The Buffalo Bills are in dire need of some cornerback help. They needed it before the season, and they still do. The CB position is one that the 2025 Bills can't seem to win at, despite the success of Christian Benford.
Fortunately, there is plenty of time before the Nov. 4th NFL trade deadline and the Bills' bye week gives them the time to work it out. It's quite likely the Bills make some sort of move; Brandon Beane has a history of doing trade deadline deals.
Tre'Davious White has his issues, and health has been a concern up and down the secondary this season. First-round pick Maxwell Hairston hasn't seen the field since before pre-season, and has yet to have his practice window opened. Why not trade for the solution? Buffalo needs both better at starter and healthier at depth.
Trade targets are everywhere for those with the eyes to see them; Solid talent is trapped on franchises destined for NFL Draft stardom in 2026. To play the role of selfish hero, Buffalo should rescue these DB damsels, and save the Bills season in the process.
3 cornerbacks Bills need to strongly consider trading for
Alontae Taylor - New Orleans Saints
Want a solid starter who can fit the scheme and won't break the bank for the Buffalo Bills? You're looking at him. This former 2nd-rounder offers the versatility to play man coverage or zone, and is an apt blitzer from the secondary.
His work at nickel corner is also a plus feature. With injuries at NCB also a regularity for the Bills, Alontae Taylor offers what the Bills need from their second or third cornerback. He would still contribute if Maxwell Hairston returns from injured reserve with a chip on his shoulder either as a backup, rotationally, or on special teams.
Alontae Taylor is a prime example of great talent trapped on a sinking ship. In a 'prove-it' year as his rookie contract expires, the 27-year old is left off the NFL's main stage. He didn't sign an extension with the Saints this offseason and is expected to hit free agency.
For the 1-5 New Orleans, getting a draft pick out of the deal seems worth it, and Buffalo gets a player who immediately competes for starting snaps. Taylor gets the opportunity to win big in free agency and gamble on himself now. A true win-win-win.
Projected Cost: 5th/6th round draft pick
L'Jarius Sneed - Tennessee Titans
If any of the trades on the table are a significant upgrade for the Bills, L'Jarius Sneed is it. The 28-year old is easily the best of the available trade candidates, with a long history of postseason performance with the Kansas City Chiefs. Sneed has two Super Bowl wins in five seasons as a starter with KC, and is proven in the big moments. His closing speed, vision, and versatility are second to few in the league today.
The Tennessee Titans are 1-5, in the midst of a rebuild with a brand new #1 overall pick quarterback, and Sneed is a costly defender. His signing occurred in 2024, when he penned a 4-year, $76.4m contract after being traded on the franchise tag.
It was a deal signed under a general manager and head coach that are no longer leading the Titans. The vision for Sneed, as it was, is dead. If the new staff are not as committed to him as their predecessors, or are more committed to a rebuild, getting rid of the weighty Sneed contract is a must.
For the Bills, they assume a contract in the final season before the built-in out. Though Sneed has $40.5m remaining in the final two seasons of his deal, only $12m of that amount is dead if cut. Of that dead cap, split over two seasons, some can be attributed to the Titans with the trade terms. If Tennessee is willing to take the financial hit this season to get a fresh start, Buffalo has to surrender significant draft capital. If Tennessee is less willing, the return on a trade diminishes dramatically.
Projected Cost: 2nd or 5th Round pick, depending on terms of trade
Rasul Douglas - Miami Dolphins
The Buffalo Bills already traded for Rasul Douglas once, and it worked out great. Why not try a second time? Douglas started in this secondary for a season and a half, so his familiarity with the defense, both roster and scheme, would be an immediate boon. At 31, Douglas is not the prime physical specimen the team would hope for, but he's available, an improvement, and healthy. Getting him may not raise the ceiling, but it raises the floor. In 2023, the Bills moved down from the 3rd round to the 5th in the original trade deadline deal with the Green Bay Packers; This would be substantially cheaper.
As far as cost, Rasul Douglas would be a cheap trade, making this an attractive option. If he requested a release, or if the 1-5 Dolphins simply opted to save costs ahead of the offseason, Buffalo may not have to surrender draft capital at all. In the event that this inter-division trade actually occurred, Douglas would not cost much. His contract with Miami was a one-year deal for only $1.57m, of which the Bills would assume only a part. If Miami resigns themselves to the draft board, this deal makes a lot of sense for them.