The Houston Texans must decide if they think holding onto Pro Bowl wide receiver Stefon Diggs is the right move entering the 2025 season and Year 3 of the C.J. Stroud.
Diggs, who was only expected to be a one-year option after the Texans voided the final three years of his current contract, could return on a team-friendly deal as he recovers from a season-ending torn ACL suffered in Week 8. The plan would be to better value entering 2026 to cash in on one more lucrative deal before retirement.
Then again, Diggs is still a top-25 receiver in the sport and could command a strong multi-year contract for a desperate team needing to build around its young quarterback.
Pro Football Focus named Diggs the 11th-best pending free agent entering this offseason despite being limited to eight games. The four-time Pro Bowler likely test the market and the football analytics outlet sees a match with the New York Giants.
“With the Giants holding a top-three draft pick, expectations are that they will make a play for one of the top quarterbacks in the class,” PFF wrote. “Pairing Diggs’ experience with Malik Nabers would provide a young passer with quality weapons in the receiving game and ample opportunity to produce quickly.”
While Diggs might no longer be viewed as a No. 1 force in the passing game, he also shows little signs of regression. At the time of his injury, the two-time All-Pro ranked top 10 in receptions (47), receiving yards (496), and yards per catch (14.1) while taking over for the sidelined Nico Collins as Stroud’s go-to weapon.
“Prior to going down, Diggs showed no signs of slowing, on pace to produce his 10th straight campaign with a 77.0-plus PFF receiving grade,” PFF wrote.
Much like with the Texans, Diggs would serve as No. 2 next to an emerging star in Nabers while helping the next Giants quarterback get comfortable transitioning to the pros. However, given that New York is in the process of a rebuild, he could command a higher salary on a multi-year deal instead of signing cheaply with a contender.
Receiver is already a need for the Texans entering free agency, but Diggs’ departure would up the necessity of targeting multiple players this offseason. In free agency, names like Hollywood Brown, Amari Cooper and Darius Slayton could come to Houston on a one-year prove-it deal.
In the draft, Houston should target at least two weapons between the second and sixth rounds. The Texans currently own six picks in April’s draft.