The Buffalo Bills trading Stefon Diggs to Houston left Josh Allen without his No. 1 target and close friend.
"I'll always love that guy like a brother," Allen said Thursday. "He meant a lot. Look at the statistics. The numbers don't lie."
In four seasons in Buffalo, Diggs surpassed the 1,100-yard receiving mark in each campaign in Buffalo, totaling 5,372 yards and 37 touchdowns while making four straight Pro Bowls.
Diggs' numbers trailed off in the latter half of the 2023 season as Allen spread the ball around and the offense leaned more on the ground game.
Then, two weeks ago, Buffalo shipped him to the Texans for a future second-round pick.
"It's definitely hard to part ways with a guy that's been instrumental to our success here," Allen said. "I wish we could keep everybody. We lost a lot of veteran leadership. It is what it is. I don't get paid to make changes on the team."
The man who gets paid to make those changes is general manager Brandon Beane.
Beane admitted Thursday in his pre-draft press conference that there is no alpha in the room following the Diggs trade but dismissed it as a must-fill spot.
"I get that you're talking about a guy for his first four years here was in a No. 1 role. We have not filled a No. 1 role," Beane said. "I would say we have a group of guys as we sit here today who we believe bring different skill sets. We like the group. Would we like to add to it at some point? Yes. But I'm not sitting here thinking we have a glaring hole. But I get the question, and I get the perception."
Without their top two receiver targets from a year ago, the hole is pretty glaring, even if Beane doesn't want to admit it openly.
Shipping Diggs out and Gabe Davis signing in Jacksonville during free agency left the Bills' wideout depth chart lacking. Currently, Khalil Shakir, Curtis Samuel, Mack Hollins, Justin Shorter and KJ Hamler make up the top of the core.
"Sometimes you have young guys in your roster that you believe in as well that could ascend, but they have to prove it too," Beane said. "Just like last year, we were getting the question about linebacker. Terrel Bernard had to prove it, and even Tyrel Dodson, in his form when he played for us, had to go prove it because he had mainly been a backup prior to that."
The lack of a top-flight wideout has prognosticators pegging a receiver to Buffalo in the No. 28 spot in next week's draft. The Bills could also attempt to move up significantly to try and snag one of the top 3 wideouts. Buffalo currently owns 10 draft picks to use to maneuver around the board.
Beane noted that he's not keen on trading a 2025 first-round pick but would do so in the right situation. If the Bills wanted to move up the board significantly for a receiver, they might have to dip into future assets.
But with the first round a week away, Beane still has plans to iron out.
"I honestly don't know if we'll trade up, trade back or pick at 28," he said. "I have no idea how it's going to fall."
In a deep draft at the position, the Bills could wait to see who falls into a range, where a trade-up might not be so punitive. Perhaps someone they love will be there at 28. Either way, it would be surprising if Beane exited the draft with not just one but multiple receivers added to the wideout room.
