BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - OCTOBER 23: Running back Kareem Hunt #27 of the Cleveland Browns runs with the ball against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on October 23, 2022 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Who should the Bills be targeting ahead of Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline?
The Bills went into the 2022 NFL season as the Super Bowl favorites, and for very good reasons. They had a good draft in April and they helped shape the roster even more in free agency. But, like all teams around the league, there is always room for improvement.
Buffalo had trade rumors surrounding running back Christian McCaffery from the Panthers but sources said the Bills thought the asking price was too high. The 49ers made a move for McCaffery later on which costed them four draft picks.
Below, I’ll highlight some trade targets that I think could fill a position of need for the Bills.
Running backs
If you watch any Bills football game, no matter who the opponent, you will see the Bills pass the ball much more than they run the ball. The Bills would most likely be willing to give up running back Zack Moss and very few draft picks for a running back in return. These players could help the Bills develop into something even scarier:
Cam Akers (Rams)
LA Rams head coach Sean McVay said that the team is exploring trades for Cam Akers to give him “a fresh new start with another team.” The Bills could easily be that fresh new start for the 23-year old. Akers started off with a strong rookie campaign but in 2021 he tore his achilles, ruling him out for the season. Akers was hoping to bounce back in 2022 but up to this point he has not shown his true potential. The Bills will probably not have to give up too much for Akers due to the injury last season and the lackluster start here in 2022.
Antonio Gibson (Commanders)
The young, third-year running back Antonio Gibson could be traded in the coming days. Washington drafted rookie running back Brian Robinson Jr. back in April and he has gotten more snaps than Gibson and J.D. McKissic. Gibson is still young and he put up good numbers in his first two seasons in the league. There’s no reason the Bills wouldn’t mind giving up Zack Moss and a pick or two for Gibson.
Kareem Hunt (Browns)
Kareem Hunt has requested a trade out of Cleveland due to a contract dispute. Hunt is a starting-level running back at 27 and can be an instant starter on many teams. Hunt has had to sit and watch starting running back Nick Chubb get most of the workload in Cleveland, but he could come to Buffalo and start rather quickly and help the Bills run game a lot.
Wide receivers
The Bills are a very pass-heavy offense and adding to the weapons at the wide receiver position will help Josh Allen tremendously and make play calling for Ken Doresy even more fun than it already is. The Bills have two of the best receivers in the league in terms of yardage and touchdowns (Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis), but the Bills’ slot position may be a problem going forward with the lackluster performance of Isaiah McKenzie.
Odell Beckham Jr. (Free Agent)
Odell Beckham Jr. suffered a torn ACL back in February during the Super Bowl, and since then, Beckham Jr. has been playing with many fanbases’ heartstrings by teasing where he will sign. Bills edge rusher and Beckham Jr.’s former teammate, Von Miller, has been trying to recruit him to the Bills since the season started. It won’t be through trade, but Odell should be on a roster by mid-November.
Tight ends
The Bills have a solid starting tight end with Dawson Knox but behind him there isn’t a lot of talent in the pass-catching category. This brings up problems if the Bills want to run two tight ends sets.
Albert Okwuegbunam (Broncos)
The Broncos drafted rookie tight end Greg Dulcich in the 2022 NFL draft and he might start to slowly take over the amount of snaps over Okwuegbunam. Okwuegbunam is still young at 24 and can get a new start in Buffalo behind Dawson Knox. The Bills can use him in many different ways if they run two tight end sets.
Offensive line
The Bills have struggled to get the offensive line fully healthy and all on the field together, but the addition of a new guard or tackle could help the Bills not only in the pass game but can improve their run blocking drastically. The Bills are ranked very low when it comes to run blocking but an addition on the offensive line could help.
Dalton Risner (Broncos, Guard)
Dalton Risner is in the final year of his contract with the Broncos and some teams have trade interest in him. The Bills could use Risner inside to help in the run game. The Bills have struggled on third and short and adding a linemen to the inside can help improve that.
Andre Dillard (Eagles, Tackle)
Andre Dillard is in the final year of his contract with the Eagles and is currently behind Jordan Maliata on their depth chart. Dillard has only played in one game for the Eagles this season.
Secondary
The Bills may need some help in the secondary due to the injury to Micah Hyde, which ended his season. Hyde and Jordan Poyer hold down the secondary and without Hyde in the secondary the Bills have lacked in some scenarios.
K’von Wallace (Eagles, Safety)
K’von Wallace has quickly been swept under the rug on the Eagles roster and is a special teams only player, but he could help the Bills out in the secondary by sending a cheap trade offer. With the absence of Micah Hyde, the Bills may be looking for reinforcements at the position, and bringing in Wallace can help a lot.
The Bills don’t necessarily need to make a trade to go far this season but there are trades out there that could benefit the Bills in more ways than one.
Do you see the Bills making a trade before the deadline? If so, for who?
