Tag: Texans Stefon Diggs

Texans WR Stefon Diggs lands in ESPN’s top 50 NFL free agents for 2025 offseason

Stefon Diggs will have a market this offseason if he leaves the Houston Texans in free agency.

Stefon Diggs could be back in Houston for the 2025 season, but he’ll have interest in the open market from other contending rosters.

Multiple Texans players have voiced their opinions on a reunion with the four-time Pro Bowl receiver, including second-year quarterback C.J. Stroud, who said the duo’s chemistry was “just hitting” before Diggs suffered a season-ending torn ACL in Week 8.

While Diggs could return to Houston for Round 2 and a chance to better his market in 2026, ESPN views him as one of the top free agents despite injury. In the latest from Jeremy Fowler, the two-time All-Pro appeared at No. 26 on the top 50 free agent list heading into the 2025 offseason.

“An ACL injury limited Diggs to eight games this season, which is why he’s lower on this list,” Fowler wrote. “His play speed is also starting to slip. However, Diggs is a quality route runner who, once healthy and cleared to play next season, can create separation and produce after the catch. Diggs had 47 receptions for 496 yards this season, and he has 70 touchdowns over his 10 years in the NFL.”

Even though he’s entering his 11th season, Diggs has remained a constant weapon in the slot. He was on pace to notch his fifth 100-catch season in Bobby Slowik’s offense and was expected to be near the 1,000 receiving-yard marker with Nico Collins sidelined.

Diggs’ recovery time could determine his market. Right now, he’s expected to miss all of the offseason workouts but could be limited in training camp. If out for the start of the regular season, it’s not expected to be for long.

Entering the offseason, Diggs is the fourth-ranked receiver option entering free agency, trailing Cincinnati’s Tee Higgins (No. 1), Tampa Bay’s Chris Godwin (No. 5) and Buffalo’s Amari Cooper (No. 18). All three are expected to sign multi-year deal while Diggs could ink a one-year prove-it contract to cash one last time in 2026.

If the Texans were to miss out on Diggs, other options available include New York Giants’ Darius Slayton (No. 36), Chicago’s Keenan Allen (No. 49) and Kansas City’s Hollywood Brown.

Houston also has been linked to several receivers in the upcoming NFL draft, including Missouri’s Luther Burden III, Texas’ Matthew Golden and Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka.

Texans highest-graded pending free agent somewhat shocking

The Houston Texans must think long about letting Pro Football Focus’ top free agent leave NRG Stadium this offseason.

Who is the Houston Texans’ highest-graded free agent entering the offseason?

Pro Football Focus broke down every NFL team’s highest-graded pending free agent from the 2024 season.

For Houston, it probably comes as no surprise given his impact in the season that two-time All-Pro receiver Stefon Diggs was named Hoston’s top free agent by production.

In his 430 snaps through eight games, Diggs earned a 79.0 offensive grade, which ranked third among Houston’s offensive players and sixth overall among players.

Per PFF, Diggs was also the No. 22 overall receiver for the 2024 season despite being limited to eight games.

Diggs was relishing a bounce-back season in Houston before suffering a season-ending ACL tear. Through eight weeks, his 79.9 PFF receiving grade ranked 18th among receivers with 20 or more targets. Diggs placed second in first downs gained and in the top 35 in yards per route run (1.84) and passer rating when targeted (108.0).

The 31-year-old wideout seemed to build solid chemistry with C.J. Stroud, so a return to Houston wouldn’t be surprising. But if another team — especially a contender — offers Diggs a more lucrative deal, then he’d probably land with his third franchise in three seasons.

Talks of a new deal have been rumored since Houston’s divisional round loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Texans need a stable No. 2 weapon behind Nico Collins and can’t rely on the draft for a young prospect to take his place.

Initially, it seemed like Houston was content with Diggs walking in free agency, but after Tank Dell suffered a season-ending knee injury in December that likely will keep him out of the lineup for most of 2025, plans have changed.

Both Collins and Stroud, along with Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon, have been vocal of ensuring a reunion with the four-time Pro Bowler for next season. Collins said that Diggs’ biggest impact came off the field in the locker room rather than as a target in the passing game.

“That’s who Stef is, he’s a leader. Great, great leader in the receiver room,” Collins said Monday. “Great leader around the league. Dude’s been around the league for years. He knows what it takes to win, and you want to have that leadership in the locker room. For him to go down, it hurt.”

The record backs it up. With Diggs in the lineup, the Texans were 6-2. After his season-ending knee injury, Houston finished 4-5.

In eight games, Diggs caught 47 passes for 496 yards and scored four touchdowns. Those numbers still ranked in the top four among Houston’s targets despite missing 11 total games, including the playoffs.

