Bills to land WR Diggs in trade with Vikings
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.
The move is a blockbuster for Bills general manager Brandon Beane, who has avoided making big splashes in free agency or when it comes to acquiring highprofile players via trade during his previous three seasons on the job.
Beane began this offseason by tamping down expectations in saying, “I don’t think we’re one player away,” when specifically asked about the team’s need to obtain another established receiver.
Beane did stress one point at the NFL’s rookie combine in Indianapolis last month by saying the one thing the Bills need to improve upon is scoring. Buffalo finished 23rd in the NFL in points, and scored 20 or more just seven times.
Diggs, 26, has four years and approximately $47.5 million remaining on his current contract, an extension worth more than $73 million that he signed with Minnesota in 2018.
Panik added to major league roster by Blue Jays
Second baseman Joe Panik was added to the 40man major league roster by the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday.
Toronto selected the contract of the 29-year-old from Triple-A Buffalo and placed right-hander Yennsy Diaz on the 60-day injured list with a right lat strain.
Panik gets a one-year contract paying a $2.85 million salary while in the major leagues and a $195,000 salary in the minors. He can earn $150,000 in performance bonuses based on plate appearances: $50,000 each for 400, 450 and 500 plate appearances.
Panik hit .381 with a triple, two home runs and five RBIs in 21 at-bats over 10 spring training games. The left-handed hitter batted .244 with five homers and 39 RBIs in 438 at-bats last year for the San Francisco Giants and New York Mets.
A person familiar with the situation says the Saints and record-setting quarterback Drew Brees have agreed on a two-year, $50 million contract.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity on Tuesday because the deal has not been announced.
Brees has said repeatedly that he is taking career decision one year at a time. His new contract gives the 41-year-old, 19-year veteran the leverage to decide after this season whether he wants to continue playing.
Brees missed five games with a throwing hand injury that required surgery but was still productive last season while leading New Orleans to a third straight playoff appearance. Brees’ 74.3% completion rate ranked second in NFL history behind only his 2018 record of 74.4%.
The Panthers announced they have given quarterback Cam Newton permission to seek a trade — although the former league MVP responded by saying he never requested one.
Panthers general manager Marty Hurney said Tuesday via Twitter the team is moving on from Newton.
“Every year difficult decisions are made and they are never easy,” Hurney said. “We have been working with Cam and his agent to find the best fit for him moving forward and he will always be a Carolina Panther in our hearts.”
Newton was quick to respond to the Panthers on social media, saying he didn’t ask for the trade.
The 31-year-old Newton has battled shoulder and foot injuries the last two seasons and lost his last eight starts for the Panthers.