Diggs - will he resurface as the Bills go to WR in 2024?

[BuffaloBill]

One of the biggest mysteries to last season was Diggs lack of production in the back half of last season.  His production must return in 2024 given his presence, role and cap hit.

 

This is not intended as a bash Diggs thread. Rather, what do you think happened nad how does it play into Buffalo’s draft?

[Warriorspikes51]

Diggs can still be elite if we get him help

 

and Joe Brady stops trying to use him behind the LOS - 3 yards downfield.

 

would love to see our offense with Calvin Ridley and a Round 1 pick

Edited March 10 by Warriorspikes51

[SoonerBillsFan]

1 minute ago, BuffaloBill said:

One of the biggest mysteries to last season was Diggs lack of production in the back half of last season.  His production must return in 2024 given his presence, role and cap hit.

 

This is not intended as a bash Diggs thread. Rather, what do you think happened nad how does it play into Buffalo’s draft?

I stand my opinion he is now a top end 2 physically and partially checked out about 1.5 years ago.  I know it's not a popular option.

 

We need a guy to come in and be 1a,not #2.  I say spend another pick to get a guy to push for #2.  Then the 2025 off season, trade Diggs. 

[stuvian]

I hope we find a way to keep him. He still has the afterburners and makes big plays in big games. If we have a complimentary threat he is more or less unstoppable. The chemistry with he and Josh is real and would be hard to duplicate with new faces. I like having a player of his demeanour on the Bills. He's crazy to win

[BuffaloBill]

1 minute ago, stuvian said:

I hope we find a way to keep him. He still has the afterburners and makes big plays in big games. If we have a complimentary threat he is more or less unstoppable. The chemistry with he and Josh is real and would be hard to duplicate with new faces. I like having a player of his demeanour on the Bills. He's crazy to win

 

 

He has not made big plays in the playoffs. 

[Warriorspikes51]

1 minute ago, stuvian said:

I hope we find a way to keep him. He still has the afterburners and makes big plays in big games. If we have a complimentary threat he is more or less unstoppable. The chemistry with he and Josh is real and would be hard to duplicate with new faces. I like having a player of his demeanour on the Bills. He's crazy to win

 

what?  Diggs has 100 yards and 0 TD’s in the 3 playoff games against KC combined

 

[FireChans]

Just now, BuffaloBill said:

 

 

He has not made big plays in the playoffs. 

 

Just now, Warriorspikes51 said:

 

what?  Diggs has 100 yards and 0 TD’s in the 3 playoff games against KC combined

 

Diggs has skated because he had that one viral photo of being upset watching the Chiefs win. 
 

He is arguably the biggest playoff no-show on the team.

[LABILLBACKER]

2 minutes ago, Warriorspikes51 said:

Diggs can still be elite if we get him help

 

and Joe Brady stops trying to use him behind the LOS - 3 yards downfield.

 

would love to see our offense with Calvin Ridley and a Round 1 pick

I agree Stef can still give us another year or 2 of WR1 ability but he's never going to be as amazing as in previous years.  And yes those behind the LOS plays were absolute stupidity by Dorsey & Brady. Don't want any part of Ridley. Rather spend less cap on Mooney and draft a 1st & 4th round wr.

[Warriorspikes51]

1 minute ago, LABILLBACKER said:

I agree Stef can still give us another year or 2 of WR1 ability but he's never going to be as amazing as in previous years.  And yes those behind the LOS plays were absolute stupidity by Dorsey & Brady. Don't want any part of Ridley. Rather spend less cap on Mooney and draft a 1st & 4th round wr.

your idea is certainly far more likely to happen!

[Ya Digg?]

The screens behind the LOS drove me crazy!  They weren't taking advantage of Stef's biggest asset, which is his route running ability.  Perhaps his struggles the second half of the season make teams focus on him less, at least at the beginning of the season, and it allows him to get into a groove.  I do think he was more beat up than he let on and it had an impact

[Warriorspikes51]

5 minutes ago, Ya Digg? said:

The screens behind the LOS drove me crazy!  They weren't taking advantage of Stef's biggest asset, which is his route running ability.  Perhaps his struggles the second half of the season make teams focus on him less, at least at the beginning of the season, and it allows him to get into a groove.  I do think he was more beat up than he let on and it had an impact

Slants all day.  Maybe if our offense had WR’s actually moving when they catch the ball instead of already being pinned near the sideline….we’d get more YAC

[SoonerBillsFan]

14 minutes ago, stuvian said:

I hope we find a way to keep him. He still has the afterburners and makes big plays in big games. If we have a complimentary threat he is more or less unstoppable. The chemistry with he and Josh is real and would be hard to duplicate with new faces. I like having a player of his demeanour on the Bills. He's crazy to win

Stu, part of my issues with him is the uptake in drops.  The Diggs from say 2 and 3 years ago catches that deep ball.

