation rules to permit clubs to elevate a bona fide Quarterback an unlimited number of times from its practice squad to its Active List to be its Emergency Third Quarterback.”

With the passing of this new rule, an emergency third quarterback will now count as one of the two standard elevations. Meanwhile, the Bills’ version of the proposal was that an emergency third quarterback would be in addition to the two elevations.

NFL teams, coaches, and even top players have been instrumental in the past in submitting meaningful rule change proposals and resolutions.

The Bills have been one of those teams in recent years and McDermott having been appointed to the Competition Committee is a reflection of how his role and impact is viewed and embraced by the league in the perspective he brings.

The same can be said of Buffalo’s front office at large in their involvement and participation in looking at ways to improve the game, player safety, and league policies.

The Bills have had chances to experience the impact of unpredictable situations ranging from canceled games due to player injury, to game relocations due to weather, flaws in the compensatory draft pick awarding system, and more.

That in addition to the many things they encounter over the course of the regular season gives them plenty of opportunity for insight as a modern franchise, which could lead to more proposals in the future.

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Bills’ athletic training, equipment staffs recognized by the NFL

#Bills’ athletic training, equipment staffs recognized by the NFL:

Both the athletic training and equipment staff of the Buffalo Bills have been recognized by the NFL this week.

The Bills have announced that the league have named those respective groups the best in football from the past year:

The groups were given their awards in Orlando. That’s where the NFL owners meetings have taken place the past week.

The Bills athletic training staff was given the Ed Block Athletic Training Staff of the Year and the equipment staff was named the New Era AFC Equipment Staff of the Year.

Via release, head athletic trainer of the Bills Nate Breske said:

“For us being honored and voted on by our peers, the other 31 athletic training staffs in the NFL. It’s a huge, huge honor. It’s probably one of the biggest honors that we can receive.”

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Bills GM Brandon Beane will throw out first pitch at Bisons opener

#Bills GM Brandon Beane will throw out the first pitch at Bisons Opening Day:

Strike? Ball? We will see.

The Buffalo Bills will be repped at the Bisons’ Opening Day game on Friday. Bills general manager Brandon Beane will be throwing out the first pitch at the first game of the season.

Maybe he will end up on the Toronto Blue Jays …

Maybe not …

Former Bills RB Damien Harris retires from NFL at 27

Former #Bills RB Damien Harris retires from NFL at 27:

Damien Harris was a free agent of the Buffalo Bills having played for the team in 2023.

He has officially left the Bills… but football in general as well.

Harris, 27, has died to retire from the NFL.

Harris made the announce via social media post on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/p/C49NCdzR2yx/?img_index=1

Harris played the first four seasons of his career with the New England Patriots prior to signing with the Bills last offseason. He was drafted out of Alabama in the third round of the 2019 NFL draft.

In his lone season in Buffalo, Harris had 23 carries for 94 yards and a rushing touchdown. However, Harris suffered a sprained neck during the Bills’ Week 6 win over the New York Giants.

Harris left the field in an ambulance and that went down as his final play in his NFL career.

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