AFC Notes: Stefon Diggs, Lawrence Guy, Bills, Patriots

Bills

Bills WR Stefon Diggs admitted that he was frustrated with the way the team has been bounced out of the playoffs the past couple of seasons and said he’s had conversations with HC Sean McDermott about it. The two sides have cleared the air and moved forward.

“I’ve been in the league going on my ninth year here right now. I’ve got more football behind me than I do in front of me. My main focus and my only focus is winning. Super Bowls. I mean everybody says they want a Super Bowl, but we’ve had legitimate chances at this thing,” Diggs said, via Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN. “We’ve had everything that we needed. As far as us not getting over the hump, I feel like it’s always asked for or cause for a conversation. And I always wanted to have a conversation. And we have an open-door policy. Coach [Sean McDermott] will tell you he has an open-door policy. And I’ve had those conversations. I try to keep a lot of things in-house. But regarding last year, obviously, the way we lost [in the playoffs to the Cincinnati Bengals] was just terrible in any regard. You don’t want to lose any game. But we’ve lost for a couple of years at this point. We’ve been trying to get over the hump. And obviously it’s cause for a lot of frustration. But all in all, as far as with that, I was here, but me and [McDermott] did have a conversation.”

Diggs added that he’s never wanted a say-so in what plays are called and is focused on executing his job regardless of what the team is running.

“For me to just want more say in the offense is crazy because I play receiver. I don’t care what play is called. I can’t get up there and say call it. It’s a lot of outlandish, obvious things that people were throwing out there or people were saying as far as my role,” Diggs said. “As a player, who I am and what I am has always been represented, and what I do on a consistent basis, how hard I work. You can see it. And my teammates speak highly about me in that regard, especially considering I’ve been a captain ever since I got here. As far as me wanting to have say-so on the playcalls, that is insane. I couldn’t call a play to save my life.”

Diggs also said that he never wanted to leave Buffalo and is happy where he’s at.

“Forcing my way out of anywhere is not my goal. I don’t feel like I have to at this point. I feel like I’m in a great space, a great place, I’m loved, and I’m appreciated,” Diggs said. “At the end of the day, that’s all I want. That’s all anybody would want in any job that you do.”

• Aaron Wilson notes that the Bills worked out XFL QB Nick Tiano.

Lawrence Guy

Patriots DL Lawrence Guy said he’s keeping upcoming contract discussions with the team private.

“I’m here, I got a big smile on my face,” Guy said, via PFT. “I’m gonna do whatever I can for the organization and work as hard as I can.”

Patriots

The Patriots lost only one defensive starter (S Devin McCourty) from last season’s unit that was 11th in scoring defense and No. 8 in yards. That’s the lowest turnover of any defense in the league. New England used that continuity to their advantage during OTAs and minicamp to focus on second-level problems rather than the basics they’d already mastered. 

“OTAs, that’s where some guys really start to learn the defense, what the coaches are asking of you, the expectations, the standard. But we already know that,” Patriots S Jabrill Peppers said via ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “So we’re looking for ways to get ahead. How can we disguise? Awareness things. Things we might not have necessarily put our best foot forward last year, trying to take that next step.”