Stefon Diggs Trade Rumors: Belichick, Patriots Declined to Match Bills' Offer

The Vikings-Bills transaction that sent Stefon Diggs to Buffalo and the draft pick that became Justin Jefferson (among others) to Minnesota is the rare win-win NFL trade. 

However, Diggs was nearly a New England Patriot.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported the Patriots and Bills were the final two teams in the running for Diggs, but New England failed to match Buffalo's offer in negotiations. The Bills gave up a first-, fifth- and sixth-round pick in the 2020 draft and a fourth-rounder in 2021 for Diggs and a seventh-round selection.

It's unlikely we'll ever get an answer from Bill Belichick, but we can do some dot-connecting and theorize the Patriots' pursuit of Diggs was part of a last-ditch effort to convince Tom Brady to stay in New England.

The Bills traded for Diggs on March 16. A tweet Diggs sent asking for a "new beginning" came that same day. While it's likely the Vikings were exploring the market for their disgruntled receiver before that tweet, we do know the public comment expedited Diggs' departure. 

Brady announced he was leaving the Patriots through his social media channels March 17. We don't have an exact timeline of how these things came about, but it would make far more sense for the Patriots to sacrifice multiple draft picks for Diggs if Brady was sticking around.

New England's starting quarterback in 2020, Cam Newton, didn't even sign with the team until July. While it's possible the Patriots considered adding Diggs to help Jarrett Stidham take the reins, it's far more likely they gave up their pursuit once it was clear Brady would be heading elsewhere.

Things worked out well for Brady and Diggs, who will be playing in the conference championship for their respective new teams Sunday.

The Patriots, meanwhile, suffered their first losing season in two decades.