NFL Trade Rumor: Bills Associated with Former No. 1 Overall Pick 

The Buffalo Bills may be eyeing another major trade as the NFL deadline approaches, following their earlier acquisition of wide receiver Amari Cooper to address offensive challenges. According to Matt Verderame of SI.com, the Bills might turn to the Carolina Panthers—where GM Dan Morgan previously worked under Bills GM Brandon Beane—for help on defense. Verderame suggests that pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney could be a target, as the Panthers might offload assets in a rebuilding move.

“While Buffalo already added a receiver in Amari Cooper, a defensive upgrade in the form of another pass rusher could be valuable,” Verderame wrote. Clowney, now 31 and set to enter free agency, may be a prime candidate for the trade block.

SI.com’s Albert Breer echoed this sentiment, noting that the Panthers will likely receive calls on several players ahead of the deadline. He highlighted both Clowney and wide receiver Adam Thielen as possible trade candidates. Breer suggested Clowney’s name alongside other pass-rushers like Za’Darius Smith of the Cleveland Browns and Preston Smith of the Green Bay Packers as potential trade targets for teams in need of defensive depth. Although Clowney’s production has declined this season, with one sack and six tackles in five games, he had a strong 2023 season with 9.5 sacks and 43 tackles for the Baltimore Ravens.

The Bills may also explore other areas of need as the deadline approaches. Bradley Locker of Pro Football Focus pointed out that they could look for a linebacker to offset the loss of Matt Milano. He mentioned Cleveland Browns linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah as a potential fit, noting that Buffalo’s current linebackers are underperforming.

Bills GM Brandon Beane confirmed the team’s active approach to the trade market, stating, “We’re still all-in… We’ll keep exploring options that can get us to the next level.” As long as Josh Allen leads the team, Beane emphasized their commitment to pursuing every opportunity to strengthen the roster.