Does Stefon Diggs Have Long-Term Future With Bills?

There are some concerning—albeit conflicting—rumors about wide receiver Stefon Diggs and his future with the Buffalo Bills coming out of the team’s mandatory minicamp. Just over a year after Diggs signed a four-year, $96 million contract extension, could he be on his way out of Buffalo already?

According to Bills head coach Sean McDermott, Diggs didn’t show up for the first day of practice at mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, sparking rumors that the receiver is unhappy and wants out of Buffalo. Though he returned to practice on Wednesday, it’s still a concern worth monitoring.

In truth, rumors about Diggs leaving the Bills this offseason have been swirling for a while, almost from the moment their season ended. The last time the receiver was around the rest of the team, he was spotted yelling at quarterback Josh Allen on the sideline at the end of the Bills’ divisional-round loss to the Bengals.

Stefon Diggs yelling at Josh Allen on the sideline after the 4th down incompletion. 🤣 pic.twitter.com/jQMg4qp2r5

— FTB VIDS (@anotherFTBacct) January 22, 2023

The aforementioned contract extension that Diggs recently signed would seem to put to rest any speculation that the receiver’s absence is a result of displeasure with his contract. We’ve seen players sit out of mandatory practices before to pressure their teams to reach a new deal or trade them to a team who will—Davante Adams and Tyreek Hill did it last offseason. New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley is doing it right now. But Diggs’ very recent extension suggests that isn’t the cause of his absence.

Instead, all we have to go on are clues like that video from last year’s Divisional Round game—in other words, clues or moments that might not actually mean anything. But they are clues.

There was his comment on an Isaiah Hodgins Instagram post in April that some read into as a suggestion he’d like to reunite with Hodgins on the Giants. There was Diggs’ tweet in April that read “Comeeeeee anddddd rescue me…,” seemingly expressing a desire to leave the Bills. His brother, Trevon, fanned the flames of the Giants rumor when he tweeted “We could play each other twice a year” then liked a reply to that tweet asking “Stefon Diggs to the Giants???” Of course, the fact that Diggs has a connection to Giants head coach and former Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll only further stirs up speculation.

Stefon Diggs leaves Bills mini-camp and the Giants put their contract offer back on the table to Barkley in the same day.

The familiarity between the Giants and Bills runs deep right now.

Here Diggs talks about playing for Coach Daboll.#TommysTakes #NYGiants pic.twitter.com/0HZAojjIZ0

— Tommy (@TommyG105) June 14, 2023

Without any extra clarification from Stefon Diggs after his head coach said he was “very worried” about the absence besides a cryptic Instagram post, all we can do is speculate on what it all means. That said, the post did seem to suggest the rumors were mostly false, and Diggs did return to practice on Wednesday.

Still, McDermott’s worry and Allen’s comments that things could have gone better last year seem to suggest that there’s at least some conflict brewing within the Bills’ locker room. Diggs is back with the team for now, but this situation is one worth monitoring. After all, it wouldn’t be the first time Diggs forced his way out of an organization soon after signing a contract extension. He did the same thing in Minnesota in 2020, just about two years after he signed a five-year extension with the Vikings.

Time will tell, but for now, Bills fans can’t help but be wary about their star receiver’s future with the team.