Why did the Texans modify Stefon Diggs’s contract from four years to one? When it was announced that the Bills were trading wide receiver Stefon Diggs to the Texans, questions arose about potential adjustments to his contract.
Diggs swiftly received a contract revision, primarily involving a raise for the year 2024 and the removal of the remaining years (2025, 2026, and 2027).
This arrangement significantly benefits Diggs, as his compensation for the current year increases substantially, from $8.5 million to over $22 million, placing him in a prime position for his first-ever contract year.
By terminating the final three years of the contract, the Texans avoided significant financial and salary cap commitments. Diggs was originally slated to earn $18 million in 2025, $19 million in 2026, and $17.495 million in 2027. This adjustment also sets the stage for Diggs not being under contract when the Texans use the second-round pick they traded to Buffalo in the 2025 draft.
The motive behind this decision is apparent. The Texans aim to maximize Diggs’s performance on the field without any distractions or potential discontent. Unlike the Bills, who tolerated various issues until they became significant, the Texans seek to avoid similar complications. In case they face challenges early in the season or Diggs does not receive the desired number of passes, the prospect of free agency might lead him to resist any undesirable situations, similar to those encountered by the Bills.
Thus, the Texans are willing to take the risk of losing Diggs as a free agent in 2025 if he has a standout season and another team offers a lucrative contract. However, they also subtly wager that this scenario may not unfold, considering Diggs’s history of being traded by multiple teams and the fact that he will turn 31 this season.
