I don't know if the Buffalo Bills will be active at the trade deadline or not but there are a few names out there they could and maybe should make a call about. I don't doubt that is the case but I know Brandon Beane is not likely to mortgage the future or "F them picks" for a player or two this season. But then again, with all the injuries that have already hit this team and the poor play as of late, maybe he'll feel a little more heat to make something happen.
The biggest problem when it comes to getting involved in the trade market is the cap situation the Bills currently find themselves in. According to spotrac.com, the Bills are just under $1.4 million under the cap, so they don't have much room to work with. However, that does not mean they can't work the contract in such a way that it couldn't work.
That said, I did try to consider the salary cap and not include names on this list that are some of the highest paid at their position. For example, some fans want the Bills to trade for Aaron Donald. I don't see a way to fit that contract on Buffalo's books unless the Rams were willing to eat the majority of his contract, but I don't see that happening either. Also, I'm not interested in trading for a running back. That seems a waste in my eyes.
Additionally, I'm not focusing on just one position. The Bills have a few spots that I think could use an upgrade and would significantly help this team, not just one position or another. The Bills need help in the interior of their defensive line, they need an upgrade at corner and could use at wide receiver too. I didn't include middle linebacker here simply because in my mind that's not going to have as great an impact as one of the other positions.
Patrick Surtain Jr. - Cornerback
The Denver Broncos are not a good team and with Sean Payton taking over this year as head coach, he will probably want to begin rebuilding the roster with his "guys". Surtain is still on his rookie deal and wouldn't be too difficult to find a way to get his contract under the Bills salary cap. Surtain is one of the best corners in the league and is only 23 years old.
The one probable issue is if the Broncos would be willing to trade away their best corner, possibly their best defensive player. He's a player that Coach Payton would probably want to build a defensive roster around; however, with the right offer, the Broncos might bite, given all the holes on that roster and the lost draft capital to the failed trade for Russell Wilson.
Christian Barmore - Defensive Tackle
Before you start telling me I don't know anything, let me quickly remind you that Coach Belichick has traded players to division rivals before. Remember Drew Bledsoe? I know it's a different situation this time around, but the Patriots might be in the mood to trade what few good players they have, in hopes of getting higher in the first round to select one of the incoming rookie quarterbacks in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Pro Football Focus graded Barmore a 77.0 in pass-rushing this season and he has 16 total pressures. This includes two sacks, but he also has ten stops on the year. With DaQuan Jones out, likely for the season, and Ed Oliver getting banged up, it didn't look good without them this past Sunday. The Bills could use an upgrade there.
Rasul Douglas - Cornerback
Rasul Douglas would be a nice addition to the Bills secondary opposite Christian Benford. According to PFF, Dougles' has earned a coverage grade of 85.6, and his contract is manageable on top of that. His overall grade on the season is a solid 80.7. On top of being a solid cover corner, he's made 28 total tackles and has only four missed tackles.
The Green Bay Packers are struggling this season with Jordan Love behind center and at 2 - 4, they could be sellers at the trade deadline. Again, the 2024 NFL Draft is expected to be loaded at the quarterback position, and teams that need one would be more likely to make deals that might help them get in the top half of the first round.
Derrick Brown - Defensive Tackle
Derrick Brown's name has come up in the past as a potential trade target for the Bills but with the addition of DaQuan Jones and how well he's played, the position became an afterthought. But here we are with Jones out and Oliver injured, adding Brown in a trade to go alongside Ed Oliver when he's healthy, would be a huge boost to the defensive line interior.
PFF graded Brown a 72.6 overall, with a pass-rush grade of 70.5. Brown is a monster of a man, standing at 6'5" and weighs 320 pounds. Brown would be a difference maker and why not reach into that Carolina Panthers pipeline one more time? He has 34 total tackles, 17 stops, and ten total pressures. He's also only 25, so he serves as a long-term fix as well.
Terry McLaurin - Wide Receiver
I've been a big fan of Terry McLaurin since he came into this league and he's one of those receivers that has struggled with multiple bad quarterbacks throughout his career. I can only imagine what he could do with Josh Allen slinging passes to him. His current deal in Washington is four years at over $68 million; however, this season he's due only about $4.5 million.
The catch is that the contract increases exponentially over the next two seasons; however, the Bills could work out a restructure and move that money out a couple extra years. That does not come without risk though, given he's 28 years old, and extending him another two years or more would put him close to mid-30s and we could end up with an expensive receiver that's lost a couple of steps.