As long as the Buffalo Bills employ Josh Allen, they’re likely going to be considered a contender in the AFC. That hasn’t changed in 2025.
Buffalo cooled off after a 4-0 start to the year and now faces real competition in the AFC East from the New England Patriots. But as one of the most talented teams in football, the expectation remains that the Bills will eventually secure a playoff spot as they seek their first Super Bowl title in franchise history.
As the NFL trade deadline arrives, Buffalo has some clear positional needs. Injuries have depleted its interior defensive line, which ranks near the bottom of the league in stopping the run. Additionally, wide receiver appears to once again be a need — ever since Stefon Diggs departed, Buffalo hasn’t had a true go-to option in the passing game for Allen.
Who are some players the Bills could target at the trade deadline? Here’s a breakdown of seven possibilities for the squad.
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7. WR Calvin Ridley, Titans
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The Bills have little cap room to work with, which will further complicate their deadline plans. According to Spotrac, their $1,772,979 in available space ranks last in the NFL. As a result, general manager Brandon Beane will have to either pursue inexpensive players or shed contracts at the deadline.
Calvin Ridley’s cap hit of $28,007,560, per Spotrac, would be a complicated addition. But if the Bills can make the money work, there could be a fit -- with the Tennessee Titans trending toward another potential No. 1 pick in 2026, they have little reason to hold on to any player other than quarterback Cam Ward.
Ridley has struggled to build chemistry with Ward in 2025, as the 30-year-old has just 290 receiving yards through six games. But with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in 2023 and 2024, the talent is still there for Ridley.
Buffalo’s need for a top wideout isn’t much of a secret. The Bills could stick with their depth-based approach -- with four players owning more than 200 receiving yards -- or try to make a clear addition as the leader of the receiver room. At the very least, Ridley would become the most proven pass catcher on the roster.
Ridley shouldn’t be overly expensive as a trade acquisition, given his 2025 struggles, age, and poor fit with Tennessee’s timeline. If the Bills can make it work financially, perhaps Ridley could return to form alongside Allen.
MORE:Which other WRs could make sense as Bills trade targets?
6. S Budda Baker, Cardinals
Budda Baker
(Getty Images)
Safety likely isn't the Bills' biggest need, but an addition at the position also wouldn't hurt. Taylor Rapp was recently placed on IR with a knee injury, and he wasn't off to a great start anyway. Jordan Poyer is 34 and has only played in two games, leaving second-year safety Cole Bishop, the team's leading tackler, as the only real reliable option.
The safety market isn't expected to be too heavy, but with the Arizona Cardinals' struggles, they could decide to sell. Baker has re-signed with Arizona since his previous trade requests, but the 29-year-old is also a member of a team without a clear direction, unable to keep up in the NFC West.
Baker, while on a more expensive contract like Ridley, would provide Sean McDermott with a veteran safety still in his prime alongside the 23-year-old Bishop. In seven games this season, Baker has 49 tackles and two passes defended.
Again, money is complicated for this idea. But if Buffalo can convince Arizona to send Baker to the opposite conference, he would be a welcome addition to a safety room that could use him.
MORE: Predictions on trade landing spots for Breece Hall and others
5. DT Harrison Phillips, Jets
Defensive tackle may be the most critical need for Buffalo, even with some wide receiver troubles. Entering Week 9, the Bills ranked 31st in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game (150.3), and that was before veteran DT Ed Oliver was ruled "out indefinitely" and placed on IR with a torn left bicep, per ESPN.
Add in missed time for DaQuan Jones, rookie T.J. Sanders and DeWayne Carter, and the Bills' interior defensive line has been beat up. The New York Jets' Harrison Phillips won't be the only defensive tackle on this list, but he is a cheaper, veteran option who has previously played for Buffalo.
With the Jets off to a rough start in 2025, Phillips could be a trade piece for them. While he's under contract for 2026 as well, he's totaled 21 tackles and 0.5 sacks in eight games so far.
Perhaps more importantly, Phillips could be plugged in fairly easily — he was drafted by the Bills and spent the 2018-21 seasons with the team. He wouldn't be the biggest name to add, but with Buffalo's cap situation, the fit makes sense to reunite with Phillips on the defensive line.
