By Jack Stewart
The last two weeks for the Buffalo Bills have been disappointing…to say the least. A 23-20 loss to the Patriots and a 24-14 loss to the Falcons are unacceptable from a supposed Super Bowl contender, and it’s obvious that changes need to be made. Even through Buffalo’s four wins, the offense has looked uninspired and the defense shaky, necessitating a move from general manager Brandon Beane this trade deadline. With a variety of pieces on the trading block and in free agency, there are a number of moves the Bills can make at this trade deadline to salvage the season.
Through six weeks, it’s been clear that this Bills’ defense is not championship caliber, and a key part of that is our secondary. As of now, the Bills are starting Cole Bishop and Taylor Rapp at free and strong safety, both of whom have been subpar. It’s by far our biggest hole; however, the solution is very clear—Justin Simmons. He’s a four-time All-Pro and the 2022 interception leader, yet at 31 years old, he’s still a free agent. Simmons has stated he’s waiting until he gets an opportunity with a “true contender,” and the Bills could be that perfect fit he’s looking for. He’s a proven veteran who could fix our secondary problems, and his addition would provide much-needed star power to the Bills defense. Another defensive gap has popped up at linebacker, especially with Matt Milano’s injury inconsistencies. Recent trade rumors have linked Tennessee Titans linebacker Cody Barton to the Bills, which could be a great option for our defense. It’s clear that our run defense has been weak, and reinforcing the second line could be a great way to patch this hole. Another solid option could be Miami Dolphins’ outside linebacker Bradley Chubb, who’s shined with the team over the past four years. Both he and Barton could supplement our struggling defense, especially with our run problems.
On the offensive side of the ball, our biggest issue has been wide receiver, and many have argued we need a true star at the position. While he isn’t a top-level player, Chris Olave of the New Orleans Saints could be a great fit for our offense. The Saints are currently sitting at 1-6, and Olave, who’s beginning to enter his prime, has been at the center of trade rumors shipping him out of New Orleans. He’s been a solid weapon with multiple 1000-yard seasons under his belt, and he’d likely take that next step under Josh Allen. Olave would give the Bills a true wide receiver one and be that receiving threat we’ve lacked over the last two seasons. A second option could be Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Meyers, and while he wouldn’t be the same offensive threat that Olave would, he could still bolster our receiving room. Meyers has stated to the press that he “for sure wants to be traded,” and Buffalo has been one of the major rumored landing spots. For Meyers, playing here would give him the opportunity to develop under Josh Allen and grow into the talent that he’s shown flashes of in Las Vegas. Either of these two would be a great addition to the Bills’ attack, which has looked sluggish up to this point. Our current receivers have struggled to get open, and having an explosive weapon like Olave or Meyers could help finally respark our offense.
While the Bills aren’t in panic mode quite yet, moves need to be made imminently if we want to remain a contender. Our defense and receivers are not Super Bowl caliber, and Brandon Beane needs to make some key moves in free agency and on the trade block in order to rejuvenate this Buffalo Bills squad.