Closing in on training camp report date for all 32 NFL teams in the next two weeks, Quandre Diggs has found himself in unchartered territory without a team more than four months after the Seattle Seahawks released him in a cap-saving move prior to the start of free agency.
Luckily for Diggs, though he will likely have to wait until July 15 to play like the rest of the masses despite his pleas on social media, the arrival of the much-anticipated College Football 25 video game from EA Sports this upcoming week will give him a fun distraction in the meantime as he awaits his next NFL opportunity. The situation could certainly be worse.
What’s good with it? @EASPORTSCollege I ain’t got no job but I would love to make my job playing the game early!
— Nino (@qdiggs6) July 14, 2024
Nonetheless, it's been an odd offseason for veteran safeties such as Diggs to say the least. Several high-profile players at the position landed on the unemployment line before the new league year started in March with teams eager to create spending space elsewhere, including former Broncos All-Pro Justin Simmons, who like Diggs has yet to sign with a new team as training camps rapidly approach.
Considering his resume, it's a significant surprise Diggs hasn't found a new home yet. Before the streak came to a halt last season, he had tallied at least three interceptions in six consecutive seasons, the longest active streak in the NFL in that time period. He also made three straight Pro Bowl squads from 2020 to 2022, recording 14 interceptions, 10 pass breakups, and 158 solo tackles in that span as one of the top free safeties in the sport.
But to this point, teams across the NFL haven't shown much interest in signing safeties north of 30 years of age remaining available on the market. In addition to Diggs and Simmons, former Bears All-Pro Eddie Jackson, former Bills Pro Bowler Micah Hyde, and steady former Cowboys starter Jayron Kearse have yet to ink a deal with a new team, a clear statement on the sign of the times with so many quality football safeties still on the street.
If there's reason for optimism for players such as Diggs, his former Seahawks teammate Jamal Adams signed a one-year deal with the Titans last week. However, coming off another injury-shortened season, Adams had to settle for a veteran's minimum contract worth $1.125 million, and other veteran safeties in need of jobs may have to be willing to play at a significant discount themselves.
In the case of Diggs, he doesn't have the lengthy injury history Adams has, but he's now 31 years old, which likely stands out as the biggest reason he remains on the job search. While other teams may still inquire about his availability with camp coming up soon, with opportunities drying up around the league, reuniting with the Seahawks may be the best fit for both the player and team in 2024.
Shortly after releasing Diggs and Adams, Seattle moved quickly to sign replacements, bringing former Jaguars starter Rayshawn Jenkins and utility defensive back K'Von Wallace into the fold in free agency. Offering extensive experience at both safety spots, Jenkins will slot in as a starter alongside Pro Bowler Julian Love, who will be entering a contract year with much at stake in new coach Mike Macdonald's defense.
With Jenkins on board and Love returning, a starting spot isn't readily available for Diggs, which would require some concessions from a player who has started 104 games since 2017. But even if he isn't viewed as an every down player at this stage, that doesn't mean he couldn't provide value in a situational role either, especially playing for Macdonald, who prioritized deploying three safety sets as the Ravens defensive coordinator over the past two seasons.
Though he only intercepted one pass in 2024 - his lowest output since 2016 - and missed more tackles than he has in the past, Diggs still had a decent season for the Seahawks a year ago. Per Pro Football Focus, he ranked 19th in receptions allowed (20), 24th in yardage allowed (247), and tied for 10th in touchdowns allowed (1) out of 63 qualified safeties, and he totaled a career-best 95 combined tackles. Still able to cover a lot of ground as a deep safety, his penchant for hunting picks would still be an invaluable asset for Macdonald's defense in passing situations.
Diggs also previously played slot corner earlier in his career for the Lions, and while he wouldn't be expected to see many snaps in that role, he could sub in during dime packages in a pinch and offer the ability to slide down to cover slot receivers or crawl up towards the box if called upon. Mixing and matching a combination of him, Love, and Jenkins would give Macdonald no shortage of options for how he could deploy the trio, opening up the entire playbook.
Financially, Seattle also has a little more wiggle room to add a quality veteran like Diggs than it did a month ago, as restructuring defensive tackle Dre'Mont Jones' contract pushed their open cap space up to $8 million. While he shouldn't expect much more than what Adams received from Tennessee, it's possible incentives could be baked in to sweeten the deal for a player the organization still holds great respect for.
Ultimately, if Diggs desires a starting job over playing a reserve role with a potential contender, coming back to Seattle likely won't be at the top of his wish list, and an injury elsewhere early in camp could spawn desperation for another team to acquire his services. It's not uncommon for veterans with extensive experience to wait things out into training camp before the right opportunity finally presents itself, and being patient in this instance isn't necessarily the wrong move.
But with rookies starting to report for camps around the league next week, the reality is that Diggs hasn't had an opportunity elsewhere come his way yet worth jumping at, and the little money left for most teams to spend won't be set aside for aging safeties.
Still a capable defender who offers leadership, positional flexibility, and plenty of ball-hawking skills, Diggs could step right in as a viable rotational coverage safety for the Seahawks with a chance to still make a significant impact in a defensive scheme that leans heavily on five and six-defensive back formations. If he's hoping to land a job soon and wants to contribute for a playoff push rather than rack up virtual years on his College Football 25 dynasty, going back to familiar surroundings would be an ideal scenario for all parties.