MORE:NFL trade deadline deals that playoff contenders need to make
4. WR Rashid Shaheed, Saints
Among New Orleans Saints wide receivers, Chris Olave would be the much bigger name, with two 1,000-yard seasons to his name at 25 years old. However, two things would complicate a potential Olave-Bills deal — one, the Saints don't appear very likely to deal their top wideout, and two, Olave is under contract for 2026 with a cap hit around $15.5 million, per Spotrac.
If Olave isn't a real option for the Bills, Rashid Shaheed should be. He'd fill a need as a downfield threat for Allen; Shaheed averaged 17.5 yards per reception in 2024, and his longest touchdown this season came from 87 yards out. He's not the true No. 1 option Buffalo could use, but he is more than capable of producing as a vertical threat.
The Saints are another team trending toward the top of the 2026 NFL Draft, not carrying much of a need for a 27-year-old WR2. Shaheed would be a nice fit next to Dalton Kincaid, Khalil Shakir and Keon Coleman among the Bills' top pass catchers.
MORE:Best trade for all 32 teams to make at 2025 NFL trade deadline
3. DT Maliek Collins, Browns
Sticking with the need for a defensive tackle, another potential veteran on the market is the Cleveland Browns' Maliek Collins. Kevin Stefanski's defense has been among the best in the NFL in 2025, so Collins' status as a starter for the team could prevent the Browns from trading him. But this is the same squad that dealt quarterback Joe Flacco to a division rival a few weeks into the season — so it would appear there's a lot on the table for Cleveland.
Collins, 30, has 16 tackles and 3.5 sacks for the Browns so far this season. In his 10th NFL season, he's remained a steady defensive presence, owning consecutive five-sack seasons in 2023 and 2024 between Houston and San Francisco.
With a 2025 cap hit just over $4 million, per Spotrac, Collins wouldn't cost too much to add to the Bills' cap sheet. At the same time, he's proven to be a capable, veteran tackle who'd fill Ed Oliver's absence well.
In terms of realistic DT targets on struggling teams this season, Collins ranks near the top. At the very least, he should be a player Beane is calling Cleveland about after Oliver's significant injury.
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2. WR Jakobi Meyers, Raiders
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Jakobi Meyers has made it clear he doesn't want to be a member of the Las Vegas Raiders anymore. Before the season even started, he reportedly requested a trade. And that was prior to the Raiders starting 2-5, with quarterback Geno Smith throwing 10 interceptions in those seven games.
While Meyers' desire to be moved isn't a secret, whether he'll actually be on the move remains to be seen. The Bills should be calling, though. As previously mentioned, they could use a talented wide receiver who can make downfield plays, something Meyers has proven he does throughout his seven-year career.
So far in 2025, Meyers has 329 receiving yards without a touchdown through six games. Working alongside Josh Allen could boost those numbers rather quickly, especially for a receiver who totaled 1,027 yards in 2024.
Meyers would be a rental — he's a free agent after the 2025 season ends, desiring a longer-term deal that he hasn't gotten from Las Vegas. So the Bills acquiring him would be another short-term gamble, but still one that'd be worth it, adding a proven option to the wide receiver room.
MORE:How Tyler Lockett addition impacts Raiders' WR room
1. DT Jeffery Simmons, Titans
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First thing's first: after firing Brian Callahan as head coach, the Titans have told teams Jeffery Simmons is "not available," Ian Rapoport reported earlier in October. Tennessee reportedly got calls on Simmons, their best defensive player, but it still wants him to be "a part of the rebuild."
One has to wonder if a strong offer could change the Titans' mind. Simmons, 28, is likely too old to align with his current team's timeline, entering a rebuild that may take multiple years. He's been in Tennessee since being selected in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft, but many of the best members of those winning Titans teams have moved on.
Now would be the time for Tennessee to capitalize on Simmons' value as one of the best defensive tackles in the league. Entering Week 9, he leads all defensive tackles with 4.5 sacks, despite playing on a struggling team. He came into 2025 with four consecutive seasons with at least five sacks.
The Bills simply need more firepower on their defensive line to contend in the AFC playoffs, especially if Oliver is out. Simmons is expensive, on a four-year, $94 million contract he signed in 2023, but he's also worth the investment if Buffalo can make room for him.
It could prove unrealistic with the Titans wanting to keep Simmons, but the star defender should be a top-tier target for the Bills this trade deadline. If they could pull it off, their defense would instantly be in much better shape down the stretch run.
MORE: Why did the Titans fire Brian Callahan?