When the Bills traded for wide receiver Stefon Diggs in March, most reactions were that the move would lead to Diggs soaking up targets in the passing game this season.
Unless the Bills are planning to start throwing the ball a lot more often, a side effect of that would be a drop in targets for John Brown and Cole Beasley after they combined for 139 catches during the 2019 season. Quarterback Josh Allen doesn’t see things playing out that way, however.
“I think this is going to give them an opportunity to have more chances to catch the ball,” Allen said on SiriusXM NFL Radio, via the Buffalo News. “They had career years and everybody talking about the addition of Stefon Diggs will hurt their value. I think it’s the other way around. John was a 1,000-yard receiver last year. Man-to-man, he’s extremely tough to cover. Cole, on the inside, if you put a nickel on him, he’s a tough cover in man-to-man. I appreciate what Brandon Beane has been doing by putting these guys around me. Now it’s up to us to go out on the field and execute and put the plan together.”
Brown and Beasley may not see the same number of passes thrown their way this year, but Diggs’ arrival may make their opportunities better ones because of how defenses will have to adjust to Buffalo’s receiving corps. That would be a plus for the Bills offense regardless of how the balls are ultimately divvied up.