Vikings committed to not trading Stefon Diggs, at least for now
After a drama-filled week the Minnesota Vikings say they aren’t trading Stefon Diggs, but they’ve been here before with an unhappy wide receiver.
After a week that started with missed meetings and practices, all indications are Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs will play Sunday against the New York Giants. An initial report the team fined Diggs for his unexcused absences now has a number to it, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen have reported Diggs was fined more than $200,000.
Trade rumors have naturally surfaced, and Diggs hardly dismissed them with his “there’s truth to all rumors” refrain when he returned to the practice field on Thursday. Multiple reports have suggested the Vikings won’t trade Diggs, with Schefter and Mortensen adding a move before the Oct. 29 trade deadline is unlikely but trade talks could be revisited during the offseason.
Apparently some teams believe a strong enough offer would persuade the Vikings to move Diggs. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network has also reported multiple teams have reached out regarding a trade for Digg, but the team has turned aside those overtures.
From @NFLGameDay: The #Vikings are planning to play WR Stefon Diggs today following a crazy week, but teams have been calling with trade interest. A lot of them. From what I’m told: The team isn’t trading Diggs. pic.twitter.com/2Bvi80s0Q3
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 6, 2019
Taking money away from Diggs will do nothing to mend any fences. His frustration with his role in the offense, and quarterback Kirk Cousins, could easily be projected toward the front office and coaching staff now.
Waiting for a suitable “offer they can’t refuse” and firmly not trading Diggs are two different things. But the Vikings, or more specifically general manager Rick Spielman, have been here with a flimsy declaration they weren’t trading someone before.
At the 2013 NFL Combine, Spielman said he had no intent to trade wide receiver Percy Harvin. A few weeks later, on March 11, Harvin was dealt to the Seattle Seahawks for three draft picks. So trade talks were pretty clearly going on in February, when Spielman did the rounds in Indianapolis, and Seattle ponied up with an offer to the Vikings’ liking when business for the new league year started.
Related Story. NFL Rumors: 5 teams who could trade for Stefon Diggs. light
Declaring they want to trade Diggs based on a tough week would take away all of the Vikings’ leverage in any talks. But let’s call letting it out there they aren’t trading him what it is–a call for interested teams to prepare their best offers at some point over the next three weeks.