Now that the Buffalo Bills have addressed their need for another playmaking receiver by trading for Amari Cooper, some thought GM Brandon Beane would be done making moves. Yet, shortly after adding Cooper, Beane noted that the Bills are “all-in” and could still make another trade or two before the NFL’s Nov. 5 deadline.
With Buffalo sitting comfortably in first place of the AFC East, it’s time to consider other trades that can help the Bills pursue what could be the first Super Bowl ring in franchise history.
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Buffalo Bills trade for two-time All-Pro safety Budda Baker
The fact that Damar Hamlin not only survived going into cardiac arrest, but now is the Bills’ starting safety is an incredible feat. Probably worth a movie. Yet, the Bills aren’t trying to impress Hollywood, they’re trying to win football games, and Hamlin is PFF’s 49th-ranked safety out of 84 qualified players. Just like Ryan Gosling was in Remember the Titans, Hamlin is a liability in the secondary.
Whereas, Budda Baker is a playmaking two-time All-Pro who grades as the 26th-best safety this season. The 28-year-old is also playing out the final year of his contract for a 2-4 Cardinals team. If Arizona loses another game or two, Baker could become one of this year’s hottest trade deadline targets, and he’d be a great fit in Buffalo.
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Trade for former first-round LB Devin Lloyd
Matt Milano’s second consecutive season-ending injury has placed extra stress on the Bills’ defense. Last year, Terrel Bernard stepped up and led the team with 143 tackles. But for the second season in a row, the Bills have a bottom-five rush defense that’s allowing a league-worst 5.3 yards per rush attempt.
Jacksonville’s Devin Lloyd is a former first-round pick with just one year left on his contract. The Jaguars could very well extend the 26-year-old, but they could also cash in on his high trade value in an effort to rebuild the roster more quickly. Lloyd is grading as the 10th-best run defender per PFF this season and could help make up for Milano’s absence in Buffalo.
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Trade for 4x Pro Bowl center Ryan Kelly
Connor McGovern’s doing a great job as Buffalo’s center. He hasn’t allowed a sack, or committed a penalty. Yet, guards David Edwards and O’Cyrus Torrence are struggling. Since Torrence was the team’s second-round pick in 2023, he’s likely not at risk of being replaced. Yet, since McGovern also has experience playing guard, he could take over for Edwards, who is the 40th-ranked guard among 75 qualifiers.
However, the only way the Bills would entertain moving a thriving McGovern to his old position would be if they could find another starting center that could provide stability. One potential option is four-time Pro Bowler Ryan Kelly. At 3-3, the Colts’ season is up in the air, and the 31-year-old Kelly is in the final year of his contract. This could make him expendable if Indianapolis can’t find the winning column more frequently.
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Trade for 2x Pro Bowl DT Jeffery Simmons
We already noted how the Bills have struggled to stop the rush. If Buffalo’s front office wants to swing for the fences, there may be no bigger trade target than Jeffery Simmons. The 27-year-old is stuck on a 1-4 Titans team that could soon become trade deadline sellers.
One potential hurdle (if he’s even available) is Simmons’ $16.5 million salary this season. The Bills have just over $2 million in cap space, so somehow, they’d have to either create a lot more room or see if Simmons is interested in adjusting his contract to help promote a trade. But make no mistake, the NFL’s sixth-highest-graded run-stuffing DT would be a significant upgrade in Buffalo.
Trade for kicker Eddy Pineiro
With Sean McDermott growing “concerned” about Tyler Bass, the Bills signed kicker Lucas Havrisik to the practice squad. Yet, there’s a reason he was available too. One player who’s currently an NFL starting kicker is Eddy Pineiro. The Panthers signed him to a two-year extension, hoping he could help them win a few more games last season. But Carolina’s struggles go much further than special teams.
Yet, Pineiro has done his job well, drilling 90% of his field goals this season, compared to Bass being at 75%. He also hasn’t missed an extra point. Our guess is trading for a new kicker like Pineiro wouldn’t cost Buffalo more than a 2025 sixth-round pick, at best.