Houston made a blockbuster trade the month of the 2024 NFL Draft when they traded for veteran receiver Stefon Diggs.
The Texans shipped the Bills a 2025 second-round pick in exchange for not only Diggs but a 2024 sixth-round pick (No. 189 overall) and a 2025 fifth-round pick. The Lions later acquired pick No. 189 (to draft DT Mehki Wingo) from Houston in a trade-up that sent the Texans picks No. 205 (RB Jawhar Jordan) and No. 249 (OG LaDarius Henderson). Then, Houston altered Diggs’ contract which will make him an unrestricted free agent after the 2024 season.
The veteran Diggs is five receiving yards shy of 10,000 for his career. He’s still playing at a high level as seen in his averages over the last four seasons. He averaged111 receptions for 1,343 yards and nine receiving touchdowns during that span while missing just one game.
Houston Texans minicamp 2024: News, quotes, highlights and observations
There was a lot of talk surrounding Diggs’ decline in performance over the second half of this past season when he was acquired. Speculation has also surrounded the relationship between the star receiver and his former quarterback.
On Tuesday, Diggs spoke to the media for the first time since the trade. Here are the main takeaways from Diggs at Texans minicamp.
Takeaways from Texans WR Stefon Diggs’s first press conference post-trade
On Bills QB Josh Allen
Diggs didn’t seem like a man with any hard feelings about how he left things in Buffalo — especially with his previous quarterback, Josh Allen. It felt more like a closed chapter. One that Diggs mostly enjoyed but was ready to move on from after four years with the Bills.
“I feel like [Allen] was an intricate piece in my career,” Diggs said. “When I got to Buffalo, Josh was, Josh is still my guy.
“He really embraced me, kind of had the southern hospitality. So for me, he embraced me, spent a lot of time, and I probably wouldn’t be right here if it wasn’t for him. I got a lot of love for that boy. Y’all give him a hug and a kiss for me.”
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Why his production declined during the second half of 2023
Diggs gave an overview of his final season in Buffalo and explained what happened during the 2023 season. Diggs finished with 107 receptions for 1,183 yards and eight touchdowns but only had 37 receptions for 349 yards and one score in the final eight games of the year.
“Throughout the season, had some ups and downs, especially after the first eight,” Diggs said. “We had coaching shifting and different things going different ways, differences scheme-wise, schematic, and the ups and downs of it.”
The coaching change Diggs reference is when the Bills fired offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey after Week 10.
“I don’t take things personal from people I don’t know personally.” Diggs said in response to the criticism for the way things ended in Buffalo.
Diggs ‘happy’ about trade to Texans
Diggs didn’t seem like a malcontent or diva that he’s been painted as at times. He was reserved and seemed authentically happy to be in Houston and surrounded by the coaching and talent around him and his career going forward.
“For me, when I got traded obviously, I was happy. I was in a good place,” he said. “When I say I’ve been smiling, I’ve been smiling.”
On what excites Diggs about the offense
“Obviously, the quarterback position, the fellow receivers,” Diggs said when asked what he liked about the Texans offense.
He went on to mention three receivers specifically: Nico Collins, Tank Dell and John Metchie III. Diggs said he’s known Dell for a while and says he’s like a little brother to him. Dell shared similar sentiments during his time speaking on the day. He lumped in “little [John] Metchie” when talking about spending time with the guys and being around the team and building that camaraderie.”
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Diggs sounded like a man excited about the ability of the offense but was he concerned about the amount of touches he would see in 2024?
Diggs’ thoughts on getting enough touches in Houston
It’s a legitimate question with Diggs in a contract year and looking to take a bite at the apple in free agency after the season. It shouldn’t be an issue unless the Texans disappoint in the win-loss column and Diggs isn’t getting the production he needs to build the value for his next contract, then it gets tricky.
“It’s always a balance,” Diggs said. “It’s not my job to call the plays. I just got to get open and catch it. For me, it is not something I would worry about.”
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He ended his thoughts with one of the better quotes of the day: “I feel like this offense is one of the offenses that got a lot of horses in the stable. You let them loose, and we’ll figure the rest out.”
It’s a simplistic look at it but the correct one. The receiver group seems like a close one. If each worries about winning their own one-on-ones, then Stroud will take the path of least resistance.
On OC Bobby Slowik’s creativity
Diggs sees the potential in the offense and is excited by the opportunity it’ll provide for him and all of the weapons. He mentioned that Slowik had shown him other offenses in the NFL similar to his own.
“I just saw him move the pieces around last year, obviously with Nico. I feel like you give him the pieces, he going to make them a shape,” Diggs said. “So like I said, it’s a lot of questions, but I really look forward to making another shape.”
It’s the same thing that DeMeco Ryans did on defense last year when showing his new defenders how to run his system by playing clips of Azeez Al-Shaair running it in San Francisco.
It sounds as if it’s been easy to visualize the crossover success from similar offenses stacked with offensive weapons to the new one Diggs finds himself in with the Texans. It also sounds like they’re watching more 49ers film this year with the new additions.