Buffalo Bills Trade With Jets For DB/KR Brandon Codrington
In a rare intra-division trade, the Buffalo Bills have receiver defensive back and kick returner Brandon Codrington from the New York Jets. The deal comes as a flurry of moves finish off roster cutdown day. Buffalo,
Follow the cut of WR/KR K.J. Hamler, the Bills were in need of more bodies at the returner position. They had RB Darrynton Evans do some of the work, and CB Daequan Hardy took his fair share of punts as well, seeming like the destined starter. Now, a new player enters the room, and Hardy's future is less than certain. A rumoured injury for Hardy during the final preseason game against Carolina, that has yet to be officially reported on at the time of writing this, may have been the catalyst for this trade. Hardy could wind up on injured reserve to start the year, if this is true.
The cost, a swap of late-round draft picks in 2026 (per multiple reports), is negligible to address a sudden major position of need for Buffalo. But who did they trade for?
Brandon Codrington, an undrafted free agent out of a small school by the name of North Carolina Central University, may not be a name you know. A four-year starter at return specialist, he's set the school record for longest kick return with an 85-yard TD last seaosn, and it wasn't his only one that year. A nose for the end zone and a confident handle on the ball, Codrington has all the tools he needed to make it. Quietly, he's had a productive preseason.
Pretty sweet return from Brandon Codrington the other day, an example of his elusiveness and burst. #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/08OXW4EHeq
— Iestyn T Harris (Yes-Tin) (@IestynTHarris) August 27, 2024
The measure of a returner is a difficult one, but evidently Buffalo has enough interest to pay for him. The 5'9, 185lb cornerback was largely unknown before walking onto the scene in the beginning of May. After a successful tryout, he made the Jets 90-man training camp roster, then made the most of his opportunity. Now, he's going to be playing in the NFL, for a team willing to give up something to get him. Buffalo has to wait until Week 6 to take on New York, but Covington has plenty of time until then to cement himself as the full-time returner.
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