In a head-scratching move that raised eyebrows across the league, wide receiver Stefon Diggs decided to skip out on OTA’s with his new team, the Houston Texans.
Not attending OTA’s is nothing new for Diggs, who also often declined to appear for them while a member of the Buffalo Bills.
While it should be noted that the OTA’s he missed in Houston are “voluntary,” it’s still an odd decision since he’s brand-new to the Texans.
Most would assume that Diggs would want to take advantage of every single opportunity to practice with his new teammates and learn the new offense in Houston.
Despite what may be said publicly, it’s safe to assume that Diggs’ absence was a great disappointment for DeMeco Ryans and the coaching staff.
While he was well within his rights to skip the workouts, Diggs and the Texans as a team would have been better for it had he decided to attend the valuable practices.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like the Super Bowl was won or lost with Diggs’ decision, but it’s not something that should be completely ignored either.
Diggs’ career in Buffalo ended on an ugly note with constant rumors of a fractured relationship between him and quarterback Josh Allen.
He now has a fresh start in Houston where he will team up with Pro Bowl quarterback C.J. Stroud.
In fairness to Diggs, he has been working out with Stroud and some of his new teammates on his own time.
Down the stretch in Buffalo, questions began to swirl about just how much Diggs had left in the tank.
Critics pinpointed him as being washed-up and a complete shell of his former self. While his supporters blamed Allen and the Bills offense for not utilizing him properly.
We’ll soon find out just how many miles he has left in his tires.
At 30-years-old, it would be foolish to write-off Diggs. Especially since he figures to be more motivated than ever after the disappointing end to his tenure with the Bills.
Also, he’s far from the only important player in the league who decided to skip voluntary OTA’s. So, let’s not make this a bigger deal than it is.
By all accounts, he has already built strong relationships with Stroud and several of his new teammates. It’s safe to assume that when offseason work becomes mandatory, he’ll be there.
Diggs is coming off four-straight Pro Bowl seasons and was the NFL’s leader in both receptions and receiving yards in 2020.
In many ways, it’s crazy to think that the Bills never made a Super Bowl appearance during Diggs’ time as Allen’s go-to weapon.
For his career, Diggs has hauled in 810 receptions for 9,995 yards and 67 touchdowns.
What are your thoughts on Diggs’ decision to skip the recent OTA’s?
How disappointed would you be if you were Ryans? … Or is the whole story being blown way out of proportion?
In the bigger picture, how much do you think Diggs has left in the tank? … Is he still a truly elite NFL receiver?
What are your expectations for Diggs and the Texans this coming season???