Buffalo Bills general manager has pulled off plenty of moves at the NFL trade deadline in the past. We will see if he makes another move today.
Here we will collect all the Bills-related rumors and information as we approach the 4 p.m. Eastern deadline and beyond. Stay tuned!
Buffalo Bills start trade deadline with $3 million in cap space
The Buffalo Bills have some space to play with at the NFL trade deadline after restructuring Taron Johnson. With about $3 million, they can add one player outright and maybe two if they are low enough on the base salary scale.
AS WGR’s Sal Capaccio said on Tuesday morning, the biggest barrier to the Bills making a move is the cap.
Buffalo Bills NFL trade deadline targets: Defensive tackle, wide receiver
As we all know, the Buffalo Bills could use some help in a few spots on the roster. In his trade deadline preview, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer had this to say:
As the Chiefs’ outlook has been impacted by a recent injury, the Bills’ approach has been, too, with Ed Oliver down until the playoffs. Buffalo’s taking a hard look at what’s out there at defensive tackle, and has also kicked the tires on its options at receiver.
Bills deadline target Rashid Shaheed traded to Seahawks
New Orleans Saints receiver Rashid Shaheed was widely considered a big target for the Buffalo Bills at the trade deadline. Instead, he was sipped to the Seattle Seahawks. Buffalo still has more options at wide receiver, but now two have been traded today.
It was a fourth-round pick and a fifth-round pick for Shaheed.
Buffalo Bills inquired about Jakobi Meyers before his trade to Jaguars
The Buffalo Bills called the Las Vegas Raiders about wide receiver Jakobi Meyers according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic. The Pittsburgh Steelers did, as well, but ultimately he was traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars for a combo of fourth-round and sixth-round picks. Because Buffalo is likely to pick after the Jaguars, the Bills would have had to give up higher selections in all likelihood.
How can the Bills open up cap space at the trade deadline?
If they trade away a player as part of the deal, that obviously would add more cap space for them.
There are more levers the Bills could pull to add space in 2025, but they would all be prohibitive for 2026 plans. Restructuring Dawson Knox or Curtis Samuel would likely mean that player is on the team in 2026 at a hefty price. Moving Matt Milano or DaQuan Jones money into the future would just have linger impacts on Buffalo’s cap despite their expiring contracts. An extension for Connor McGovern or David Edwards at this point could open up space with a 2026 guaranteed roster bonus instead of a signing bonus.
One move that would also work is releasing KR Brandon Codrington. Because he is not a vested veteran, his contract is not guaranteed. They’d save roughly $508k of cap space and money in the process.
Buffalo Bills create cap space with Taron Johnson restructure
On Monday, the Bills restructured cornerback Taron Johnson to move $1.75 million in cap space to future years. It doesn’t seem like much but it is more than the enough to add one player to the roster in a trade if that player is on a rookie contract or making the NFL minimum — and maybe two.
Wide receiver trade targets for the Buffalo Bills
John Metchie was traded from the Philadelphia Eagles to the New York Jets in late October, but the receiver position has been very closed so far. Lots of rumoroed players are in the mix, though.
The two most likely players to me are Rashid Shaheed and Chris Olave of the New Orleans Saints. They are rebuilding in Louisiana and could clear some future cap off their books with the move of Olave. Both could fit in with the Bills current group of receivers and provide something offensive coordinator Joe Brady does not have right now. UPDATE: Shaheed was traded to the Seahawks on Tuesday afternoon.
A name I haven’t heard much is Adonai Mitchell of the Indianapolis Colts. Yeah, the Colts are more likely to be buyers right now, but Mitchell is buried on their depth chart and the former second-round pick has some value. He has played just 21% of Indy’s snaps in 2025 and could offer a deep threat to the Bills. UPDATE: AD Mitchell was traded to the New York Jets on Tuesday as part of the Sauce Gardner compensation.
Jalin Hyatt of the New York Giants has asked for a fresh start. We know the history of Giants GM Joe Schoen being in Buffalo and New York should be sellers. He was a Bills pre-draft visitor in 2023.
