This offseason, the Buffalo Bills have remained relevant and will continue to be just that, so long as Josh Allen is under center.
But, the big question has been, will Allen and the offense be able to pick up the slack after seeing Stefon Diggs traded and Gabe Davis leave via free agency? Although the team has added a myriad of guys whether it be through free agency or the draft, the Bills still don't have a clear-cut no. 1 wideout.
Buffalo might still be able to make a move before training camp gets into full swing, though, as San Francisco 49ers star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk recently requested a trade and could soon see a bidding war take place. It might seem unlikely that Aiyuk is traded, but it's worth monitoring if you're a Bills fan.
ESPN's Dan Graziano wrote a piece recently highlighting some of the best fits for Aiyuk and included the Bills in there.
Wrote Graziano:
"No, they also don't have the cap space to take on $14.125 million, but the Bills aren't far off and likely could get there with a couple of small moves. Having traded Stefon Diggs to Houston and lost Gabe Davis to Jacksonville in free agency, the Bills certainly have a need at the position. Rookie Keon Coleman is still an unknown, and at this time Buffalo looks likely to try and build its 2024 offense around second-year tight end Dalton Kincaid and third-year running back James Cook while their wide receiver situation sorts itself out. Adding Aiyuk would obviously leave the Bills with less to sort out."
How exactly could the Bills make a Brandon Aiyuk trade work?
When Graziano says the Bills are a couple of small moves away from being able to take on Aiyuk's contract, he's referring to either a couple of cuts or trades. If Buffalo were to trade or cut two or three of the following players, they'd be awfully close to having enough cap space to make an Aiyuk deal happen.
These guys would all save the Bills anywhere between $1 million and $2.5 million if they were either traded or cut, depending on the player:
Mike Edwards, S
Taylor Rapp, S
Mack Hollins, WR
Gregory Rousseau, DE
David Edwards, G
Austin Johnson, DE
Reggie Gilliam, FB
Nicholas Morrow, LB
Cameron Lewis, CB
K.J. Hamler, WR
Now, this isn't saying the Bills should part with these players. But, more so to give fans an idea of how the space could be created.
Along with creating cap space, the Bills would of course need to give up a hefty package to land a receiver like Aiyuk, who has over 2,300 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns the last two seasons, combined.
Buffalo would likely need, at minimum, a first-round pick included in the deal. Ironically enough, an Aiyuk trade could look similar to the Stefon Diggs trade, once upon a time. Multiple picks could get it done, but the Bills would really have to force the Niners' hands.