The NFL Draft features a bunch of trades that happen every year that involve draft picks being swapped, it’s no surprise. Last year, we saw a trade happen within the top five as the Jacksonville Jaguars traded up from No. 5 to No. 2 with the Cleveland Browns to select Travis Hunter.
In order for the Jaguars to acquire Hunter, they had to give up a haul which included their first round pick this year. They are one of five teams that will enter the NFL Draft without a first round pick as of right now.
The last time the Buffalo Bills didn't have a first round picking going into the draft was back in 2020 when they packaged a haul to acquire Stefon Diggs from the Minnesota Vikings. They traded out of the first in 2024, which eventually led to them drafting Keon Coleman with the first pick in the second round.
The Bills have the 26th overall pick, but if there was ever a chance to acquire an immediate playmaker that is already in the league, maybe it’s something that the Bills should seriously consider it.
NFL Draft day trade scenario should have Bills fans hoping it happens
Ralph Vacchiano from FOX Sports recently put together a list of an NFL player that each AFC team “should trade for during the 2026 draft” and Vacchiano believes the Bills should trade the 26th overall pick to the Jaguars in exchange for wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. Getting an extremely talented wide receiver on a rookie deal and all it costs is a first round pick? Absolutely.
"Yes, the Bills already got WR D.J. Moore from Chicago for a second-round pick. But they need to do better for QB Josh Allen, so why not go all-in on their biggest need and turn it into a strength? The Jags say they won’t trade Thomas, even after a terrible season, but they don’t have a first-round pick, so if the Bills dangle their first-rounder, maybe Jacksonville will change its mind." said Vacchiano.
Two years ago in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Bills were withing striking distance to possible getting Thomas, but he went 23rd overall to Jacksonville. In his rookie season, Thomas was just 18 yards short of 1,300 receiving yards and he had 10 touchdowns through the air.
With a new regime taking over in Jacksonville last season with James Gladstone and Liam Coen, the offense changed and Thomas didn’t have the same impact. He only had 707 yards and 2 touchdowns, but in three less games than in 2024.
Jacksonville traded for Jakobi Meyers at the trade deadline, and will have Hunter back in the lineup while also having an emerging player in Parker Washington. Who knows if Thomas is part of Jacksonville’s long-term future and if he does end up becoming available, there is no reason why the Bills shouldn’t heavily pursue him.
You could make the argument that Thomas would be the better player over whoever the Bills would draft at No. 26 and with Buffalo being in win-now mode, even with a new head coach, now is the time to truly go all in. Thomas is very talented and pairing him with Josh Allen and D.J. Moore would give Buffalo one of the best passing attacks in the league without question.