A strange storm is brewing over Buffalo, and not the kind that is going to force the Bills to play in Detroit.
Wide receiver Stefon Diggs was absent from mandatory minicamp Tuesday, according to coach Sean McDermott, while the rest of the Bills were in attendance. McDermott made no bones about how he felt about Diggs' absence, saying he's "very concerned" about the absence.
McDermott, however, did not elaborate, adding "I'm not gonna get into [why]. Listen, I respect everyone's questions and what they wanna know about our team right now. I'm just not gonna get into that right now, anymore."
Adding to the oddness around the situation, Adam Schefter reported that Diggs' agent has said Diggs is in Buffalo and has met with McDermott and GM Brandon Beane, and will be there for camp.
The Bills added Diggs was present Monday and appeared Tuesday, but left before practice, per Mike Florio.
Diggs' agent did somewhat cryptically say the team is looking work something out with Diggs, but did not specify what it is.
Things were seemingly resolved by Wednesday, as Diggs appeared and practiced at Bills minicamp Wednesday, seemingly quashing talks of an inexplicable holdout.
It's a strange situation, to be sure. Dust has largely set around the wide receiver market that exploded last offseason, and Diggs signed an extension at that time. Adding fuel to the "reality TV drama" fire is that Diggs was seen visibly frustrated with Josh Allen during the divisional round against the Bengals last year.
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Stefon Diggs contract
Diggs' contract was restructured in March, clearing some space for the Bills. In the 2022 offseason, he signed a four-year, $96 million extension with the Bills that would keep him in Buffalo through the 2027 season.
The deal had $70 million guaranteed.
| YEAR | AGE | BASE SALARY | SIGNING | CAP HIT | DEAD CAP | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 29 | $2,575,000 | $4,300,000 | $11,736,111 | $56,947,222 | |
| 2023 | 30 | $1,165,000 | $4,300,000 | $14,875,111 | $45,466,111 | |
| 2024 | 31 | $18,500,000 | $4,300,000 | $27,854,000 | $31,096,000 | |
| 2025 | 32 | $18,000,000 | $4,300,000 | $27,354,000 | $22,247,000 | |
| 2026 | 33 | $19,092,000 | $4,300,000 | $28,446,000 | $13,398,000 | |
| 2027 | 34 | $14,495,000 | - | $22,549,000 | $4,549,000 |
Diggs' dead cap hit being $43 million over the next two years makes him all but untradeable, adding to the mystery around the situation.
Highest-paid NFL wide receivers
While it's possible this is a simple matter of economics, it's unlikely.
Diggs has the fifth-highest contract in the NFL among receivers, and the third-most guaranteed money. He was highly productive last year as well, catching 108 passes for 1,429 yards and 11 touchdowns. He has had 100-plus receptions in all three seasons with Buffalo.
| Player | Total Value ▾ | Avg./Year | Total Guaranteed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Davante Adams | $140,000,000 | $28,000,000 | $65,710,000 |
| Tyreek Hill | $120,000,000 | $30,000,000 | $72,200,000 |
| A.J. Brown | $100,000,000 | $25,000,000 | $56,470,471 |
| Amari Cooper | $100,000,000 | $20,000,000 | $60,000,000 |
| Stefon Diggs | $96,000,000 | $24,000,000 | $70,000,000 |
| Mike Evans | $82,500,000 | $16,500,000 | $55,008,000 |
| Keenan Allen | $80,100,000 | $20,025,000 | $50,000,000 |
| Cooper Kupp | $80,100,000 | $26,700,000 | $75,000,000 |
| Christian Kirk | $72,000,000 | $18,000,000 | $37,000,000 |
With these contracts sitting where they are, Diggs looks to be well-compensated by the Bills.
Perhaps Diggs is simply unhappy or maybe there's something personal coming away from the team. McDermott's concerns, however, aren't going to assuage speculation as to why Diggs is absent.