Bills coach says matter with Diggs is ‘resolved’

Alaina Getzenberg, ESPNJun 14, 2023, 12:56 PM ET
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ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott said that he feels the situation with Stefon Diggs is “resolved” and clarified that he excused Diggs from Tuesday’s mandatory minicamp practice.

The wide receiver was present and participated in individual drills during Wednesday’s mandatory minicamp. He did not participate in team drills. The practice was largely a normal one for Diggs, outside of not being in the team drills. He did his normal handshake with Allen, talked with Gabe Davis, some of the younger receivers, like Jalen Wayne, and new wide receivers coach Adam Henry. He caught a number of passes from Josh Allen.

McDermott’s clarification, in a post-practice news conference that was not scheduled, comes a day after he said that he was “very concerned, very concerned” about Diggs not being present for Tuesday’s practice. The coach said Wednesday that whenever a player is not at a practice for whatever reason, he is concerned.

“That’s my sentiment with any player, in particular a player as important to us as Stef,” McDermott said. “And so, I get concerned when players miss for reasons off the field, for reasons on the field. Whether it be they’re injured or whatever it is. That’s just how I am. So, when I say very concerned, I’m very concerned, because of the situation with one of our players, and it was something that we needed to work through and those are healthy conversations that happen and I’m extremely appreciative of those conversations. It gets us, when you have those healthy conversations, it gets you to a better spot. And I feel good about that. I feel like we’re in that spot.”

McDermott said that Diggs did everything the team asked for by reporting to the team’s facility Monday and taking his physical, then reported again Tuesday for meetings. On Tuesday, a meeting took place with “a good conversation, great communication” that led to the decision that some space was needed.

“We got to a point yesterday where I just, we just, felt like we all needed a break and some space,” McDermott said. “And so, I gave Stef permission to get some space and head out and then picked up those conversations after practice.”

McDermott said that he was keeping the content of the conversation and the people involved internal. Diggs did not address the media Wednesday. The coach said he is confident that the issue will not be a distraction going forward. Diggs did not address the media Wednesday and has not had a news conference since the regular season ended.

Allen said that he spoke with Diggs on Tuesday and that “I’m sure we’re going to have some more conversations moving forward and as an organization, as QB-receiver, as an offensive coordinator, everything that goes in.”

“I know internally we’re working on some things, not football related, but Stef, he’s my guy. Excuse my … I f—ing love him. He’s a brother of mine,” Allen said Tuesday. “This does not work, what we’re doing here, without him. We wish he was in here today and was out there on the field with us and that’s not the case, but I’ve got his back no matter what. And again, I’ve got no doubts that we will figure out what’s going on and freaking love him. I can’t stress that enough. There’s things that I could do better and to help out with this process and try to get him back here and be the Buffalo Bill that he’s meant to be.”

Both Allen and pass-rusher Von Miller expressed their love and support for Diggs, who has been named a team captain the past two seasons, on Tuesday and minimized his absence, in part because it’s still early in the NFL calendar. The Bills canceled Thursday’s final minicamp practice as the team did the year before.

Diggs signed a four-year, $96 million extension last offseason, and trading him would incur a significant dead cap hit with $31.1 million in dead money set to hit if he were traded. His deal included $70 million guaranteed, the third-most all time for a wide receiver. Diggs, 29, and Buffalo had their sights set on him retiring with the Bills when the contract was signed in April 2022.

After the team’s postseason loss to the Bengals in January that featured the Buffalo offense’s lowest output of the year, Diggs was noticeably upset with Allen on the sideline and left before talking to the media.

Diggs’ production declined in the second half of the 2022 season. He started the year on pace for his best career season statistically with 72 receptions on 98 targets for 985 yards and seven touchdowns in the first nine games. In the nine games that followed, including the postseason, Diggs caught 47 receptions on 74 targets and four touchdowns.

“Listen, getting Stef the ball is an important part of our offense, right? That’s not, there’s no reason to say it isn’t,” McDermott said when asked if they felt Diggs didn’t get the ball enough down the stretch of the season. “I mean, he’s the big focal point of our offense in addition to Josh and it’s important to get him going and the more production he has, the more production we have as an offense. Those usually work hand in hand. So, and I’ve said it before, he provides great energy to our football team overall, not just offensively, but defensively and special teams. And that’s a big thing.”