[ad_1] Henry McKenna AFC East Reporter Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott told reporters that receiver Stefon Diggs was not going to be at the t
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Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott told reporters that receiver Stefon Diggs was not going to be at the team’s opening minicamp practice on Tuesday. A few hours later, Diggs’ agent told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that the receiver had reported for minicamp, will attend in its entirety and had met with McDermott and GM Brandon Beane over the last two days.
So … um, what’s going on?
“Stef is not here,” McDermott said on Tuesday before practice.
How concerned are you about that?
“Very concerned,” he said.
Any more info?
“Right now, I’m not going to get into that anymore,” McDermott said.
He later added: “When players miss — in particular a player of Stef’s caliber — you’d love to have those players here.”
The situation is murky. Frankly, it’s befuddling.
There has been no word from Diggs. On Tuesday, Diggs reposted photos on Instagram from his workouts with trainer Myron Flowers. It’s unclear whether they are currently working, but perhaps the message is that Diggs is indeed working — even if he’s not currently with the team.
Diggs deleted his Bills photos from his Instagram account in March. In April, he tweeted: “Comeeeeee anddddd rescue me.”
These social-media posts followed a dramatic end to the postseason. Diggs had 10 targets for four catches and 35 yards in a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, and was spotted screaming at quarterback Josh Allen on the sideline. The receiver left the locker room and the Bills’ stadium before some of the coaches could get down to speak with the player, per The Athletic.
Diggs was not present for organized team activities, and Allen was asked whether his relationship with the receiver is in a good place.
“Stef’s gonna Stef,” Allen said in April. “I love the guy. He’s one of my favorite people on this planet. He is so fiery, so competitive. He wants the ball in his hands 24/7 and I’m never gonna not like a guy like that. He wants what’s best for the team.”
If there was a time for Diggs to reverse the course of the tense situation, this minicamp would have been the perfect time. He could have put aside the drama — both in person and on social media. But now, we’re seeing the 2022 drama officially spill into 2023. Diggs could incur fines for every day he misses mandatory minicamp. That amount escalates from $16,459 the first day to $32,920 the second day and $49,374 on the third day. If he skips the whole thing, that’s $99,000 — which, frankly, he can afford given that he’s earned $83 million in his career.
The contract that richly rewards Diggs is why the team should be most concerned. The Bills just re-signed him to a new deal (four years and $96 million) in 2022. It’s hard to imagine he feels he’s underpaid, given the newness of his contract that ties him for fifth in average annual value. All evidence points to his general unhappiness with the organization.
A trade isn’t really feasible. Dealing Diggs would put the Bills in a situation where they swallow $29 million against the cap. Cutting him would also force them to give up $30 million in cap space this year. The Bills would barely clear any space — $500,00 with a trade, $1.5 million with a release. And they’d lose one of their best players.
So the Bills should, indeed, be alarmed. They can’t trade him, can’t cut him and can’t seem to make him happy. All they can hope is that Diggs comes around for training camp. And if he’s upset with the team, maybe they’ll be able to appease — or settle — his grievances to get him in the building, because he basically can’t play anywhere else in 2023.
Prior to joining FOX Sports as the AFC East reporter, Henry McKenna spent seven years covering the Patriots for USA TODAY Sports Media Group and Boston Globe Media. Follow him on Twitter at @McKennAnalysis.
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