Jefferson/Thielen > Diggs/Thielen? Jefferson says YES
Joe Johnson
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It’s rare for a trade in the NFL to work out for both parties. There were two superstar trades this past off-season that highlight that fact. The Houston Texans traded superstar receiver DeAndre Hopkins to Arizona for essentially what amounted to an early-season pink slip for then Texans coach Bill O’Brien.
The Vikings, if you weren’t aware, traded mercurial wide receiver Stefon Diggs to the Buffalo Bills for a first-round pick that netted the Vikings ROokie of the Year leader Justin Jefferson, and a fourth/fifth/seventh round pick.
Diggs currently leads the league in receiving yards and Jefferson is getting compared to Randy Moss’ amazing 1998 rookie year. Win-win.
But did the Vikings end up victors here? I’m sure a lot of you out there have come to that conclusion watching Jefferson light the league afire this season, making catches that Diggs never made during his time in Minnesota and working in conjunction with Adam Thielen in what feels more seamless (when compared to Diggs decoy status during the start to the 2018 season).
Obviously, everyone in Vikingsland would rather have Jefferson over Diggs for more than just on the field reasons. Regardless of how often Bills fans say (everywhere with a comment section) that Diggs magically “matured” at the age of 27 over one summer, the reality is that he is a time bomb waiting to explode whenever things don’t go his way.
Wait, everything by every available metric was going Diggs’ way in Minny, so, he’s just a time bomb. But, are Jefferson and Thielen a better (or more dynamic) duo than Diggs/Thielen?
Justin Jefferson was asked just that today on the CBS Sports podcast “All Things Covered with Patrick Petersonand Bryant McFadden,” and said: YES!
“One, I’m a rookie but I have the mindset of a veteran,” Jefferson said. “I just try to take every game the same and just try to be consistent. I feel like that’s one of the hardest things especially as a rookie is being consistent and having those high-yard games week in and week out. Just having defenses really disguise their game around you — that’s crazy.
Last game was the first time I have seen a robber (in coverage) in a hot minute. Just seeing that, it (gives) me confidence as well, showing that a defense has to do that to really lock me down.”
I’ve been waiting for a time to announce/solidify my belief that Jefferson is the more dynamic receiver than Diggs, as I’ve been writing periodic updates on Diggs’ first season in Buffalo (until his inevitable meltdown). It looks like that time is now.
In the article about the above-referenced podcast, an anonymous NFL coach (offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach) told CBS’ Bucky Brooks that Jefferson was one of the best wide receivers he’d EVER SEEN.
“He’s one of the best receivers that I’ve ever studied in 40-plus years,” the unidentified coach told Brooks. “He can do it all and has no fear and can play slot or outside. … He’s a baller who is much better than he’s been credited. Trust me. The kid is a baller.”
So, it looks like in this win-win trade, the Vikings won BIG. Which makes all the inevitable “ur butthurt” comments to this article from Bills fans all the more ironic as we in Vikingsland are elated Diggs is gone. He was, by your definition, immature (since you keep saying he “matured” since leaving Minny) and self-centered.
He may be the man in Buffalo, but if you don’t make it beyond the second-round of the playoffs this year or next, strap in for “Diggs being Diggs”. Meanwhile, we’ll have 15 years of watching “Jefferson being better than Diggs”.