Buffalo Bills' Biggest Team Needs and Trade Targets

Technically, the Buffalo Bills are halfway to the 2026 NFL trade deadline. 

The Bills, four games into their season, will play their eighth game on Nov. 9, less than 24 hours before the deadline hits at 4 p.m. ET the following day. 

At this point, several positional needs have become accentuated by on-field performances and/or injuries, causing fans to start thinking about who might be available between now and Nov. 10. 

With that in mind, here's an updated breakdown of the team's key needs and potential trade targets at each position over the coming weeks.

Cornerback

AP Photo/Daniel Kucin Jr.

Rasul Douglas

On the Roster: Christian Benford, Maxwell Hairston, Dee Alford, Davison Igbinosun

Why the Need?

Benford struggled mightily before suffering a toe injury in Week 3. Hairston was bullied in coverage as the top cover guy in Week 4. Alford has lacked consistency and is now dealing with an ankle injury. Igbinosun is a rookie the team would prefer not to rely on heavily this early.

Potential Trade Targets

Kelee Ringo, Philadelphia Eagles: A natural perimeter cover man, Ringo remains buried on Philadelphia's depth chart in the midst of a walk year. With the Eagles likely open to dealing him out of conference, he should come at a low cost and could potentially challenge Benford or Hairston for reps in a new environment. 

Rasul Douglas, Washington Commanders: Could history repeat itself? Brandon Beane acquired Douglas at the 2023 deadline. It would make sense to inquire about him again if the Commanders' season continues to go downhill. The 31-year-old is on a cheap one-year deal in Washington, where he has an interception and has given up just 11 completions on 20 passes into his coverage. This would be an interesting rental scenario. 

Carrington Valentine, Green Bay Packers: The Packers could easily lose their next three games to Chicago, Dallas and Detroit to become clear sellers. If so, trading Valentine would make sense, as he works through the final year of his rookie contract while stuck behind Keisean Nixon and Brandon Cisse. The Bills would be getting a cheap, motivated 25-year-old with fairly significant starting experience on the perimeter. 

Alternative Move(s)

Don't forget about Tre'Davious White, who started 16 games for the Bills last season and remains an unrestricted free agent. I'm not sure what he has left at 31, but I'd trust him as much as any corner the team has right now.

Inside Linebacker 

AP Photo/Adam Hunger

Mack Wilson

On the Roster: Terrel Bernard, Dorian Williams, Kaleb Elarms-Orr, Joe Andreessen

Why the Need?

Bernard and Williams are not playmakers. Both go missing for long stretches, as neither is a consistent producer. There's just no oomph here. Elarms-Orr is merely a fourth-round rookie. Andreessen is a dependable special-teams contributor, but that's his ceiling. 

Potential Trade Targets

Ivan Pace Jr., Minnesota Vikings: A disruptive pass rusher inside the tackles when he plays consistently, Pace has fallen out of favor in Brian Flores' defense. As a result, he'd likely be affordable with an expiring contract and could be rejuvenated in a new setting. 

Mack Wilson, Arizona Cardinals: The Cardinals are clearly far from a competitive window. Wilson is an eight-year veteran wrapping up a three-year contract. He's unlikely to be part of this rebuild when he turns 29 this offseason, but he'd bring plenty of physicality to Buffalo while improving the defense's ability to cover tight ends. 

Patrick Queen, Pittsburgh Steelers: This one's highly unlikely, but Queen is in a contract year and the Steelers aren't looking overly competitive. If Pittsburgh goes off the rails between now and early November, the Steelers could become major sellers and take what they can get for the 27-year-old two-time Pro Bowler. 

Alternative Move(s)

Matt Milano and Shaq Thompson played a combined 1,165 snaps in this defense last season, as both remain viable options—Milano as a street free agent and Thompson as an in-house elevation from the practice squad. Thompson is on the practice squad. It's obviously a new look now. Both are 32, but they could still provide a boost if everything aligns. 

Wide Receiver 

AP Photo/Nick Wass

Stefon Diggs

On the Roster: DJ Moore, Keon Coleman, Khalil Shakir, Joshua Palmer, Skyler Bell, Greg Dortch

Why the Need?

Moore has been awesome when present but has been plagued by a nagging shoulder injury since Week 2. Coleman and Shakir are great secondary options but are up and down. Palmer doesn't look like anything more than a No. 4 target. Bell is a fourth-round rookie who hasn't been active on game day, while Dortch is pretty much strictly a returner.

Potential Trade Targets

Tank Dell, Houston Texans: I'm thinking of a scenario where Dell finally returns to health soon but finds himself out of favor in a receiving corps that also features Nico Collins, Jaylin Noel and Kayshon Boutte. He's in a walk year, as the Texans are winless. This could be a worthwhile flier. 

Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The Bucs are 0-4 as the 30-year-old Godwin is effectively in a walk year. Tampa Bay can walk away from his contract with minimal dead money this offseason. He might be running out of gas but is still on pace to catch 68 passes in an otherwise unproductive offense this season. If the Bills continue to run into injury issues in the receiving corps, this would be a nice veteran pickup who would help a lot as a blocker as well. 

Stefon Diggs, Washington Commanders: This is a reunion a lot of Bills fans would feel uncomfortable with, but if the team becomes desperate between now and the deadline, it isn't out of the question. Back before Diggs signed with Washington in the offseason, Joe Brady didn't rule out the possibility of the 32-year-old returning to Western New York. For what it's worth, Diggs did score three touchdowns in the first two weeks for a Commanders team that does not look like a contender. 

Alternative Move(s)

At the very least, the team could soon consider activating Bell in place of Palmer if the top three guys are healthy. Eventually, they gotta see what they have there. 

On the more extreme side, Drew Rosenhaus recently suggested that fading superstar Tyreek Hill could soon sign with a new team—although that type of potential culture shakeup probably wouldn't be worth it unless things truly go off the rails.

A middle ground might be another attempt to resurrect Gabe Davis, who peaked about four years ago in Buffalo but is still only 27. 

That said, it's not time to panic yet about the Buffalo receiving corps.