NFL Offseason Winners and Losers: Bills, Texans Nail Stefon Diggs Trade; Cowboys Stumble

Buffalo and Houston both benefited from the deal centered around the star receiver, while Dallas’s inaction proved to be puzzling.

The Bills and the Texans could benefit from the Stefon Diggs trade, making both teams among the biggest winners of the 2024 NFL offseason. / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Let’s flashback to last May before the world learned about Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift being a power couple. 

At the time, many had doubts about C.J. Stroud because he didn’t have the same supporting cast as fellow rookies Bryce Young and Anthony Richardson. Now, there are debates about Stroud possibly being a top-five quarterback heading into his second NFL season. 

As for one thing that hasn’t changed much in the past year, the MinnesotaVikings and Justin Jefferson still haven’t agreed to terms on a contract extension that will likely make Jefferson the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL. But the Vikings did part with Kirk Cousins, who joined Minnesota in 2018 when Stefon Diggs was one of his top targets.

Diggs will catch passes for Stroud in 2024 due to one of the many changes that occurred this offseason that many didn’t see coming last May. As a result, there’s plenty to unpack for this offseason edition of “Winners and Losers.”

Winners

Teams involved in Diggs trade

Don’t be surprised if the Buffalo Bills and Houston Texans face each other in the AFC championship game. Obviously, that would mean getting by the Kansas City Chiefs. But that daunting task might have gotten easier for the Bills and Texans after Diggs left Josh Allen to become Stroud’s new weapon. 

Diggs will give the Texans an instant boost and shake things up for the Bills going forward. / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

It was time for a change for the Bills and Diggs. Salary cap issues and the frustrations from coming up short the past four seasons didn’t allow the Bills to continue trotting out the same core group. With Diggs gone, the Bills were forced to get creative with how they built their roster this offseason and that creativity should continue on the field on Sundays. Perhaps a new approach could be the key to helping Buffalo get over the hump. 

As for the Texans, they now have one of the best receiving corps in the NFL to aid their young superstar quarterback. Imagine typing that sentence 12 months ago. With Stroud on a rookie deal, the Texans wisely went all in to build a roster that could push the Bills, Chiefs and other AFC contenders. And maybe Diggs has a new approach after the sour endings with the Vikings and Bills. A third stop could be the key to helping Diggs win a Super Bowl. 

Washington Commanders

No organization won as much as the Commanders did this offseason. And, yes, wins in March and April are huge for an organization that didn’t do much under former owner Dan Snyder the past 24 years. 

Josh Harris was officially announced as the team’s new owner last summer, and his patient approach throughout the 2023 season paid off during his first NFL offseason. Harris hired Adam Peters as GM and former Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn as head coach. The new decision-makers quickly built a roster that could not only compete this season but for years to come—if rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels turns out to be the real deal. It’s an exciting new beginning in the nation’s capital. 

Tennessee Titans

The Titans also had a major makeover after hiring coach Brian Callahan and spending plenty of money in free agency. Will Levis is set up well for a potential memorable second season after the team added wide receiver Calvin Ridley, center Lloyd Cushenberry III, running back Tony Pollard and drafted offensive tackle JC Latham. 

I’m not as high on the Titans as other football pundits for this season, but the moves they made this offseason have them on track to turning it around in the next two years.  

Jared Goff

The newest member of the $50 million-per-year club has had many highs and lows throughout his career and it seemed he was destined for the life of a bridge quarterback. But the Detroit Lions never viewed Goff as a salary dump or temporary signal-caller during their rebuild with GM Brad Holmes and coach Dan Campbell. 

Goff became the newest member of an elite quarterback club by signing his new deal this offseason. / Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

It took time, but no one is doubting the team’s commitment to Goff anymore after he signed a four-year, $212 million contract extension.

Aidan O’Connell

The Las Vegas Raiders missed out on the early wave of quarterbacks after six were selected with the top 12 picks in the NFL draft. The Raiders used their No. 13 pick on tight end Brock Bowers, creating a viable path for O’Connell to become the team’s starter this season.

The 2023 fourth-round pick still has to beat out Gardner Minshew, who nearly led the Indianapolis Colts to the playoffs last season. But O’Connell will now get a fair shake to win the job and keep it for most of the season, which probably would not have been the case with a rookie first-round signal-caller on the roster.

The Raiders might regret not trading up in the draft if O’Connell plays similar to Sam Howell and Desmond Ridder—the quarterbacks that the Commanders and Atlanta Falcons relied on last season. But, hey, maybe O’Connell is more like Brock Purdy. 

Justin Herbert

The Los Angeles Chargers’ signal-caller has the skill set of an elite quarterback, but he hasn’t done much winning since entering the league in 2020. The wins could be coming soon for Herbert after the team’s splash hiring of Jim Harbaugh, who has won at all his previous coaching stops. 

Herbert will hope to get the most out of his game alongside Harbaugh, who took over the Chargers after winning the College Football Playoff national championship with Michigan last season. / Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports

Herbert should benefit from Harbaugh’s coaching philosophy of building stout offensive lines and rushing attacks. A less-is-more approach in the regular season could be the key to Herbert shining in January for many years to come. 

Special teams

The new kickoff rules in 2024 should have many benefits, including the amount of roster jobs each team will continue to have for special teams. It could also revitalize a play that lacked excitement the past few years, as the league attempts to find a balance between player safety and prioritizing special teams. 

