Bills to land WR Diggs in trade with Vikings

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) » Stefon Diggs is headed to the Buffalo Bills in a splashy trade intended to boost quarterback Josh Allen’s development.

Buffalo is set to acquire the big-play receiver and a seventhround draft pick from the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for four draft picks, a person with direct knowledge of the move confirmed to The Associated Press on Monday night.

The Bills agreed to give up their first-round selection this year (22nd overall) and three other picks to land a fifth-year player who has topped 1,000 yards receiving in each of the past two seasons, the person said. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the trade cannot be completed until the start of the new league year Wednesday.

The deal was first reported by FoxSports.com.

The Vikings will also get Buffalo’s fifth- and sixth-round draft picks this year, and a fourthround choice in next year’s draft.

In Diggs, the Bills provide Allen with an established wideout

on an offense that finished 24th in the NFL in yards gained last season, and 26th in yards passing. Allen enters his third season still attempting to address questions regarding his accuracy that have followed since being selected in the first round of the 2018 draft.

Though Allen showed promising signs of improvement in leading the Bills to a 10-6 record and their second playoff berth in three years last season, he went 271 of 461 for 3,089 yards passing to finish 32nd in the NFL with a 58.8 completion percentage.

Diggs’ arrival comes a year after the Bills upgraded their group of receivers by signing Cole Beasley and John Brown in free agency. Brown led the team with 72 catches for 1,060 yards, becoming Buffalo’s first receiver to top 1,000 yards since Sammy Watkins in 2015.

Overall, Diggs has 365 catches for 4,623 yards and 30 touchdowns in 70 career games. His six touchdowns receiving last year would have put him tied with Brown and Beasley for the team lead.