2025 Trade Ideas Prior to the Deadline

[SoCal Deek]

1 minute ago, FireChans said:

Which means we may need to open a roster spot by trading a running back for a late round pick?

So we’re going to deplete the offensive side of the roster by three positions? Sounds like a plan McD can get behind. 😉

[FireChans]

10 minutes ago, SoCal Deek said:

So we’re going to deplete the offensive side of the roster by three positions? Sounds like a plan McD can get behind. 😉

I'll be completely honest, I was never a Ray Davis fan so it doesn't bother me too much, but I get your point.

 

@Kirby Jackson to get us back on track, I select 

 

Chris Olave

 

The setting:

 

His option has been picked up for '26. He has not signed an extension despite being extension eligible. Which means he's gettable.  The Saints may not be sure to pay him with his concussion history. Olave may not be sure to re-sign with the Saints because they are a trash can. Who knows.  

 

What we do know is that Garrett Wilson and Jamo, both in his draft class, have gotten extended already. Wilson got $32MAAV and Jamo got $26M. Have to assume Olave will want that ball park.

 

His salary for 2025 is also quite light. The Bills would be on the hook for mostly his salary as the Saints only save about $3.3M on trading him but likely less with prorated games.

 

Now, what does a 1k yard receiver with a concussion history and a pending massive contract cost?  Maybe the DK Metcalf package?  a 2nd plus?

 

I'd do that in 2 seconds.

[eball]

1 hour ago, Kirby Jackson said:

I guess that why I’m good with it. I don’t think Davis is even playable. He looks SO slow getting into the hole. If Cook were to go out they’d give Davis a chance and he’d immediately lose carries to Gore and Johnson IMO. He’s a negative to me at this point. I suspect that he Bills feel the same way based on his usage to this point. He has 11 carries through 4 games. I know that Cook has been lights out but they’ve always rotated. Personally, I’d take a 6th for Davis. 

 

I really hope it’s just coach-speak, but I did not like hearing Brady earlier this week saying they “need” to get Davis more snaps.

 

No. They. Don’t.

 

[Kirby Jackson]

29 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

He is also turning 26 within weeks. He'd be 28 at the end of his rookie deal. He is never going to be the #1 here now Cook is signed (nor would I ever have wanted him to be but the idea if Cook was still up in the air long term of at least having someone "in the system" to split time with a rookie replacement you might need to draft next spring is now out the window). I'd rather Davis than paying a vet to be in the rotation but Gore is even cheaper than Davis and so anything you can get back for Davis is gravy. 

 

Entering this year there was a 70 touch difference in college and NFL between Davis and Cook. I do not remember which one had more touches. I ran the numbers in the offseason because Cook was a part time player in college and Davis was a workhorse for like 5 years.

[NewEra]

2 hours ago, Kirby Jackson said:

I didn’t see a thread posted on the topic. Over the last few years the NFL trade deadline has been active. Contenders have added pieces. This feels like the a good place to throw out ideas for both the Bills and other teams. Obviously there are cap considerations with any move.

 

I had one idea and that was reason enough to start this. Ray Davis to the Cardinals for a 4th or 5th? The Bills recoup the draft pick that they used on Davis. It gives them ammo to deal elsewhere and gives Gore a shot at that spot. The Cardinals are without their first 2 backs. If Davis plays well he can be a part of their backfield rotation moving forward. 

If he continues to produce nothing, I think a 4th is very ambitious-  more likely a pick swap with this point.  I wouldn’t be upset at that.  Good kid, but doesnt seem to make many plays on his own.  Doesn’t look the same as last year.  His career looks over with already.

 

Trade a second for Hendrickson and a 5th-  Championship.  Get a 3rd return comp pick when he leaves after the season.  

 

 

Edited Thursday at 01:04 PM by NewEra

[SoCal Deek]

To get us back on track, the Bills are about to get THREE defensive players in their starting rotational roster. These are guys who aren’t playing at all right now. Which means we therefore have THREE defensive players who are currently playing major snaps for one of only two undefeated teams in the entire league. There aren’t any other teams that need a defensive starter?  Seems to me that’s the place to look for Trade Deadline moves. 