Perhaps teams will change their views on what type of special teams players they’re looking for—many are expecting more running backs to become returners, a win for the position—but the new rules will at least ensure that coaches will have special teams contributors on their mind when it’s time to set 53-man rosters.   

Jets’ offensive line

After owing the league for last year’s fair share of national television disappointments, the New York Jets tried their best to make sure Aaron Rodgers will be available for every game this season, including the six prime-time games in the first 11 weeks. (The Jets’ schedule should probably be in the loser’s section.) 

Rodgers, who only played four snaps before tearing his Achilles tendon last season, should be standing upright after the Jets revamped their offensive line with the signings of Tyron Smith, Morgan Moses, John Simpson and the first-round selection of Olu Fashanu. Now, the only issue is deciding which five offensive linemen will protect Rodgers. That’s a good problem to have after last year’s dreadful season. 

NFL offensive lines

Pretty much anyone who plays or coaches on the offensive side should consider themselves a winner this offseason because they don’t have to worry about Aaron Donald wrecking game plans. Happy retirement to Donald after 10 dominant seasons with the Los Angeles Rams.

Losers

Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys have had a rough offseason, which started with team owner Jerry Jones retaining coach Mike McCarthy. The team didn’t bother interviewing Bill Belichick, despite another early playoff exit. 

Jones opted to keep McCarthy, rather than swing for a flashier, and more expensive, head coach. / Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Belichick appeared to be the ideal coach to help Dallas make an appearance in an NFC championship game for the first time in nearly 30 years. But the Jones family was content with running it back with the same group. Being content has hindered the Cowboys during their lengthy Super Bowl drought. Now their patient approach has them in a contract dilemma with CeeDee Lamb, who should have been paid by now. 

But maybe patience is the right approach with Dak Prescott’s contract negotiations. Prescott hasn’t proved himself in the postseason after eight seasons, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Cowboys hand him a new contract before the regular season. 

Minnesota Vikings

Reports have emerged of the Vikings shopping Jefferson during last month’s NFL draft. That says plenty about how poorly the team has handled contract negotiations with their star wide receiver. 

The Vikings could have locked up Jefferson before the 2023 season. Instead, they waited too long and now the asking price has gone up and it might get higher if Brandon Aiyuk, Lamb and other star receivers sign before Jefferson. Also, the Vikings let Cousins walk and are now taking their chances with Sam Darnold and rookie J.J. McCarthy. If the team wants to help the No. 10 pick for the long haul, maybe pay the best wideout in the game.   

Kansas City Chiefs

The back-to-back Super Bowl champions have made headlines this offseason for the wrong reasons. Wide receiver Rashee Rice was arrested for his involvement in a car crash that injured at least seven people. Rice has participated in the team’s offseason workouts, but he could be facing a league suspension for the start of the season.

Earlier this month, kicker Harrison Butker made controversial comments during a commencement speech, which led to Patrick Mahomes, Kelce and coach Andy Reid being asked about their kicker’s ideologies on gender roles. 

The Chiefs have shown they don’t let off-the-field distractions get to them during the season, but it must take a mental toll dealing with all of it.   

Denver Broncos

Time will tell whether the Broncos made the right decision by using their No. 12 pick on Bo Nix, who was drafted behind Caleb Williams, Daniels, Drake Maye, Michael Penix Jr. and McCarthy. 

The Broncos put their faith in Nix by selecting him in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft. / Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

They might have reached for a signal-caller because they put themselves in a desperate position in the aftermath of the infamous Russell Wilson trade. Perhaps Denver would have been better off taking the best player available for a roster in need of cornerstone pieces. The trade and contract extension for Wilson set back the franchise a few years and it has dictated their offseason. 

Dolphins’ salary cap

The Dolphins were forced to let defensive tackle Christian Wilkins walk in free agency because of their aggressive moves the past two seasons—all of which have led to zero playoff wins. 

With not much to show for their all-in-approach, the team now has to decide whether to sign Tua Tagovailoa to a massive contract extension. The team is currently $11.3 million over the cap for the 2025 offseason, according to OvertheCap.com. That might mean more tough decisions to come regarding the contracts of star players. The Dolphins will need to decide whether it’s smart for them to stick with Tagovailoa with a roster that could be drastically different next year.  

Justin Fields

It’s been a rough fall for Fields, who went from Chicago Bears starting quarterback to being flipped for a conditional sixth-round pick to be Wilson’s backup with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Perhaps Fields uses Goff’s story as motivation to reignite his career.  

Michael Penix Jr.

The Falcons' selection of Penix created quite the firestorm of attention around the rookie quarterback. / Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

It must have not been fun for Penix to see all the backlash the Falcons received for using the No. 8 pick on him. The criticism, however, is more about the team fit than the player. 

Penix appears to be a pro-ready quarterback, but now he has to wait a year or two to get his opportunities. He should be a starting quarterback this season. Instead, he’s hoping for a Jordan Love-like situation and not what happened to Trey Lance with the San Francisco 49ers. 

Players’ schedules

Get ready for an 18-game schedule because it’s likely to come in a few years with how much the league’s owners and commissioner Roger Goodell have discussed it this offseason. It’s already been a rough adjustment for players with the change to a 17-game schedule.