The Bills would love to have A.J. Brown on their team, but I don’t see the Philadelphia Eagles having a $40 million dead cap number for a Brown in 2026 unless they get a king’s ransom. I’d same the same thing about the Miami Dolphins and Jaylen Waddle.
Calvin Ridley of the Tennessee Titans is not an option unless the Titans pay him $10 million to go away and free up the cap space for Buffalo to make the move.
I do not think Brian Thomas Jr. is a realistic option for the 5-3 Jaguars to trade. He’s played more snaps for Jacksonville than any receiver and they are in the thick of the playoff race. But his salary number is very workable for Buffalo.
I am not a fan of the Jakobi Meyers future contract situation and trading for the Raiders receiver is a risk because of that. UPDATE: Meyers was traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Defensive tackle trade targets for the Buffalo Bills
The Bills just lost Michael Hoecht for the season and Ed Oliver for at least the vast majority of the season due to injuries. DaQuan Jones is old and dealing with another long-term injury. T.J. Sanders is on injured reserve and DeWayne Carter is done for the year. Buffalo is out of practice squad callups for Zion Logue. They really should add a DT at the deadline and one that could be asked to play a lot of reps.
“They believe there’s a good chance [Oliver] returns, but they are in the trade market, looking for defensive line help to fill the void during this time when they do not have Oliver. Not a ton of big names out there, we will see what the Bills end up coming up with,” said NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport on Sunday.
Chris Trapasso likes the Browns’ Maliek Collins, a pass-rush specialist.
Would the New York jets trade Quinnen Williams inside the division? What about former Bills DT Harrison Phillips who is also in New Jersey with the Jets?
I think Jeffrey Simmons is on the block from the Tennessee Titans, but that seems very rich for Buffalo at this point. The more likely Titans player would be Sebastian Joseph.
A few other names to watch are Dallas Cowboys first-rounder Mazi Smith, Bengals third-rounder McKinnley Jackson, and Las Vegas Raiders first-rounder Tyree Wilson. T’Vondre Sweat is a big, beefy man in the center for the Titans.
Pass rusher targets for the Buffalo Bills at the NFL trade deadline
The Buffalo Bills need another pass rusher at the trade deadline and following the injury to Michael Hoecht, it may be the biggest need on their roster. With Joey Bosa oft-injured and the lack of trust in Javon Solomon, the Bills only have Greg Rousseau and A.J. Epenesa to count on at DE.
A few players to watch on teams that are selling are Arden Key of the Tennessee Titans and versatile DL Tyree Wilson, the former first-round pick of the Las Vegas Raiders. Like Hoecht, Wilson can kick inside on obvious passing downs to play DT.
Reports are the Bengals are looking for a first-rounder for Trey Hendrickson and I don’t see how the Bills would want to move heaven and earth for a half-season of the veteran pass rusher. The Bills couldn’t handle his current contract so they would need to up compensation in order for the Bengals to eat money.
Bradley Chubb is remuroed to be on the move today, as well. The Bills seem like an unlikely landing spot.
Joe Tryong-Shoyinka was traded by the Browns to the Bears on Tuesday.
Logan Wilson traded to Cowboys as NFL Trade Deadline day kicks off
The Buffalo Bills have a potential need at linebacker with Shaq Thompson hurt. Dorian Williams, Matt Milano, and Terrel Bernard have all missed time with injuries this season but all three practiced fully last week and had no injury designations.
The first trade of Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline saw the Cincinnati Bengals send 65-game starter Logan Wilson to the Dallas Cowboys.
Jaelen Phillips and pass rushers traded early
On Monday, the Baltimore Ravens acquired OLB Dre’Mont Jones from the Tennessee Titans. Jalen Phillips was sent from the Miami Dolphins to the Philadelphia Eagles. Both could have helped the Bills in the wake of the Michael Hoecht injury.
In October, the San Francisco 49ers grabbed Keion White from the New England Patriots and the Los Angeles Chargers traded for Odafe Oweh with the Baltimore Ravens.
