The Bills are arguably the NFL’s best team through seven weeks of the season. Only the 6-0 Eagles have a better record than Buffalo (5-1), and the Bills’ lone loss came by two points in a scorcher down in Miami.
Indeed, the Bills look like a legitimate Super Bowl contender. Even if they add nothing else to the roster, they will have a shot at hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in February.
Still, that won’t stop Buffalo from pursuing players that can help fill some of its few weaknesses.
The Bills could use a couple of upgrades on offense and defense as they look to round out their depth chart and hoard as much talent as possible ahead of a playoff push. They also have a couple of injured players for which they could use replacements or insurance policies.
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Who could the Bills trade for in 2022, and at which positions do they need help? Below is a breakdown of Buffalo’s top trade targets ahead of the Nov. 1 trade deadline.
Bills’ 2022 NFL trade deadline needs
The Bills have one of the most complete rosters in the NFL, so they don’t have many glaring needs. That said, there are still a few areas that the team could stand to upgrade as it looks to make a Super Bowl push in the talented AFC.
- Running back: Devin Singletary continues to be solid between the tackles and is averaging 4.5 yards per carry this season. That said, quarterback Josh Allen currently leads the team in rushing and Singletary (5-7, 203 pounds) hasn’t yet recorded a rushing touchdown. The Bills may want to add a larger back who is better than Zack Moss, and there will be some players for them to target.
- Wide receiver: Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis are one of the best receiver duos in the NFL, but the Bills’ play in the slot from Isaiah McKenzie and Jamison Crowder has been merely average at best. Adding a stronger third receiver and relegating McKenzie and Crowder to part-time work would help the Bills’ offense improve.
- Cornerback: Tre’Davious White still hasn’t returned from an ACL tear he suffered last season, but he should return eventually. Still, the Bills could stand to add depth here, as they have been plagued by injuries in the secondary. Plus, they could use some high-level experience to play either across from or in tandem with White.
- Safety: Micah Hyde won’t return this season because of a neck injury. The Bills still have solid safety play thanks to Jordan Poyer and Damar Hamlin, but they could stand to add depth at the position in case another injury strikes.
MORE: How close did the Bills come to trading for Christian McCaffrey?
Potential Bills trade targets
Kareem Hunt, RB, Browns
Hunt has been an effective playmaker during his four years with the Browns, averaging 4.3 yards per carry and 8.8 yards per reception. However, he has routinely played second-fiddle to Nick Chubb, and it doesn’t appear like that will change any time soon.
Hunt demanded a trade before the season began, so with the Browns sitting at 2-5 and Hunt set to be a free agent in 2023, it makes sense for them to deal him. Hunt would add an instant, three-down threat to Buffalo’s backfield and would give him a chance to serve as a backfield leader.
Antonio Gibson, RB, Commanders
Gibson has had an up-and-down three-year stint with the Commanders. He got off to a hot start as a rookie, totaling 1,047 scrimmage yards and 11 touchdowns as a rookie before he struggled with fumbles (six) during a 2021 campaign that saw him run for 1,037 yards.
Thus far, 2022 has been the worst season of Gibson’s career. He is averaging just 3.8 yards per carry and it appears that rookie Brian Robinson has surpassed him as the between-the-tackles running back. He has out-touched Gibson 48-27 since his first action in Week 5, so he is the top dog in Washington’s backfield.
Gibson still has talent and Washington may want to keep him. But if they like Robinson enough and trust J.D. McKissic to be the top third-down back for the team, they could look to offload Gibson. The Bills would be as good a landing spot as any for the third-year back.
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Melvin Gordon, RB, Broncos
Gordon’s third year in Denver hasn’t gone well at all, as he logged four fumbles in his first four games and has averaged just 3.5 yards per carry through seven. He has been benched on occasion by Nathaniel Hackett and appears to be behind Latavius Murray in the pecking order.
That said, Gordon has had a solid career to date as both a runner and a receiver. The Bills could acquire him in the hopes that a change of scenery sparks him and at least allows him to regain his receiving prowess out of the backfield.
Gordon isn’t the player he once was, but he would still provide solid depth for the Bills. He’d be a great backup to Singletary in this situation.
