The Buffalo Bills are one of the best teams in the NFL this season. However, injuries to the defense have put Buffalo in a perilous position as it attempts to compete against other Super Bowl contenders. Fortunately, the NFL trade deadline could provide some help.
Buffalo lost standout linebacker Matt Milano and top cornerback Tre’Davious White for the remainder of the season. Meanwhile, defensive tackle DaQuan Jones is out indefinitely. While the holes on defense are significant, there’s also room to improve offensively.
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Let’s examine four potential Bills trade targets to improve their Super Bowl odds.
Michael Onwenu, guard, New England Patriots
Entering NFL games today, Buffalo’s offensive line ranks fifth in Pro Football Focus’ Pass Blocking Efficiency (87.4). The Bills’ front five has allowed just two sacks in 227 dropbacks this season and it has allowed the 12th-fewest pressures in the NFL. For a team with a 57% pass rate, those numbers are excellent.
However, there’s room to improve in the trenches. Connor McGovern has performed well in pass protection this season, with PFF crediting him with only eight pressures allowed in 244 pass-block snaps. However, he’s one of the worst run blockers in the league. On the other side, rookie O’Cyrus Torrence is struggling.
Mike Onwenu would be an immediate upgrade for the Bills’ offensive line. Last season he received a higher pass-blocking grade (83.1) than McGovern and graded as above-average (73.1) as a run blocker. One year prior, Onwenu was one of the best run blocks in the NFL all while playing right tackle and left guard. The versatility and well-rounded play would be a key addition to Buffalo’s offense moving forward.
Jordan Hicks, linebacker, Minnesota Vikings
The Bills were fine with allowing Tremaine Edmunds to depart in free agency this offseason. While his athleticism would be missed, there was confidence Matt Milano could play at an All-Pro level. Now, Buffalo doesn’t have either linebacker.
There have already been signs of Buffalo’s defense deteriorating, even before injuries struck. From Weeks 4-6, the Bills have allowed opponents to average 156.7 rushing yards per game and 5.1 yards per carry. To make matters worse, Milano’s absence has now opened up the middle of the field for quarterbacks to attack in coverage on a regular basis.
Enter Jordan Hicks. The veteran linebacker is thriving with the Minnesota Vikings this season. He grades as a top-20 defender against the run among all off-ball linebackers. He is also excelling in coverage, earning an 80.1 PFF grade across 172 coverage snaps, recording seven stops with one interception. He can’t have the same impact as Milano, but Hicks would be a defense-changing addition for the Bills.
Derrick Henry, running back, Tennessee Titans
Buffalo has been surprisingly effective on the ground this season. It’s running the football on 43.1% of its plays, up from 40.56% last season. Even more impressive, the Bills’ offense has the 10th-highest yards per carry average (4.4) with the ninth-best rushing first down rate (34.85%).
Related: NFL insider addresses likelihood of Derrick Henry trade
Of course, there’s always room to improve. James Cook has proven to be inconsistent, a veraging over 5 yards per carry in three contests and under 3.9 yards per carry in his other three games. While Latavius Murray has been effective, Derrick Henry could be the focal point of this run game and serve as the perfect complement with defenses playing deep to contain Josh Allen.
However, two factors could stand in the way of a trade. Buffalo might feel opposed to using its limited draft capital on a running back, especially with how effective the run game already is. Furthermore, Henry’s cap hit ($16 million) would force the Bills ($1 million in cap space) to move significant money around before a deal can happen.
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Hunter Renfrow, wide receiver, Las Vegas Raiders
While a wide receiver like Marquise Brown initially seems like a better fit due to Buffalo’s vertical passing game, Hunter Renfrow stands out as one of the more realistic options. Plus, he’d likely be the cheapest of the Bills trade targets to acquire.
The Las Vegas Raiders have been shopping Renfrow for weeks, unable to find a taker at their price. Thanks to the NFL trade deadline on Octo. 31, the cost of acquiring Renfrow will come down. Realistically, it should cost Buffalo nothing more than a late Day 3 pick to land the former Pro Bowl receiver.
With Gabe Davis stretching defenses deep and defensive backs focusing extra attention on Stefon Diggs, everything opens up underneath for Renfrow. The veteran. While he’s barely seen the field this season, Renfrow ranked 22nd in yards per route run (2.08) with the fifth-highest target separation (2.14 yards) in 2021. Turning 28 in December, he could be the check-down option that Allen hasn’t really had when defenses double-team Diggs and that could be especially crucial in the playoffs.