[skibum]

I could see trading some draft picks for DB depth down the stretch, but otherwise I'd let it ride.

 

Besides, what GM is going to cough up any meaningful assets for Ray Davis, a RB3 with 29 yards so far this year? Where do people come up with this stuff? 

[Westside]

34 minutes ago, mannc said:

No one is giving up anything for Ray Davis, but I do expect the Bills to be active at the trade deadline.  I expect at least one trade for a safety, CB, edge, or maybe even a LB.  They are—or should be—all in.

Serious question. If we do somehow make a trade for a cb, s or even an interior DL, who is McDermott going to sit? Will they even get on the field? This has happened in the past when bean makes a in season trade. Very rarely do they end up playing right away. Unless an injury forces his hand. He will sit that person and whatever we gave up for them is wasted.

[The Jokeman]

3 hours ago, Kirby Jackson said:

I didn’t see a thread posted on the topic. Over the last few years the NFL trade deadline has been active. Contenders have added pieces. This feels like the a good place to throw out ideas for both the Bills and other teams. Obviously there are cap considerations with any move.

 

I had one idea and that was reason enough to start this. Ray Davis to the Cardinals for a 4th or 5th? The Bills recoup the draft pick that they used on Davis. It gives them ammo to deal elsewhere and gives Gore a shot at that spot. The Cardinals are without their first 2 backs. If Davis plays well he can be a part of their backfield rotation moving forward. 

Why not move Gore instead since he couldn't beat out Davis for a roster spot? 

[FireChans]

I also still somehow think DJ Moore is available.

 

He's been a round peg in a square hole basically his entire time in Chicago and I'm not sure they love him there.

 

Now his salary is a bit tougher to get around at $20M, so prorated without us ripping up his deal, he would still be expensive from cap perspective. But at 28 and expensive, he may be closer to mid round pick and some stuff in trade comp.

[The Firebaugh Kid]

Pass rush is still ass. Trey Hendrickson or bust for me. 

[Kirby Jackson]

8 minutes ago, The Jokeman said:

Why not move Gore instead since he couldn't beat out Davis for a roster spot? 

Because I don’t think he was given a chance to win the roster spot. If you don’t think that draft compensation and investment, play a role in who plays, I have a bridge for sale. No GM is going to cut their 4th round pick in year 2 for an UDFA that they added that same year. 🤣🤣 
 

I think Gore could be a serviceable number 2. I don’t believe Davis belongs on the 53. I also understand that the Bills used a 4th on him last year and he played okay when given a chance. He wasn’t in competition for a spot this year. He’s been brutal so far in 2025. 

[NewEra]

1 minute ago, The Firebaugh Kid said:

Pass rush is still ass. Trey Hendrickson or bust for me. 

And the defense will likely never get off the field unless the pass rush improves. 

 

I do think Hoecht will help in that capacity….but how much ?  🤷🏻‍♂️ 

[sunshynman]

1 minute ago, NewEra said:

And the defense will likely never get off the field unless the pass rush improves. 

 

I do think Hoecht will help in that capacity….but how much ?  🤷🏻‍♂️ 

Yes. Bonified pass rusher should be a #1 target.

[Andrew Son]

Maybe Schoen will do us a solid and ship us Dexter Lawrence since he is going to be canned anyways.

[henry jones]

17 minutes ago, The Firebaugh Kid said:

Pass rush is still ass. Trey Hendrickson or bust for me. 

I'd trade Groot for Hendrickson at this point!

[BuffaloBillyG]

3 hours ago, eball said:

I like it.  Davis dropped weight and doesn’t look as good this year (admittedly small sample size), plus with how well Cook is playing and how good Gore ran in the preseason I don’t think the Bills lose much while getting that pick back.

 

 

 

Those saying Knox is being supplanted really don’t get it.  At all.  The Bills like all three TEs and use them in different roles.  Knox isn’t going anywhere and is a big part of what they’re doing; he’s playing over 50% of the snaps.

