Bills plan after trading Stefon Diggs could legitimately hurt Josh Allen's career

The Buffalo Bills shook up the NFL world by deciding to trade away Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans.

Whether the main reason for dealing Diggs came down to his attitude or his contract is unclear, but it undoubtedly is a big loss on the field for Buffalo. Since arriving in Buffalo ahead of the 2020 campaign, all Diggs has done is establish himself as one of the premier wide receivers in the NFL, leading the league in receptions and yards in 2020 and making four straight Pro Bowls.

Trading Diggs can be justified, but that doesn't mean his on-field production won't be missed. The Bills now have a glaring need at receiver. At least that's what everyone except Bills GM Brandon Beane believes.

Bills plan after Stefon Diggs trade is the last thing Josh Allen wants to hear

"We have not filled a No. 1 role. We have a group of guys who bring different skill sets. Would we like to add to it at some point? Yes. But I'm not sitting here thinking we have a glaring hole."

It's good that Beane acknowledges that none of Khalil Shakir, Curtis Samuel, or Mack Hollins are capable WR1 replacements for Diggs. It's good to see that Beane would like to add it at some point. Acting as if it isn't a glaring hole right now, though, is a problem.

The Bills have one of, if not the worst receiving corps on paper. Having a strong tight end duo of Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox will help, as will having James Cook in the backfield, but the Bills need a high-end receiver badly. Let's not forget about Gabe Davis leaving either. He might've been maddeningly inconsistent, but he still had games in which he looked like a legitimate WR1.

The chances of Buffalo acquiring a legitimate WR1 right now are fairly slim. The draft is approaching, and Buffalo is set to pick at No. 28 overall. They can get a good receiver, but it's hard to imagine they land a WR1-level talent without a major blockbuster.

There's no other way to look at this situation other than to feel for Josh Allen. He'll almost certainly have a below-average receiving group to work with including no WR1. The lack of urgency for Beane to get that handled is astonishing when looking at how Allen's production took a major leap once Diggs joined the fold.