Is Stefon Diggs Cooked?
Ted Schwerzler
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It doesn’t seem that long ago when Stefon Diggs was being celebrated as a statewide hero by Minnesota Vikings fans after his Minneapolis Miracle catch. A lot has happened then, and it’s worth wondering if he might not be nearing the end.
Is Stefon Diggs Cooked?
At 30 years old, next season will be the 10th for Stefon Diggs as an NFL wide receiver. Unless he’s traded, it’s unlikely that the Buffalo Bills would cut him as he carries a dead cap hit north of $31 million. If and when he does play the year with Buffalo, it would be his fifth in New York, equalling his tenure in Minnesota.
What Diggs is up against, however, is a late-season slide of epic proportions. Over the final ten weeks of the season, which, yes, is over half, Diggs was basically a no-show given the context of his contract and importance to the team. In a year that Josh Allen continued to look like an impressive signal caller, his top wide receiver wasn’t even the best producer.
When the Vikings flipped Diggs to Buffalo, it was largely a move to jettison a blossoming attitude. He had decided that Minnesota wasn’t where he wanted to be, and the grass would be greener elsewhere. It stung at the time for the Vikings, but turning his spot into Justin Jefferson is anything but a downgrade. Drafting and developing the league’s best wide receiver, there’s no question that the Vikings have come out ahead.
Although Minnesota is now in a situation again where they must offer a mega-deal to a wideout, the one they currently employ seems much more favorable to the situation. The Vikings must find a competent passer to replace Kirk Cousins (unless Cousins himself returns), but that player will benefit from having Jefferson at their disposal.
What sort of cryptic tirade Diggs goes on this offseason for Buffalo remains to be seen, but his leverage has never looked worse. With falling production and a drop that arguably cost the Bills a chance to advance in the playoffs, there is no one for him to be more frustrated with than the man in the mirror. Should he start some sort of drama, plenty of the response could simply be the reply of a well-thrown ball going through the hands of a man paid $24 million to come up with it.
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes weekly for Twins Daily. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.
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