 

 

It's the "Fantasy Football Syndrome". People see his box score and don't see the productivity. They don't get what a guy like Knox brings to the team Monday through Saturday and all the dirty little jobs he does do on a Sunday. 

3 hours ago, The BLUES Brothers said:

 Sal Capaccio of WGR agrees with you. He said the Coaches really like Knox, amd his leadership.  and said he believes there will be a restructure next year to have him retire a Buffalo Bill. 

Agree. He's more of a locker room guy than an on field asset at this point. And you do need those guys in the locker room. I don't think many people have an issue with Knox as a player, but rather what the Bills are paying him, so some kind of restructure would be nice to take some heat off him. 

2 hours ago, SirAndrew said:

Davis hasn’t looked good, but I don’t like giving away players on a contender. I’d like to see what Gore can do as well, but you’re one injury away from wishing you still had Ray Davis. I trust Davis in crucial moment's, we don’t know what Gore has to offer. Several games into a season with Super Bowl hopes isn’t when I want to find out. 

Based on his usage and touches so far this season, the coaching staff doesn't. That's why he's barely seeing the field. While we don't know what Gore can do in actual NFL games yet, I wouldn't think he would be a step back from what we have seen out of Davis so far this year. At least Gore shows he can find a hole, unlike Magoo Davis.

[clearwater cadet]

There no significant threat to the Bills this season, maybe Philly, Chief could get hot and go on a run? especially if they make a couple of moves.  This is the year they should roll the dice, pass rusher, corner, deep ball receiver.  I would do it all to finally win it.

[WhitewalkerInPhilly]

Maybe this doesn't quite meet the brief but right now what is the point of Curtis Samuel? Everything we signed him to do is being done better than everyone else. Trading him mid season even for a pick swap would give only minor salary cap help but that's a roster spot opened for when we get Larry O, Hoecht and hopefully Hairston back.

 

I'd like an upgrade too but that kind of move seems very Beane

[billsfan89]

The positions where I think the Bills could possibly be on the market for a player.

1. WR- The Bills don't have a "go to" WR. It could be an issue, I would gladly take a chance on a real difference maker like Olave but I also just don't think the Bills would do it nor do I think any other actual affordable (cap wise) difference maker is there. Bills will have to hope Keon/Kincaid continue to develop. 
2. DT- For what seems like the 6th trade deadline in a row the Bills could use a true big run stuffing DT. But given the recent draft investment of Sanders/Walker and the vets in Ed/Jones and a returning Larry O I just don't see them doing this. 
3. Safety- Cole is playing better and I think will get better the more snaps he gets. But does this team think they could upgrade Rapp? Maybe acquire a safety and move Rapp to a "big nickel" niche role like he had in 2023? 
4. LB- Maybe more so a depth need here. Bernard is a solid MLB and Milano a quality player when healthy. And the Bills have seemingly found a nice vet in Shaq Thompson. But with the sudden lackluster performance from Dorian Williams (Buffalo Joe more of a ST ace and a third stringer) could this team maybe use some depth at LB? Milano has durability issues and Shaq is older. I think a smart move here could be a trade some depth at LB. 
5. CB- Mad Max will likely/hopefully be back at some point but if Tre gets hurt could this team go after a corner? Or even if Tre just struggles and Strong is a bit raw and Mad Max's return is later in the year does this team look to get more at corner? 

I think overall this team is going to make some sort of move on the defensive side. Not necessarily a massive difference maker (those aren't exactly easy to find at the trade deadline) but a Rasul Dougals 2023 acquisition the could add a good starting caliber piece to the defense to further solidify the unit.

55 minutes ago, The Firebaugh Kid said:

Pass rush is still ass. Trey Hendrickson or bust for me. 

 

Bills can't fit Trey under the cap, the Bengals just gave him a boat load of cash to keep him happy this year. There's no major impact player that the Bills could likely acquire under the cap. I think the best the Bills could hope for is a Rasul Douglas 2023 type player, a solid to good starter to bolster a unit.