After a receiving performance by the Buffalo Bills that was offensive in all the wrong ways, the team might want to improve the caliber of players in its wide receiver room. Fans are free to conjecture all they want about the possibility of a Davante Adams trade, but Josh Allen has a lot of practical, practical options available to him.
According to OverTheCap and Spotrac, the Bills’ current available cap space is between $3 and 3.4 million. Pricer players are unlikely until the opposing team makes a matching move or assumes payment, as any contract assumed in a trade must fall inside that range. Given his history of cutting corners, it seems doubtful that Raiders owner Mark Davis would ever pay Davante Adams that much. Instead, let’s examine a few middling candidates who could have a significant impact this season and possibly beyond.
In each of the previous two seasons, Brandon Beane has made moves at the trade deadline. There’s a clear necessity for him to do so once more.
The Green Bay Packers’ Romeo Doubs
Doubs is hardly a name one would anticipate seeing on this list. Since the Green Bay Packers are winning and Doubs is a talented receiver, few people actually expected him to be available, but there are good reasons for his abrupt interest in the trade market. Doubs missed two practice days after expressing his dissatisfaction with the offensive role assigned to him. The team suspended him, therefore he was unable to play against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 5. They now say they are willing to proceed, but as the trade deadline of November 5th draws near, they will be contacted in the upcoming weeks.
In the role that made him angry with his team, Doubs had 12 catches for 169 yards through four games this season. As a role player and depth contributor, his quickness and ability to extend passing opportunities are highly valued. He hauled in 59 passes for 674 yards and eight touchdowns for the Packers in the previous year. In the third year of his rookie deal, Doubs has an average cap hit of $1.2 million and a little dead cap if he is cut. He would have no impact on the salary cap for the upcoming season and the one after that.
Oakland Browns player Amari Cooper
Death, taxes, and seeing the collapse of the Browns. There’s no greater assurance or finer catharsis than this. Brandon Beane needs to call the Cleveland Browns right away because before the deadline, the 1-4 team will be selling the farm. The Buffalo Bills can dismantle Deshaun Watson’s roster and take Amari Cooper off their hands as they do.
Cooper has been Cleveland’s best asset. The only offensive standout not named Nick Chubb, who has hauled in 150 receptions for 2410 yards and 14 touchdowns over the last two seasons. He could be Buffalo’s for the rest of this season for a probable mid-round pick; if they want him back, they could then make no more commitment.
Many were startled when he decided to accept a revised agreement rather than push for a 2024 expiration date. As Cooper approached his thirtyth birthday, he was considering his last multi-year extension. However, he decided to enter the market in 2025. This restructuring guaranteed him $20 million from the Browns and increased his salary significantly. He now owes the Browns a pitiful amount of his remaining contract, so they can finally raise the white and brown flag and send him packing in the hopes of recovering something, anything, to begin their unavoidable rebuild. They gain no financial benefit from moving him, but maintaining him merely denies them any draft capital they might have received in return. Amari Cooper’s season is done if no deal is made, just as the Browns’.
Tee Higgins of the Bengals in Cincinnati
The Cincinnati Bengals are paying Tee Higgins in full against the salary limit while he plays on the franchise tag and waits for free agency to negotiate a deal of his own. The Bengals have about $10 million in salary space, which they may use to absorb the expense of dealing the star wide receiver and obtain a higher return. Buffalo would forfeit more, but in exchange they might acquire the most reasonably priced candidate available.
In 61 games, Higgins caught 275 passes for a massive 3866 yards and 26 touchdowns. Higgins, who stands 6’4″ and weighs 220 pounds, is a perfect candidate to take Marquez-Valdez Scantling’s position and significantly raise this receiving core’s bar. A future-oriented athlete with a track record, Buffalo will probably need to use an early Day 2 draft pick to get him.
The Bengals’ need for a top-tier WR2 in 2024 is diminishing as they allow the Ravens to win another game in OT. Before, they were unable to reach an agreement, and the cost increased. He may now be a one-year rental with the Buffalo Bills before going free agent and maybe leading the free agency rush.
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Diontae Johnson of the Panthers in Carolina
The wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers was traded to the Carolina Panthers earlier in the season, but there are now new rumors circulating over his availability. Diontae Johnson presents a good alternative for those who are out as the DaVante Adams sweepstakes picks up steam. Johnson’s $7 million base salary would be a consideration, but the Buffalo Bills would have to make a significant financial sacrifice as most of his compensation is already covered.
Why then do it? Although he’s had a difficult season in Carolina due to low-quality targets, which has decreased his catch rate, his history speaks for itself. He was excellent for the Steelers over his first five seasons. He hauled in 391 receptions for 4363 yards and 25 touchdowns during those seasons. He maintained a strong 11.2 yards per reception during that time this season, and his skill set fits in well with Buffalo’s offensive requirements.
He is an unrestricted free agent in 2025 and is not owed any money. Johnson should be secured through the conclusion of the season with a late Day 2/early Day 3 draft pick, given his lack of future committment and the Carolina Panthers’ want to wrap up the season.
