There’s a lot of roster moves that go down in one single NFL offseason.
From free agency, to the draft, to trades. Many players pick up and move to a new home and only have a few short months to do so. That’s during a regular offseason too, let alone the current one with coronavirus pandemic to consider.
But among all those moves made by NFL teams, ESPN ranked the Bills’ acquisition of wide receiver Stefon Diggs among their 25-best veteran position upgrades from this offseason, landing the trade at No. 14:
14. Buffalo Bills, WR
Stefon Diggs replaces Isaiah McKenzie
McKenzie’s 2019 stat line: 40 targets, 27 receptions, 254 yards, 1 TD
Diggs’ 2020 projection: 100 targets, 63 receptions, 953 yards, 5 TDsAfter taking a giant step toward upgrading their wide receiver room by signing John Brown and Cole Beasley last offseason, the Bills landed themselves a No. 1 option at the position when they traded for Diggs in March. The 26-year-old’s production was a bit inconsistent during his time in Minnesota, as he caught 70% of his 525 targets but — believe it or not — finished only one of five seasons among the top 25 wide receivers in targets. On the plus side, Diggs is coming off one of his most efficient seasons, having finished sixth at the position in yards per reception (17.9) and second in yards per target (12.2). After he was unhappy with his role in run-heavy Minnesota, it’s yet to be seen if Diggs will be happy in a similar situation (albeit with a less accurate quarterback) in Buffalo. Nonetheless, there’s no doubt that he’s a big upgrade on what Buffalo had on the field in three-wide sets last season.
We’ll see who Diggs actually does replace come the end of training camp. McKenzie was actually re-signed by the Bills this offseason, so he’s going to have a chance to still make the team’s final roster. With his unique, multi-talented skill set, he still has a chance to land a depth role on the team.
But in Diggs, the Bills, of course, are hoping they found their No. 1 wideout for quarterback Josh Allen. Addressing that was the biggest need for the Bills this offseason, even with the in additions of John Brown and Cole Beasley in before the 2019 season.
While Diggs was a move that caused shockwaves across the NFL in its own right, there were plenty of others as well. In ESPN’s list, the higher the shock-value, the higher the ranking, it seems. Some of the top moves on the rankings were among the most surprising moves.
Another receiver trade, DeAndre Hopkins to the Cardinals, ranked third. That was right behind the most-talked about move of perhaps the last decade, Tom Brady signing with the Bucs. The top pick was the Colts trading for stout defensive lineman DeForest Buckner.
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