There seems to be no question that a DeAndre Hopkins trade is coming. The Arizona Cardinals wide receiver wants out, and the team seems happy to oblige. A Buffalo Bills trade for a top wide receiver worked out before, as Stefon Diggs has become the team’s best pass-catcher in the last three seasons. Now, the team could do it again and kill two birds with one stone, sending disgruntled defensive tackle Ed Oliver to the Cardinals.

Bills trade Ed Oliver to the Cardinals in a DeAndre Hopkins trade

In the AFC Divisional Round last season, the Cincinnati Bengals embarrassed the Bills at home, showing that they were, by far, the better team and had the better roster.

In order to compete for a Super Bowl next season, Buffalo needs to bring in more talent, especially at the wide receiver position. Stefon Diggs had another excellent season, but Gabriel Davis disappointed, as did the rest of the WR corps.

To get Josh Allen more weapons in 2023, a Bills trade is in order. The WR free agent market and the 2023 draft class are relatively weak, so getting a star pass-catcher from another team is really the only option.

Luckily for the Bills, it looks like a DeAndre Hopkins trade is imminent. The veteran WR served a six-game PED suspension last season and openly feuded with quarterback Kyler Murray on the sidelines when he returned. It now seems like a trade is the only option to salvage the situation.

This all makes a Bills-Cardinals deal for the wideout make a ton of sense. So, now the question is, what is the perfect Bills trade for DeAndre Hopkins?

Last year, the big WR trades — A.J. Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles, Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins, and Marquise “Hollywood” Brown to the Cardinals — all involved first-round picks. This offseason, D.J. Moore went to the Chicago Bears as part of the trade for the No. 1 overall pick.

Buffalo still has a lot of roster holes to fill, though, so giving up their first pick (No. 27) in the 2023 NFL Draft isn’t ideal.

The good news for the Bills is that they have a player who is unhappy and seemingly wants out in DT Ed Oliver. The 2019 No. 9 selection is in the final year of his rookie contract and, as such, wants a long-term extension. However, Bills general manager Brandon Beane hasn’t shown a willingness to make this deal happen.

With the draft about a month away, Oliver took to social media and seemingly said goodbye to Bills Mafia. He wrote “Show Me The Money or Ion Wanna Talk!!!” and posted some personal highlights with “Enjoyed myself” as the caption.

Oliver has been a solid player in Buffalo, racking up 151 tackles, 14.5 sacks, and 30 tackles for a loss. He hasn’t lived up to his draft position, though, as he hasn’t made a Pro Bowl yet.

The perfect Bills trade for DeAndre Hopkins is Ed Oliver and a second-round pick for the wideout.

This allows Buffalo to keep its first-rounder while still giving Arizona a premium pick that should develop into a starter. And the Bills get a second elite pass-catcher, which they badly need.

The Cardinals lost J.J. Watt to retirement this offseason, so they need help along the defensive line. Alabama pass-rusher Will Anderson Jr. will likely be their first-round selection, so interior D-line will become a priority. Oliver immediately makes the defense better in that area.

As for the Bills, they would welcome a DeAndre Hopkins trade as the team is going all-in for a Super Bowl in the next two years. D-Hop and Diggs will immediately become one of, if not, the best pass-catching duo in the NFL next season.

In the end, a DeAndre Hopkins trade for Ed Oliver is a win-win for both the Bills and the Cardinals. It gets rid of players who don’t want to be there and adds value to each franchise.

The only sticking point is where the Cardinals think they are in terms of a rebuild. Kyler Murray has a huge contract, which suggests they are in win-now mode, but after Murray’s knee injury and a 4-13 season, they may be in rebuild mode more than we think.

If that is the case, the team may hold out for a Round 1 pick. In that scenario, giving up pick No. 27 and Ed Oliver is probably too much for the Bills to part with for a soon-to-be 31-year-old wideout who may be slightly on the downside of his career.

That said, the Bills desperately need more weapons, so even if a first-round pick is involved in this Bills trade, they may consider it.