The Texans will have as many as 25 players entering some form of free agency, including unrestricted free agents in defensive tackle Mario Edwards Jr., wide receiver Robert Woods, cornerback Jeff Okudah and running back Dare Ogunbowale.

What does Texans WR Stefon Diggs’ market look like heading into free agency

What’s Stefon Diggs’ market heading into the 2025 free agency? According to PFF, think the same deal as Odell Beckham Jr.

When the Houston Texans swung a deal for Buffalo Bills two-time All-Pro receiver Stefon Diggs last April, there was a sense he’d only be around the club for a season.

After the Texans restructured his salary and voided the final three years of his current deal, it was clear the Texans were all-in with Diggs for only 2024.

Have those plans changed with Tank Dell’s season-ending injury? Perhaps, but Diggs’ market might not be so high after a torn ACL limited him to eight games.

Houston needs a stable No. 2 receiver next to Nico Collins for the 2025 season. Multiple players, including Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon and C.J. Stroud, hope that the four-time Pro Bowler will return to the lineup next fall on a one-year deal.

And a one-year deal seems to be the best option for Diggs since a resurgent 2025 season could earn him one more lucrative contract before retirement.

Pro Football Focus agrees, stating there’s a similar approach to free agency for the 31-year-old as another former All-Pro target coming off a torn ACL back in 2023.

“Diggs’ situation has shades of Odell Beckham Jr.’s free agency period in 2023, when he tore his ACL in the Super Bowl in 2021 and did not play in 2022 before signing a one-year, $15 million fully guaranteed contract,” Pro Football Focus wrote.

PFF believes Diggs should command about $16 million on the market. The Texans, who enter free agency with just over $10 million in cap space, should be able to match that deal after freeing up more cap after roster cuts and restructures.

There’s a sense that Diggs’ best season could be in Houston with Stroud. The duo were starting to build a rapport in the passing game leading up to Week 8 and were close off the field.

“I would love to have Stef back,” Stroud said Monday. “And man, I think we were just getting started. Like you see he was having so much fun and me and him.”

In eight games, Diggs’ 47 receptions were seventh among active receivers for the time. His 496 receiving yards ranked 10th while his four total touchdowns were 12th.

Unlike Beckham, Diggs proved last season he’s a sturdy No. 2 option for any team with a rising receiver. Given his four consecutive 100-plus catch seasons in Buffalo and six straight 1,000-yard campaigns, a team might be willing to spend over the market price to secure Diggs for the long haul.

Will the Texans be in play for that type of deal?

Texans players hope WR Stefon Diggs returns for 2025 season

C.J. Stroud, Nico Collins and Joe Mixon all made it clear that they’d love for Stefon Diggs to be back in the huddle this season.

Joe Mixon said on Monday that he’d love to have Stefon Diggs as his locker mate in 2025 as the Houston Texans look to run it as AFC South champions.

He’s not the only member of the offense who would love to see the four-time Pro Bowl receiver back in the huddle.

“That’s my boy. I would love to have Stef back,” quarterback C.J. Stroud said on Monday. “He’s somebody that I would love to do this whole thing back with.”

Diggs, a two-time All-Pro receiver entering his 11th season, headlines the Texans’ free-agent class as their season comes to a close. After Houston traded a 2025 second-round pick to the Buffalo Bills to acquire Diggs, the franchise restructured his contract to a one-year deal.

Despite coming off a torn ACL, Diggs will have options. He posted four consecutive 1,000-yard campaigns as the No. 1 target for Josh Allen in Buffalo.

He was well on his way to the fifth 1K year before being sidelined for the remainder of the season in Week 8. Since then, Diggs has been training away from the facility, but he told NFL Network’s Good Morning Football in December that he’s “in a good spot” throughout his recovery.

Mixon, who inked a three-year extension after being traded from Cincinnati, said he believes Diggs is on the proper trajectory for a resurgent 2025 season.

“He’s definitely on track to becoming better and returning from his injury,” Mixon said. “I’m just excited that he’s back on his feet.”

Before the injury, Diggs had taken over as a leader in the locker room. He was well-liked by his teammates and offered advice to young players. He was even voted a team captain despite rumors of his attitude during his time in Buffalo.

Stroud said their connection was finally heating up before the ACL injury, mentioning how the duo was “starting to build a rapport.” In eight games, Diggs ranked seventh in receptions (47) and total 496 receiving yards for four total touchdowns.

“Dude is an All-Pro,” wide receiver Nico Collins said. “He’s a playmaker. Dude’s been making plays in this league for a while, and there’s no better person to get advice from.
Wishing him the best in recovery and I can’t wait to see him.”

Plans could change with Diggs’ future in Houston. Initially, it seemed as if the Texans were content with losing him this offseason, but with Tank Dell’s knee injury likely keeping him out for all of 2025, retaining the 31-year-old might be best for all parties.

