For the past two offseasons, there had been speculation, and last week, the long-anticipated event occurred.

The departure of Stefon Diggs from the Buffalo Bills appeared inevitable at some stage, and General Manager Brandon Beane ultimately made the decision, trading the two-time All-Pro receiver to the Houston Texans for a 2025 second-round pick. This move significantly altered the landscape of power within the AFC.

While the transaction appeared sudden, Beane assured that quarterback Josh Allen was informed and involved in the process.

“I did alert (Allen) that there had been some inquiries and it wasn’t 100% off the table,” Beane told reporters last week. “… Josh and I have a pretty regular conversation on things, and I think it’s important for me to make sure if I think something could happen to make sure he’s not blindsided.”

Despite outward statements from both players suggesting otherwise, the relationship between Allen and Diggs appeared to sour over the past two seasons.

There were instances of sideline arguments between Diggs and the two-time Pro Bowler, with one notable incident occurring after the Bills’ Week 1 loss to the New York Jets, where heated words were reportedly exchanged in the locker room.

However, despite any tensions, it’s undeniable that Allen and Diggs formed one of the NFL’s most formidable QB-WR partnerships over the last four years.

In Diggs’ inaugural season with the Bills, he led the league in both receptions and yards. Throughout their time together, Diggs consistently received over 150 targets, made 103 or more receptions, amassed 1,183 or more yards, and scored at least eight touchdowns each season he played alongside Allen.

Conversely, Allen’s performance flourished with Diggs on the team, consistently throwing for over 4,283 yards and at least 29 touchdowns per season. Notably, the Bills’ win-loss record with Allen as the starter improved significantly with Diggs, standing at 48-18 with him compared to 15-12 without him. Additionally, Allen received top-five MVP voting recognition in three of the four seasons Diggs was part of the Bills.

“They’ve been a really good duo,” Beane said. “I don’t think Stef made All-Pro before he got here, and he made multiple and some Pro Bowls in there, too. And, Josh ramped up as well. So I do think when they were clicking, the games they were clicking or the seasons they were really clicking, you could say they were probably up there with most any quarterback-receiver.”