The Houston Texans are unquestionably in a very special and beneficial situation. There aren’t any key players on the club that have a year till they become free agents. That is, none who aren’t Stefon Diggs. With just one year left on his contract before it expires and his freedom to sign with any other team he chooses, he is the only well-known player that the Texans have.
Everyone else is either a middle-tier starter or on deals that require proof. Essential, yet interchangeable. As the lone player on the squad with any real name value, it makes reasonable that Bleacher Report would rank Diggs as the guy whose contract extension is most significant.
The Texans nullified the final three years of the former All-Pro with the Buffalo Bills’ contract, citing a number of reasons why. It’s thought by some to be a safety precaution in case Diggs makes the same mistakes in Houston as he did in Buffalo (and prior to that with the Minnesota Vikings). Some think it was the only way Diggs could avoid trouble and possibly survive. Make sure he gets to training camp in time, and give him the choice to leave after a year.
Diggs is here and the biggest pending free agent, regardless of the cause for the voiding.
I disagree, but we can understand why Bleacher Report believes he is the most crucial player to extend this offseason. I think the following three names have a considerably greater impact on the team than Diggs does. Even though Diggs is the most gifted player I’m going to list, his value to the club isn’t as high. Two of the team’s receivers are already talented enough to be All-Pro players. Conversely, Diggs is a luxury. The other players on this team could be quite important because of how small the position groupings they play in are.
Two players that are likely to return and maybe receive new contracts are Derek Barnett and Desmond King. These guys are veterans who the Texans might really benefit from this season. Given how weak the defensive line is right now, particularly at tackle, and how uncertain the cornerback position is, if they are, it’s likely that they both sign new contracts.
With other players developing around him, Myles Bryant, who recently joined from the New England Patriots, might find himself starting very soon. Bryant is a reliable option in New England and the Texans are worried about their cornerback situation. If he can establish himself next to Derek Stingley Jr., Bryant will soon sign a new contract.
No matter how successful he is, few people anticipate Diggs to be around after 2024. The Texans wouldn’t have canceled his contract if they weren’t at ease with it. He can’t be considered a priority if they don’t care that he walks.
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