Bills GM Says Stefon Diggs Wasn't Available at Trade Deadline Despite Interest

Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane said Thursday that he looked into the possibility of trading for wide receiver Stefon Diggs last season.

According to Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic, Beane noted that he explored a trade with the Minnesota Vikings around the time of the 2019 trade deadline. Per WIVB's Josh Reed, Beane added that the Vikings did not make Diggs available by October 29.

Patience paid off for Beane and the Bills, as they acquired Diggs and a 2020 seventh-round pick from the Vikings this offseason for first-, fifth- and sixth-round picks in 2020 and a 2021 fourth-round pick.

There had been speculation regarding Diggs wanting out of Minnesota dating back to last season after a constant flow of cryptic tweets, and it finally came to fruition last month.

The 26-year-old is coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons, including a 102-catch, nine-touchdown effort in 2018 and when he made 63 grabs for a career-high 1,130 yards and six scores last season.

With a yards-per-catch average of 17.9 in 2019, Diggs has developed into one of the NFL's top deep threats, which is exactly what Bills quarterback Josh Allen needs as a complement to all-around wideout John Brown and slot receiver Cole Beasley.

Allen and the Bills undoubtedly would have benefited from Diggs last season, especially during a heartbreaking overtime playoff loss to the Houston Texans, but Diggs' arrival has arguably made the Bills the favorites in the AFC East entering 2020.

Quarterback Tom Brady's decision to leave the New England Patriots for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency has something to do with that as well, but the Bills boast one of the NFL's most complete rosters regardless.

Allen took a big step forward last season in what was his second NFL campaign, as he completed 58.8 percent of his passes for 3,089 yards, 20 touchdowns and nine interceptions while also rushing for nine scores, but he still has some deficiencies he needs to work through.

With a pair of 1,000-yard receivers in Diggs and Brown, one of the NFL's best slot receivers in Beasley, promising young talent at both running back and tight end with Devin Singletary and Dawson Knox, respectively, and the continuity from having the same offensive line from last season, Allen has all the tools needed to succeed.

If Allen does precisely that and Diggs' production from Minnesota carries over to Buffalo, the Bills could be legitimate Super Bowl contenders as soon as next season.