2022 could finally be the year for the Buffalo Bills. Head coach Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane put together one of the most dominant off-seasons in the NFL, in both free agency and the draft. Beane managed to add key free agents like linebacker Von Miller. He quickly followed that up with one of the best drafts in the NFL. Despite all of that, there are still positions on the Bills' roster that need to be addressed. Here are three trades the Bills need to make to round out their roster before the regular season.
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Bills Trade Targets To Complete 2022 Roster
3. Adrian Phillips
One of the positions the Bills need to address the most is safety. Starters Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer are both fantastic, but the depth behind them can't be described in the same way. Damar Hamlin and Jaquan Johnson are both better suited to playing special teams instead of defense. So, Buffalo should be looking to upgrade their backups at the position.
That's where Phillips comes in. He's been a solid safety in the NFL for years now. That won't change in 2022. He can play in a singe-high alignment, in the box, or even in the slot if that's really necessary. Phillips could also make huge contributions on special teams, something that's always beneficial. Acquiring Phillips from the New England Patriots would probably be fairly difficult, but the Bills should be willing to part with some late-round draft picks to make this transaction happen.
2. Kerry Hyder Jr.
It's hard to find too much wrong with this Buffalo roster. Most positions are rock-solid, but defensive end could use a little bit of work. Von Miller, Greg Rousseau and Shaq Lawson will provide good, starting-quality play. Backup AJ Epenesa will be decent at the very least. However, there isn't much after Epenesa. It's important to have tons of depth at edge-rusher, especially for a Buffalo defense that loves to rotate their ends. It would be hugely beneficial to Buffalo to add another name into the mix to ensure they have adequate depth at the position.
Hyder is the exact type of player that the Bills should be looking to add. He's been overlooked for years now, but he's consistently provided decent play when healthy. Hyder won't provide much highlight reel material, but he will pressure opposing quarterbacks with consistency when put in the game. He should also be relatively cheap to acquire, as he plays on a loaded San Francisco 49ers team. The Niners are incredibly deep at edge rusher, so they shouldn't demand a huge price for one of their depth players.
1. Sterling Shepard
Trading for wide receiver Sterling Shepard wouldn't be a particularly exciting move, but it would be a smart one. The Bills have a strong three starting pass-catchers, but they lack good depth at the position. Guys like Isaiah McKenzie and Marquez Stevenson are better suited as gadget players and special teamer players. If the Bills actually have to ask them to play real snaps, the offense would be in huge trouble. Buffalo should be looking to make a small upgrade at the position.
Shepard is the definition of a small upgrade. Throughout his time with the New York Giants, he's shown flashes of starting-caliber play. He can work from the outside or in the slot. That makes him an appealing backup at the position. It should also be pretty easy to make a trade for Shepard. The Giants are in a state of transition, as they just hired a new head coach and general manager. Shepard is an aging veteran on a team in the middle of a full rebuild, so he just doesn't offer a whole lot of value to the Giants. Buffalo wouldn't have too much trouble adding the veteran receiver to the team.
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