11 minutes ago, FireChans said:

 

Diggs has skated because he had that one viral photo of being upset watching the Chiefs win. 
 

He is arguably the biggest playoff no-show on the team.

This is going to upset fans,but look at the stats.

[LABILLBACKER]

6 minutes ago, Ya Digg? said:

The screens behind the LOS drove me crazy!  They weren't taking advantage of Stef's biggest asset, which is his route running ability.  Perhaps his struggles the second half of the season make teams focus on him less, at least at the beginning of the season, and it allows him to get into a groove.  I do think he was more beat up than he let on and it had an impact

Yes he was most definitely playing hurt. And teams had no respect for our supplemental wrs so they keyed on him. Throw in dumb play calls and the 2nd half results were predictable. 

[JakeFrommStateFarm]

6 minutes ago, Ya Digg? said:

The screens behind the LOS drove me crazy!  They weren't taking advantage of Stef's biggest asset, which is his route running ability.  Perhaps his struggles the second half of the season make teams focus on him less, at least at the beginning of the season, and it allows him to get into a groove.  I do think he was more beat up than he let on and it had an impact

Me too.

 

And as soon as he caught the ball he got hammered contributing to his injury issues

[FireChans]

7 minutes ago, JakeFrommStateFarm said:

Me too.

 

And as soon as he caught the ball he got hammered contributing to his injury issues

That was the only way to get Stef the ball. Because he was never open.

[TheyCallMeAndy]

For the he lost a step crowd, typically when a player slows down athletically it’s gradual. Diggs’ decline was immediate (and by decline I mean a full season projection of the second half of his season was still 80+ catches for 800+ yards).

 

I feel this was more:

 

Offensive changes in-season: His production dipped as soon as Brady took over, so there may have been a change in philosophy.

 

Defensive adjustments: Davis, Knox, Sherfield, and Hardy scared no one in 2023, so could have the focus really settled on Diggs? The high volume of targets for Shakir may support this. 
 

Injury: He was never on the report, but to assume he had some kind of injury isn’t a stretch. Big Groot was rarely on the report and it was wildly believed and talked about how he had a significant foot injury. 
 

I think it’s in Diggs best interest if we started to spotlight him less, we need to stop having him be a 160 target WR if we want any kind of production from him in the very near future. 

[SCBills]

I don’t know that Diggs has ever been the “take over a game” type WR1.  

Maybe a Steelers game a few years back?

 

But I do think he’s still a WR1.. and a good one at that.  But with just a slight dip due to age, the lack of WR2 threat opposite him has been far more of an issue.  

[SoonerBillsFan]

8 minutes ago, FireChans said:

That was the only way to get Stef the ball. Because he was never open.

He doesn't create separation like he did even in 2021.  

[FireChans]

4 minutes ago, TheyCallMeAndy said:

For the he lost a step crowd, typically when a player slows down athletically it’s gradual. Diggs’ decline was immediate (and by decline I mean a full season projection of the second half of his season was still 80+ catches for 800+ yards).

 

I feel this was more:

 

Offensive changes in-season: His production dipped as soon as Brady took over, so there may have been a change in philosophy.

 

Defensive adjustments: Davis, Knox, Sherfield, and Hardy scared no one in 2023, so could have the focus really settled on Diggs? The high volume of targets for Shakir may support this. 
 

Injury: He was never on the report, but to assume he had some kind of injury isn’t a stretch. Big Groot was rarely on the report and it was wildly believed and talked about how he had a significant foot injury. 
 

I think it’s in Diggs best interest if we started to spotlight him less, we need to stop having him be a 160 target WR if we want any kind of production from him in the very near future. 

Are we seriously arguing that teams didn’t figure out to “focus on Diggs” until like week 10 lol. They were that worried about Harty and Sherfield to that point?

 

If Diggs had a secret injury, he gutted out the Pro Bowl just fine after the season. 
 

The bottom line is Diggs either gave up or isn’t the same player anymore. We’ll find out next year, maybe. 

[strive_for_five_guy]

8 minutes ago, SCBills said:

I don’t know that Diggs has ever been the “take over a game” type WR1.  

Maybe a Steelers game a few years back?

 

But I do think he’s still a WR1.. and a good one at that.  But with just a slight dip due to age, the lack of WR2 threat opposite him has been far more of an issue.  

This is where I’m at.  Need to start drafting WRs that can eventually be Josh’s WR1.  That said, I still think Diggs is at a WR1 level, maybe just not a top 5 guy like the last couple of years.  And that could dip to WR2 or less before too long.