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Buffalo Bills: Seven moves the Bills should explore this summer

By Stephen McCarthy

BALTIMORE, MD - DECEMBER 31: Wide Receiver Tyler Boyd #83 of the Cincinnati Bengals scores a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on December 31, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD - DECEMBER 31: Wide Receiver Tyler Boyd #83 of the Cincinnati Bengals scores a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on December 31, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
(Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /

Trade Charles Clay

With three quarterbacks on the roster that only have a handful of starts combined and a weak wide receiver position, trading away one of the team’s best pass-catching options doesn’t necessarily seem like the best idea. However, Clay is injury prone and has the team’s second highest cap figure.

The Bills have been unable to fully utilize Clay in his time with the team because of quarterback play. Last season he had good numbers for a player in a bad passing offense, but I think the team needs to get younger at the position and shed some money.

Moving Clay would not do anything for the cap this season and you would have another $9 million in dead cap money this season, but it will create an additional $4.5 million in cap space next season (courtesy of Spotrac). Clay is going to be 28 this season and already with knee and back injuries, it doesn’t make a ton of sense to keep him as he gets older and makes the second most on the team.

This would obviously open up a hole at tight end, and while the team needs pass-catchers, I don’t see this season going as well as the last. You can find a veteran tight end in free agency or trade for a one-year fix. You could even give Nick O’Leary and Logan Thomas expanded roles to see what they are capable of.

One option I would love would be to make a deal for Tyler Eifert. While he is more injury prone than Clay, I have loved Eifert since his days at Notre Dame and wanted the Bills to take him over EJ Manuel. He is a matchup nightmare and extremely athletic. Eifert is a big body and can make every catch and run extremely effective routes.

It isn’t a move that makes a ton of sense, but Eifert is on a one-year deal with the Bengals for a max of $8 million. He could be a one-year fix for the Bills and if he plays well and stays healthy, the team could lock him up long-term.

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