Cam Akers, RB, Rams
If the Bills want a running back with upside, they could pursue Akers. The 23-year-old was excellent as a rookie in 2020, as he averaged 4.3 yards per carry and totaled 625 yards and two touchdowns while eventually emerging as a starter.
However, Akers tore his Achilles before his second season. He still miraculously managed to play in the postseason, but he hasn’t been the same since that time. He is averaging just 3.0 yards per carry in 2022 and he and the team have effectively agreed that he needs to be traded.
Akers is still young and could regain his form as he is further removed from that catastrophic injury. But given his lacking production and him butting heads with Sean McVay, at least from an on-field standpoint, it may be tough for the Rams to convince any team of trading for him.
Jerry Jeudy, WR, Broncos
Jeudy is one of the biggest names remaining on the trade market, and he would be a good fit for the Bills. He has primarily played the slot for the Broncos this season, and he would be a massive upgrade with upside for the Bills at that posiiton.
Jeudy has recorded 386 yards and two touchdowns on 26 catches while playing in one of the NFL’s worst offenses. Just imagine what he would be able to do while playing alongside talented wide-outs like Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis with MVP frontrunner Josh Allen at quarterback.
Chase Claypool, WR, Steelers
Like Jeudy, Claypool has primarily seen action in the slot during the 2022 NFL season. He has game-breaking speed as well, as his 6-4 frame would make him a big-time weapon when working alongside Diggs and Davis.
Claypool has 28 catches for 266 yards and a touchdown this season. He totaled at least 860 receiving yards in each of his first two seasons but after recording nine touchdowns in 16 games as a rookie, he has just three in 22 games since.
MORE: Why the Bills are among the best fits for free agent WR Odell Beckham Jr.
Curtis Samuel, WR, Commanders
Samuel is a bit different than Jeudy and Claypool. He’s on the smaller side at 5-11, 195 pounds, but he can play all over an offense. In the slot, out wide, out of the backfield, you name it. That would make him an intriguing pickup for Buffalo.
Samuel could play out of the slot and be a better version of McKenzie, who may be faster than Samuel but isn’t as sure-handed.
Samuel has established himself as a top weapon for the Commanders this season. He has generated 340 yards and two touchdowns on 39 catches as well as 77 yards on 13 carries. He would have a chance at similar production in Buffalo, albeit with a lighter target share.
Greedy Williams, CB, Browns
There have been rumblings that the Browns could move on from Williams, a 2019 second-round pick who is set to be a free agent after this season comes to a close, at the deadline. If they do, the Bills could have an interest in him.
The Bills are still without Tre’Davious White and have dealt with injuries to Dane Jackson, Christian Benford and Xavier Rhodes this season. Williams has played sparingly for the Browns as a backup in 2022, but last season, he logged 41 tackles, two interceptions and 10 pass defenses in eight starts over 16 games.
William Jackson III, CB, Commanders
Jackson is the other cornerback whose name has been floated on the market. On paper, one might think that the Bills would like to acquire the defensive back who had three seasons with at least 11 pass defenses during his five years in Cincinnati.
However, Jackson views himself as a man-to-man corner, and that’s part of why he wants to leave Washington. The Bills run a lot of zone coverage, so he might not fit here either. Still, Buffalo could take a chance on acquiring him cheaply and hope that in a new system, he may perform better.
Johnathan Abram, S, Raiders
Abram is a former first-round pick, but he hasn’t quite lived up to the billing. He’s an excellent box safety who thrives in run support, but his coverage abilities aren’t quite as strong.
Still, Abram has averaged 7.4 tackles per game since the start of the 2020 season, so he would help upgrade the Buffalo run defense. The team could employ him as a third safety/hybrid linebacker in certain packages within their defense. And at the very least, he would add experienced depth while on an expiring deal.
DeShon Elliott, S, Lions
Here’s another safety on an expiring deal that the Bills could pursue. Elliott is a bit different than Abram, as he is slightly better in coverage and profiles more as a hybrid player. As such, his skill set might help to replace the injured Hyde.
Elliott has 49 tackles and an interception in six games this year. He is by no means a ballhawk, but he would surely be a solid backup for Buffalo.
