Subscribe
Follow Us
The Buffalo Bills are no longer the up-and-coming darlings who have climbed their way out of the non-playoff landscape.
They are a full-fledged AFC powerhouse that has made the postseason for 4 consecutive seasons and 5 of the last 6. But as head coach Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane prepare for the 2023 regular season, there is a bit of uneasiness surrounding the Bills.
The Bills' brain trust believes their team is as talented as the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs and the Cincinnati Bengals, but they have been stopped by both of those teams in the postseason in recent years. There is at least a bit of desperation surrounding the Bills, as they have to wonder what it will take to join their famous predecessors that featured Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas, Andre Reed and Bruce Smith. Those Bills famously won 4 consecutive AFC title games in the early 1990s.
The Bills appear to have a relatively complete team as they prepare for training camp. They are once again the favorites to win the AFC East, but Beane has shown that he is not afraid to make a few summer-time/late training camp moves to fine tune his team.
He has traded six players for future draft picks since 2017, and the same thing could happen again this year.
In this piece, we look at 3 Bills who could be traded some time before the start of the team's season-opening Week 1 game against Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets.
Wide receiver Stefon Diggs
Admittedly, this is not the kind of trade that Beane has made in the past and it is something of a long shot. However, Diggs is a very valuable commodity around the league and if the Bills came to the conclusion that he needed to be traded, they would most likely find several interested dance partners — including the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos.
Diggs signed a four-year $96 million contract with the Bills in 2022, but there are reports that he is at least somewhat unhappy with the team for a variety of reasons, including a potential conflict with star quarterback Josh Allen. That can't be an idea that sits well with Beane or owner Terry Pegula.
Diggs ranks with the best receivers in the league, and he caught i108 passes for 1,429 yards and 11 touchdowns last year. If the Bills did trade him, they would have to get a substantial return that includes a quality player and draft picks.
If the Bills were to trade Diggs, it would leave them with a major hole very late in their season preparations. Unless there is a serious divide between the receiver and Allen or management, he will most likely stay with the team.
Defensive end Boogie Basham
Article Continues Below
Basham has the look of a defensive lineman who should be on the interior, but he has done most of his work on the outside. While Basham has occasionally flashed his talent, he has yet to demonstrate the consistency that the Bills need.
As a result, there is a school of thought that Basham could be more valuable to the Bills in a trade than he will be on the field. Basham recorded 19 tackles and 2.0 sacks last year while playing 15 games. That's simply not enough, and it's doubtful that he will convince McDermott that he's a significantly better player this year.
Nevertheless, Basham will get an opportunity to change the coaching staff's mind. If he doesn't show improvement, look for the Bills to trade him this summer.
Running back/return specialist Nyheim Hines
The running back market is not likely to be strong this summer, but Hines may appeal to a number of teams.
He has the ability to provide a lift through the return game. If the Bills can find another player to handle the return game, the Bills could save nearly $3 million on the salary cap.
However, finding that specialist who can match Hines will not be easy. He averaged 29.2 yards on kickoff returns and brought 2 of them back for touchdowns. He also averaged 9.6 yards per punt return.
Hines demonstrated his big-play ability last season, and that should make him valuable to both the Bills and any team that wants to upgrade their return game. If multiple teams decide to pursue Hines, the Bills could do very well in the exchange.
