By Nick Wojton / Billswire.usatoday.com
With all eyes in the Buffalo Bills locker room on Monday Night Football against the New England Patriots this week, all eyes in front office are likely on Tuesday.
On Oct. 30 at 4 p.m., the Bills (2-5) and rest of the NFL will be subject to the 2018 trade deadline.
In his short time as Buffalo’s general manager, Brandon Beane hasn’t been afraid to pull the trigger on deals, both during the year and at the deadline. In 2017, Beane nabbed wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin from the Carolina Panthers.
Benjamin was grabbed for a playoff push. Unless Buffalo tops the Patriots on Monday, any deals will likely have the future in mind, but it’s never too early to plan ahead. Will Beane and head coach Sean McDermott have some moves in mind?
With that, here are eight players the Bills could target at the deadline:
WR Demaryius Thomas, Denver Broncos
Thomas will be 31 by December and has lost a step. Still, the Bills are strapped for talent at the wide receiver group and could look at add an influx of youth at the position. Anyone other than Zay Jones has a chance to be gone by next season, regardless of contract. If Buffalo decides to add youth, Thomas could be that steady, vet option.
Thomas is a former five-time, 1,000-yard receiver, with another 949-yard season last year. In seven games this season, Thomas has 33 catches for 372 yards and three touchdowns. Thomas does carry a hefty $14 million salary with a $17.5 cap hit one more year, however, the Bills will have approximately $91 million in cap space next year, per Spotrac, and could handle that for a year.
WR Emmanuel Sanders, Denver Broncos
Sanders, 31, has been Thomas’ right-hand man since 2014. If the Broncos, who are currently 3-4 with the Chiefs on-deck this week, decide to sell at the deadline, whoever acquires Sanders would be doing so for the same reason as Thomas. He’s a steady veteran presence. Sanders has three 1,000-yard seasons on his resume and older than Thomas, however, CBS Sports reports that he’s more valuable because he’s producing better, currently. Sanders is on pace for a fourth 1,000-yard season as he currently has 46 catches, 603 yards and three touchdowns. He also still has a strong dose of speed to his game.
CB Gareon Conley, Oakland Raiders
Like in the Mc-Beane Bills sense, the Raiders have house cleaning in mind. Head coach Jon Gruden seems to be shopping any players he didn’t draft, and he did not select Conley in the first-round last year. Conley is already in Gruden’s dog house as he was benched this year.
Sure, the Bills need a lot of help offensively, but with Conley still on his rookie contract for a few years and his ability to play zone defense, he could settle down the team’s No. 2 cornerback position for the foreseeable future across from Tre’Davious White.
LB Hasson Reddick, Arizona Cardinals
The Bills will eventually need to replace Lorenzo Alexander and perhaps another first-round pick from 2017 in Reddick could fit the bill and Bills.
CBS Sports reports that Reddick is available because he’s not fitting in with the Cardinals’ new scheme under new head coach Steve Wilkes. This could go either way, though. Reddick looks like he’d be a good heir to Alexander and with Alexander still playing well, Reddick can take his time learning McDermott’s defense. On the other hand. Wilkes and McDermott were both defensive coordinators in Carolina, Wilkes replaced McDermott for a season after he left for Buffalo. If both coaches are cut from the same cloth, would Reddick struggle in Buffalo too?
CB Patrick Peterson, Arizona Cardinals
Peterson is one of the few players that the Bills could acquire that could potentially move Tre’Davious White down the depth chart. Peterson is that good, it’s not a knock against White at all. According to ESPN recently, Peterson requested to be traded. The former No. 5 pick in 2011 is as shutdown as they get and the Cards wouldn’t want to move the three-time All-Pro. Regardless of his contract, the Bills would love him.
But this drama recently took a twist which included Peterson now asking to stay with the Cards. It’s a situation worth monitoring.
CB Janoris Jenkins, New York Giants
Like the Raiders, the Giants look to be sellers at the deadline. Jenkins’ NFL.com draft profile states he can play in both man and zone defenses which fits the mold of McDermott’s defense. Jenkins has had previous successes in his career, but as of late, he’s struggled like the rest of the Giants’ roster. Pro Football Focus ranked him the NFL’s 83rd-best corner prior to last week. He has a hefty contract moving forward as well, with cap hits of near $15 million the next two seasons when he’ll be 30-plus years old.
OT Cedric Ogbuehi, Cincinnati Bengals
Ogbuehi could be an interesting option because of a former Bill, Cordy Glenn. The past two seasons Ogbuehi started 25 games but was replaced by Glenn and Bobby Hart as Bengal starters on the line this year. He hasn’t played this year at all, but he’s a former first-round talent from 2015.
According to PFF, since entering the NFL, Ogbuehi has regressed. He earned an overall grade of 67.5 his rookie season which dipped to 60.4 and 56.6 the past two seasons, respectively. Ogbuehi could be a case of someone who needs a change of scenery.
OL Stefan Wisniewski, Philadelphia Eagles
Wisniewski was part of the offensive line which helped solidify the Eagles as a Super Bowl contender last year. After four games this season, he found himself benched. Wisniewski says he’s been playing well and didn’t understand why he was benched. PFF says it was warranted. In his first seven seasons, Wisniewski graded well every year with grades of 71.9, 68.1, 80.0, 74.4, 73.7, 75.4, and 73.5. In 2018 he dropped down to 60.3.
With plenty left in the tank, Wisniewski, who has played a guard and center, could be a player that comes back to Buffalo in a potential trade involving Bills running back LeSean McCoy. Another possibility along with Wisniewski could be offensive lineman Chance Warmack.