Bills GM: Diggs is a No. 1 WR
General manager Brandon Beane reaffirmed the Buffalo Bills' commitment to Stefon Diggs despite the wide receiver's dip in production midway through the 2023 season.
"He's a No. 1 receiver," Beane said Tuesday. "I firmly believe that, I'm not wavering off of that."
Diggs appeared on track to remain a focal point of Buffalo's offense early in the season, recording 49 receptions for 620 yards and five touchdowns through the first six games. Yet the three-time Pro Bowler averaged 41 yards per contest and recorded zero touchdowns in his final seven games, including the Bills' two postseason matchups. His seven drops were tied for the eighth-highest mark in the league.
Diggs recorded three receptions on eight targets for 21 yards in the club's divisional-round loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. The 2020 first-team All-Pro failed to haul in a long pass attempt from quarterback Josh Allen in the fourth quarter of Sunday's game.
The drive was Buffalo's final of the game after Tyler Bass missed a 44-yard field goal. The Bills' young offensive stars, such as Khalil Shakir and Dalton Kincaid, proved to be Allen's most reliable targets in the contest.
However, Beane is confident No. 14 can still provide meaningful snaps.
"Stef can still play, I'm sure he would love to have that deep ball again, he'd be the first to tell you. He's super competitive, he's gonna work his tail off this offseason," he said.
Diggs couldn't regain his All-Pro form after the team dismissed offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey and named Joe Brady the interim in November. The decline in production left many in the organization puzzled, including head coach Sean McDermott.
"I can't say in particular why specifically (Diggs' production dropped)," McDermott said. "If I could, we would flip it back that way, right? To the way it started earlier in the year."
Diggs wasn't spotted during the teams' locker cleanout. However, the 30-year-old has been on record with his desire to remain with the Bills. He signed a four-year, $96-million contract extension in April 2022, according to Over the Cap.
The Maryland product led all Bills pass-catchers with 107 receptions for 1,183 yards and eight touchdowns in 2023.
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