Collins said that while his on-field presence was missed, it was his leadership in the locker room that was drastically noticed.

“That’s who Stef is, he’s a leader. Great, great leader in the receiver room. Great leader around the league,” Collins said. “Dude’s been around the league for years. He knows what it takes to win, and you want to have that leadership in the locker room. For him to go down, it hurt.”

Houston will target at least one playmaker this offseason. When asked if Diggs could be in line to return for Year 2, Texans coach DeMeco Ryans remained quiet on the reunion talks.

“I won’t get into specifics of each player, but me and [General Maanger] Nick [Caserio] will look at the roster and see where we can add guys to help our team win. Each player is different.”

The Texans will close out the 2024 season with an 11-8 record. They’ll select 25th in the upcoming NFL draft in April.

Joe Mixon hopes Texans bring back All-Pro WR for 2025 season

If Stefon Diggs wants to return to Houston, Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon will be the first to welcome him with open arms.

The Houston Texans have over two dozen free agents set to hit the market this offseason, but Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon hopes at least one is back in the huddle for the season-opener when the offense takes the field.

If two-time All-Pro receiver Stefon Diggs wants to return to NRG Stadium, Mixon said everyone would be elated.

“I hope that obviously he’s back and is my locker mate again,” Mixon said on Monday. “When it comes down to it, I’m sure he’s going do what’s best for him and same with the team. Selfishly, I think that all of us would welcome Stef back with open arms.”

After trading a 2025 second-round pick to the Buffalo Bills, Houston voided the final three years of Diggs’ current deal, making him a free agent following the 2024 season. After Nico Collins signed a three-year extension this offseason, it seemed like the four-time Pro Bowler would be a one-and-done in Houston.

Diggs’ market remains a mystery and the Texans enter the offseason. He was on pace for another 100-catch season as Houston’s No. 2 receiver before a torn ACL suffered in Week 8 sidelined him for the rest of the year.

At 31, Diggs could be looking for a short-term deal that offers him a chance to win a ring. That could be Houston, which returns multiple offensive roleplayers including Mixon, Collins, quarterback C.J. Stroud, tight end Dalton Schultz and Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil.

Mixon said he’s been recruiting Diggs since Day 1 in hopes of having him around to help the back-to-back AFC South champs get over the hump and into the Super Bowl conversation.

“We definitely were on the same page,” Mixon said. “Obviously my guy just got hurt. But it is a business, that’s the unfortunate part.”

Diggs, who finished with 47 catches for 496 yards and three touchdowns in eight games, could command a decent market on a one-year deal. Earlier this season, he mentioned that he’d be open to coming back to Houston as he continues to attack his recovery.

That’ll be up to GM Nick Caserio, who could look to go younger and cheaper this offseason for a quality No. 2 threat. Plans could have changed after Tank Dell suffered a season-ending knee injury that likely will keep him out for most of the 2025 campaign due to recovery time.

Mixon believes Diggs is on track to becoming better entering 2025. Hopefully, that better ends in the end zone while wearing a Texans’ uniform.

“I’m excited that he’s back on his feet,” Mixon said. “I’m sure he’s probably going to want to come back here. He’s got unfinished business. Hopefully, he would take that into consideration.”

The Texans have roughly $10.6 million in cap space entering the offseason, though that number could fluctuate after roster cuts and contract reworks.

Texans QB C.J. Stroud comments on loss of WR Stefon Diggs

The Houston Texans will be without one of their top players in Stefon Diggs for the remainder of the 2024 season.

(This story was updated to add new information.)

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud said he didn’t have the words to describe the loss of Stefon Diggs.

It’s a next-man-up mentality inside the Texans’ locker room, but the second-year passer knows the season will be different without the four-time Pro Bowler by his side.

“You can’t really — you try to think positively about it, but it’s not a bunch of positive thoughts,” Stroud said. “I just feel bad for him. I’m praying for him.”

Diggs suffered a torn ACL on a non-contact injury during Sunday’s win over the Indianapolis Colts and will miss the remainder of the regular season. He’s expected to make a full recovery and play in 2025.
While attempting to run a route against Kenny Moore, Diggs grabbed his leg and immediately dropped to the ground. While he was able to walk off on his own pressure, he headed to the locker room and did not return to the field.

“He was having one of the best times he’s ever had on a team, at least that’s what he told us,” Stroud said. “I just feel for him and praying for him and just hoping that he keeps his head up high and he’ll bounce back even stronger.”
Acquired from the Buffalo Bills in exchange for a second-round pick, Diggs was expected to be the constant No. 2 option for Stroud’s passing attack in a breakout year.
With the Texans voiding the final years of his contract, Diggs will become a free agent next offseason, meaning he could play elsewhere in 2025.
“He’s one guy who gave his all to everything we ever asked him to do,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “He’s hurting and we’re hurting for him as well.”
A consistent playmaker during his time with the Bills and Minnesota Vikings, Diggs served as the Texans’ top option once Nico Collins was placed on the injured reserve. Before the injury, he ranked seventh in the NFL in catches (47) and was second on the Texans in receiving yards (496).

