why did the bills trade stefon diggs

The Buffalo Bills traded Stefon Diggs primarily to get his contract off their salary cap books. Bills GM Brandon Beane explained that although Diggs is a player of high caliber, the team decided to absorb the $31 million dead cap hit now, rather than trying to spread it out over future years. This decision was motivated by the desire to clear cap space for the team's future flexibility and to avoid having that large financial burden hanging over them for multiple seasons. Additionally, there were reportedly some underlying issues including Diggs' role dissatisfaction and potential locker room or coaching staff relationship factors that contributed to the trade decision. The Bills received a 2025 second-round draft pick in return, despite the high cap cost they took on by trading him early.