1. Stefon Diggs ranks here for best WRs heading into 2021 offseason
Bleacher Report created a list of the seven best wide receivers heading into the 2021 offseason based on their career statistics, their ceiling, 2020 season statistics and talent overall. Bills receiver Stefon Diggs made the list at No. 4 for his splash season in Buffalo and the exciting road that lies ahead for him.
No. 4 Stefon Diggs, Buffalo Bills
It's kind of awesome that the Vikings essentially traded Stefon Diggs to the Buffalo Bills for Jefferson, because both were top-five receivers in 2020.
While Jefferson exploded at a cheaper rate in Minnesota, Diggs led the league with 127 catches and 1,535 yards while scoring eight touchdowns as the centerpiece of Buffalo's high-powered offense. As a result, a 27-year-old with six 700-yard seasons became a first-team All-Pro for the first time.
Arguably the league's crispest route-runner, Diggs did drop eight passes. But he made up for that by catching 15 of the 17 balls thrown his way in the fourth quarter of one-score games for a team that was in the Super Bowl conversation thanks mainly to a passing attack starring him and young franchise quarterback Josh Allen.
His chemistry with Allen is obvious. And although he might not have the same ceiling as Jefferson or Metcalf, his track record, talent and age indicate that several more extremely productive seasons likely lie ahead for the overachieving 2015 fifth-round pick.
2. A dream draft target for the Bills
The Bills have the No. 30 pick in the first round of this year's NFL Draft. Several mock drafts tracked by buffalobills.com have shown the Bills drafting from a variety of positions including linebacker, corner, offensive tackle and more. Bleacher Report came up with a dream draft target for every team ahead of the draft. B/R thinks if linebacker Matt Milano goes elsewhere, there's a perfect match that could be available in the draft.
LB Nick Bolton, Missouri
The Buffalo Bills could lose a key piece of their front seven in free agency. Outside linebacker Matt Milano will test the open market, according to John Wawrow of the Associated Press, which suggests the team won't use the franchise tag on him.
If Milano signs a lucrative deal elsewhere, the Bills can reload at the position in April by taking a versatile linebacker out of Missouri.
Nick Bolton has the short-area burst with the ability to cover shallow zones on the second level. As a full-time starter over the last two seasons, he's accumulated 198 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, 12 pass breakups and two interceptions.
Although Bolton isn't an elite athlete, his football instincts serve him well at the position. He'll sniff out the run on early downs, fire through gaps for stops in the backfield and has enough speed to cover athletic tight ends. His adequate lateral quickness helps him chase down running backs in the flat, too.
Next to linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, Bolton could fill an every-down role.
3. Looking into Buffalo's WR situation ahead of free agency
Buffalo Bills wide receivers racked up 3,875 receiving yards during the 2020 season. It was a productive season for the group, but how does their WR situation suit them before free agency begins on March 17? NFL Network’s Cynthia Frelund took a look at all 32 teams and thinks Buffalo is set up for success in the future.
Top three WRs in 2020: Stefon Diggs (127-1,535-8), Cole Beasley (82-967-4), Gabriel Davis (35-599-7).
A lot of people grade trades right when they happen. I do it, too -- but then I also look back to see both how the trade worked out and how my grade held up. As much as I liked the Bills' acquisition of Diggs at the time that it happened, my models actually underestimated how much of a return on investment Diggs would provide. Ahead of last season, it seemed like DeAndre Hopkins to the Cardinals would have a much bigger impact, but my math shows that Diggs finished 2020 with a slightly higher share of wins added (1.485) than Hopkins (1.482). This is even more impressive when you consider the Cardinals secured Hopkins from the Texans for dirt cheap; Diggs managed to overperform the high expectations set by the trade teams with the Vikings (four draft picks, including a first-rounder). Diggs led the NFL in receptions with 127 and receiving yards with 1,535. As a position group, Bills receivers recorded 28 deep receptions, the most in the NFL (NGS). They also had a reception percentage that was 7.7 percent above expectation (65.4 expected, 73.1 actual).