He was on pace for a season-high performance Sunday after hauling in a 49-yard catch in the third quarter. Diggs left with a team-leading five receptions for 81 yards.

“His impact is huge,” Stroud said. “Stef has been somebody who you know you can lean on as a friend, as a teammate, as a brother, somebody who gives you life advice and somebody who just is an OG, just a vet, has played a lot of ball and lived a lot of life.”

Right now, the Texans don’t seem interested in adding a receiver before the NFL trade deadline on Nov. 5. Their options are also limited after the Ravens traded for Panthers wide receiver Diontae Johnson Tuesday afternoon.

Davante Adams (Jets), Amari Cooper (Bills) and DeAndre Hopkins (Chiefs) were all other options that were traded to AFC contenders earlier this month. Jacksonville’s Christian Krik was expected to be moved before he suffered a season-ending broken collarbone on Sunday.

Houston has weapons outside Diggs and Collins, but the production hasn’t matched the hype entering Week 9. Tank Dell, who broke out with 709 receiving yards in 11 games as a rookie, is third on the Texans in receiving yards (229) and touchdowns (2).

He also caught a 7-yard touchdown pass in Sunday’s win over the Colts during the second quarter.

“Tank has been an explosive player in college he was explosive, he has been explosive for us,” Ryans said. “Tank just has to be Tank.”

 

The Texans envision Dell as a franchise cornerstone, so he’ll need to step up as the new No. 1 until Collins can return.
Dell’s not alone, however, since Robert Woods, John Metchie III and Xavier Hutchinson are all expected to produce starting Thursday night against the New York Jets.
“Everybody has got to step up,” Dell said. “Even if you are one of the star players, you still have to step up and do more and produce more. I know all of us are more than capable of doing that. So, we are going to try to go out there and make plays.”

Texans miss out on potential Stefon Diggs replacement

The Houston Texans miss out on a potential Stefon Diggs replacement after the Baltimore Ravens traded for Diontae Johnson.

While the Houston Texans could be in line to target a receiver via trade after losing Stefon Diggs, Diontae Johnson won’t be an option.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Baltimore Ravens are acquiring the Carolina Panthers receiver in exchange for a 2025 fifth-round pick. Carolina will also send Baltimore a 2025 sixth-round pick.

According to The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec, the Panthers are also paying down some of his salary, meaning that Baltimore will owe Johnson roughly $625K for the rest of the year.

Johnson is on the move for the second this season. Carolina acquired Johnson from the Pittsburgh Steelers in hopes of elevating its receiving corps under new head coach Dave Canales this offseason.

In seven games with the NFC South franchise, Johnson totaled 30 receptions for 357 yards and three touchdowns.

He is now the fourth receiver traded to an AFC team this month, joining former Raiders star Davante Adams (New York Jets), Tennessee Titans All-Pro DeAndre Hopkins (Kansas City Chiefs) and Browns Pro Bowler Amari Cooper (Buffalo Bills).

Diggs, who joined the Texans via trade this offseason from Buffalo, suffered a torn ACL in Week 8’s win over the Indianapolis Colts and will miss the remainder of the season. The four-time Pro Bowler was also in a contract year and will become a free agent this offseason.

“You can’t really — you try to think positively about it, but it’s not a bunch of positive thoughts,” quarterback C.J. Stroud said. “I just feel bad for him. I’m praying for him.”

Houston’s loss comes on short notice as the Texans take on the New York Jets this Thursday. Top target Nico Collins remains on the injured reserve, but he is expected back for Week 10’s showdown against the Detroit Lions on Sunday Night Football.

With Collins out, Diggs had been Stroud’s go-to target. In eight games, he ranked seventh in the NFL in catches (47)  and was second on the Texans in yards (496). Diggs also was tied for the team lead in receiving touchdowns with three.

“Love everything about Stef and everything he brought to our team,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “Praying for him to get back strong.”

How the Texans look without Diggs could factor into Houston targeting a receiver before the NFL trade deadline on Nov. 5. Tank Dell, John Metchie III, Xavier Hutchinson and Robert Woods headline a receiver room that’ needs someone to step up.

Dell should be the favorite to take over as the new No. 1 for Week 9, especially given his relationship with Stroud. So far, the second-year target has struggled to duplicate his rookie success as the No. 3 option.

Through seven games, Dell has totaled 229 receiving yards and two touchdowns, including one in Sunday’s win during the second quarter.

Kickoff from MetLife Stadium is scheduled for 7:15 p.m.