The Buffalo Bills failed to address their two main needs at the trade deadline. Of course, that doesn’t mean they didn’t try.
Despite the criticism, GM Brandon Beane seemed to have a vision for this team. Unfortunately, he could’ve chosen other teams to try to make deals with.
According to a report by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Bills tried to acquire talent from their own division. Unsurprisingly, he failed:
“The Bills were the high bidder for Dolphins WR Jaylen Waddle and also tried to acquire then-Jets DL Quinnen Williams before Tuesday’s trade deadline, per sources. In both cases, their AFC East rivals ultimately gave Buffalo no help in its push for a 6th straight division title,” Pelissero posted on X.
The Bills were the high bidder for Dolphins WR Jaylen Waddle and also tried to acquire then-Jets DL Quinnen Williams before Tuesday’s trade deadline, per sources.
In both cases, their AFC East rivals ultimately gave Buffalo no help in its push for a 6th straight division title. pic.twitter.com/GQrnJxm6dV
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) November 9, 2025
The Bills have struggled to stop the run all year long. Adding a prime run-stopper like Quinnen Williams would’ve worked wonders for his team.
As for Jaylen Waddle, he could’ve finally been the primary pass catcher this team has been lacking since they traded Stefon Diggs. It was a perfect move.
Still, in-division trades rarely happen. As much as the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins were most likely set to throw in the towel and give up on the season, there aren’t many incentives to trade with a divisional rival.
Beane did the right thing by identifying his team’s flaws and trying to get a deal done. That said, there are 32 teams in the league, so he could’ve tried to make a deal with any team not in the AFC East. That’s just common sense.
Now, Josh Allen will have to continue to get by with the hand he’s been given. And while this team should continue to be one of the teams to beat in the AFC, this could come back to haunt them.
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