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Bills Deadline Targets After Win vs. Jets, Amari Cooper Trade

The Buffalo Bills defeated the New York Jets to maintain their grip on the AFC East. Will they still make a splash at the trade deadline?
bills trade targets

The Buffalo Bills outlasted the rival New York Jets, 23-20, in one of the ugliest games in NFL history on Monday night to retain their lead in the AFC East. The win and subsequent talk about the horrendous officiating has overshadowed the obvious flaws that remained on display for the Super Bowl hopefuls from Western New York.

Then Buffalo and New York went to battle again Tuesday. This time it was in the wide receiver trade market. The Jets acquired Davante Adams from the Las Vegas Raiders. Just hours later, Bills general manager Brandon Beane completed a deal with the Cleveland Browns for Amari Cooper to give Josh Allen a more proven No. 1 target.

The Bills have other areas of need, as well. Although it was originally ticketed as more of a transition year for the franchise, a 4-2 record in the middle of Allen’s prime should lead the front office to get aggressive in upgrading the roster. The mindset should be shifting back toward win-now mode.

Bills Beat Jets; Analyzing Trade Deadline Outlook

1. Wide Receiver

Search Complete with Amari Cooper Addition

Allen has completed 62.8 percent of his passes with 10 touchdowns and no interceptions in a season where journeyman Mack Hollins ranks second among Bills wideouts in snap share (63.6 percent). That’s why he should be firmly in the MVP conversation. It’s also why Beane likely called every fellow GM seeking an upgrade at the position before coming to an agreement with the Browns.

Cooper isn’t in the same tier as Adams—a bona fide No. 1 receiver—but he’s a perfect fit in Buffalo. A starting trio of Cooper, Khalil Shakir, and Keon Coleman is far more complete than what the Bills were working with across the first six games. Hollins shifting into the No. 4 role with a greater emphasis on his blocking ability makes more sense.

Cleveland (1-5 record) is probably heading toward a massive roster reset given the continued struggles of quarterback Deshaun Watson. The rebuilding process always begins with an accumulation of draft picks, and the Browns snagged a few mid-to-late-round selections from Buffalo for Cooper.

Meanwhile, the Bills strategically worked to take on some dead-cap hits this year to create more financial flexibility for 2025. It makes moving those picks, which represent players on team-friendly contracts, a little more bearable in this instance. It’s a win-win deal that could help both teams in the end.

Buffalo couldn’t afford to let the deadline pass without making at least one addition at wide receiver. The group wasn’t good enough to capitalize on the terrific year Allen is putting together. Adding Cooper to the mix definitely elevates the offense’s upside for the rest of 2024.

2. Linebacker

Possible Target: Devin Lloyd (Jacksonville Jaguars)

The Bills’ linebacker tandem of Dorian Williams and Baylon Spector was a major reason for the blowout loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 4. Terrel Bernard has since returned to bring some stability to the position, but the drop-off from Williams to Matt Milano is still massive.

Milano is recovering from a bicep injury. He isn’t expected to return until at least December. That timetable puts him one minor setback away from missing the rest of the season. In turn, the Bills can’t afford to stand pat in the middle of their defense.

Williams’ stat line is a bit deceiving. He’s accumulated 61 total tackles, which is tied for second in the NFL, but he’s struggled tracking ball carriers. The 23-year-old Tulane product took an egregious path to the ball on one play Monday that allowed Breece Hall to break free for 42 yards:

Plays like that are why his Pro Football Focus grade stands at a lackluster 62.6 despite the high tackle numbers.

Lloyd is having a down season by his standards, but that’s why he could be available for trade with the Jags sitting at 1-5. Even while not playing his best, his PFF grade stands at 70.9. That’s a modest uptick from Williams, but an improvement nevertheless.

The Bills would also hope the linebacker bounces back into their system. Across his first two NFL seasons, he racked up 242 total tackles, 15 passes defended, four fumble recoveries, and three interceptions in 32 appearances.

If Milano does return, it could also allow the Bills to run more three-linebacker sets in obvious rushing situations to take some pressure off star slot cornerback Taron Johnson.

3. Safety

Possible Target: Andre Cisco (Jaguars)

Buffalo’s safety situation is tough to predict. Micah Hyde, who patrolled the team’s secondary for the previous seven years, is still a free agent. While he hasn’t confirmed he’ll play this season, the fan-favorite stated he’ll only play for the Bills. He’s been cautious amid a history of neck problems.

Hyde is the first choice. If he wants to play, he’d be a massive upgrade after getting back up to game speed, but there’s no guarantee he’ll return.

One thing’s for sure: the current duo of Damar Hamlin and Taylor Rapp is a concern. Hamlin is one of the league’s most inspirational stories, but he’s severely limited as a playmaker. While he earned a starting role because of his scheme knowledge, opponents are taking advantage of him in coverage.

Meanwhile, Rapp is the ultimate boom-or-bust defender. He made some terrific plays to break up passes against the Jets, but he also gets burned at times. Neither backup, rookie Cole Bishop nor veteran Mike Edwards, has stood out in their playing time, either.

Cisco is another Jacksonville defender who could make sense for Buffalo. The 2021 third-round pick has recorded 31 total tackles, three passes defended and an interception this season. He’s hauled in eight picks in 36 games since the start of the 2022 season.

Perhaps the Bills and Jags could agree on a package of future draft picks for both Lloyd and Cisco. It’d bring much-needed depth to the Buffalo defense.

Main Image: Peter Casey-Imagn Images

Tim Daniels

Tim Daniels

Tim Daniels is a lifelong sports fan who spent much of his youth playing soccer. He transitioned to writing in college and hasn't looked back. He spent 11 years on Bleacher Report's Breaking News Team and helped Topps launch its Ripped collecting website.

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