Andrew Buller-Russ
NFL teams are always chasing one thing: a Super Bowl victory. That’s been true for the Buffalo Bills ever since the franchise was founded back in 1960. Except, unlike some other teams, the Bills have actually had several cracks at the apple, reaching the promised land four times, but failing to win each one.
But that was before; this is now. Again, the Bills are in rare air, as a team that’s annually expected to be a top contender. Unfortunately, that pressure led to some cracks within the organization, leading to head coach Sean McDermott’s dismissal.
Now it’s up to McDermott’s former offensive coordinator, Joe Brady, to not just return to the AFC Conference Championship but finally get to the next stage. To do so, the Bills may need to take a page from other top contenders around the league who have really gone for it in recent weeks. The Myles Garrett and A.J. Brown trades are top examples.
Should the Bills take a swing of their own?
Recently, ESPN’s Dan Graziano linked the Bills and other teams to a trade for Las Vegas Raiders superstar Maxx Crosby. Yet, unlike the recent activity involving Garrett and Brown, don’t expect a Crosby trade to take place before the season kicks off.
“It remains to be seen what he looks like coming off a knee injury that was bad enough to kill a trade. I wouldn’t expect Crosby trade talk to heat up again until he gets on a field and shows he’s healthy. From everything I’ve been told, that could be in August or later. Crosby might stick with the Raiders all year, but if he’s going to get traded at all, we’re probably looking at something in-season ahead of the deadline. If a team such as the Cowboys, Bills, Bears or Patriots finds itself in contention and in need of an impact pass rusher, things could get interesting here again.”
ESPN’s Dan Graziano on Maxx Crosby trade
It makes sense for the Raiders to hold onto Crosby, at least into the start of the season. Who knows? What if first-year head coach Klint Kubiak and all the other roster additions can really make a difference in Las Vegas? If so, they’d certainly want a premier pass rusher like Crosby rushing off the edge instead of future draft compensation that won’t help them compete in 2026.
Yet, if Crosby gets off to a hot start but the Raiders still aren’t winning, then what’s preventing them from turning back to the trade market? At that point, Crosby’s trade value will have rebounded by proving his knee isn’t a problem, and frustrations could be mounting for the veteran in Vegas as losses mount. Then, a trade that lands the Raiders an extra first-round pick in what’s expected to be a talent-filled 2027 NFL Draft class wouldn’t look so bad, and the Bills may be ready to push their chips all in.
Related: 8 NFL Trades We’d Like To See After June 1