Buffalo Bills out of the cornerback market at 2025 trade deadline?
The Bills have had a need at cornerback this offseason following injuries to Dorian Strong, a training camp injury to Maxwell Hairston that caused him to miss the beginning of the season, and sub-par play from Tre’Davious White. With Hairston back and acclimating very fast to the NFL, it’s possible and maybe even likely the Bills stand pat at cornerback with Dane Jackson in reserve and bigger fish to fry. Strong’s prognosis is not good, according to Sean McDermott in early November, but he didn’t elaborate.
Greg Newsome, Roger McCreary, Michael Carter II, and Jaire Alexander were all traded in the last couple weeks at the position.
The Jets traded Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts on trade deadline day. It took two first-round picks.
Cole Bishop and Jordan Hancock may keep the Bills off the phone for safety trade
A few weeks ago, folks were clamoring for a trade at the safety position. I never thought that was likely given Sean McDermott’s expectations at the position are so mentally strenuous. Given the recent play of recently re-signed Jordan Poyer and the surprising leap in second-year safety Cole Bishop, I think the Bills will be quiet at the safety position on trade deadline day. Add in the quick learning of rookie Jordan Hancock, who has played considerable snaps in each of the last two weeks, and the Bills don’t really need depth despite the recent knee surgery for Taylor Rapp.
Kyle Dugger was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers from the New England Patriots in October. Alohi Gilman was sent from the Chargers to the Ravens.
2026 NFL Draft picks for the Buffalo Bills to use at the 2025 NFL trade deadline
Usually moves at the NFL trade deadline involve future draft picks. The Bills have all their picks in the first five rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft right now. They do not have a sixth-round pick as part of the trade that sent Kaiir Elam to the Dallas Cowboys, but they received a seventh-rounder back. The Bills lost a seventh-round pick in the Amari Cooper trade at the deadline in 2024.
So the Bills are down a pick as it stands right now in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Here is the current tally:
- First-round pick
- Second-round pick
- Third-round pick
- Fourth-round pick
- Fifth-round pick
- Seventh-round pick (from Dallas Cwoboys)
The Bills have all of their 2027 NFL Draft picks with no additions.
Brandon Beane’s past NFL trade deadline deals
In 2024, the Bills traded third- and seventh-round picks to the Cleveland Browns for receiver Amari Cooper and a seventh-rounder. He helped out the offense but not to a great degree and an injury hampered the rest of his season. He is currently not on an active roster.
In 2023, it was the cornerback position that the Bills targeted with Rasul Douglas of the Green Bay Packers. He played a season and a half in Buffalo as the starting cornerback. It was a good enough return on investment for the third-round pick.
In 2022, Buffalo got right under the wire with a last-minute trade for safety depth adding Dean Marlowe from the Atlanta Falcons for a future seventh-rounder. The piece of mind on adding a former Bills player was worth the investment.
In 2022, the Bills sent depth running back Zack Moss and a fifth-rounder to the Indianapolis Colts for Nyheim Hines. Hines was impactful as a kick returner, taking one back on the first play after Damar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest to lift the Bills, but an offseason jetski injury cost him the 2023 season. Moss has been a serviceable backup for the Colts and Bengals.
In early October 2019, the Bills shipped receiver Zay Jones to the Oakland Raiders for a fifth-round pick that eventually became depth OT Tommy Doyle. Jones has gone on to a pretty successful career since with starting stints on multiple teams. Doyle recently retired due to injuries.
In September 2018, the Bills traded Marshall Newhouse for a seventh-round pick instead of releasing him and eating his salary.
The biggest miss at the trade deadline also happens to be one of the first. Buffalo traded a third-round and seventh-round pick for Panthers receiver Kelvin Benjamin. He did not have a strong impact in Buffalo but the Bills made the playoffs anyway in Beane’s first season.
On October 27th, 2017, the Bills moved on from Marcell Dareus for a fifth-round pick that eventually became Wyatt Teller. The Dareus contract made trading him prohibitive but they found a taker to unload the money.
