The Buffalo Bills pulled off a shocking blockbuster trade, sending dynamic wide receiver Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans, a move that shifts the balance of power in the AFC, but created a void in quarterback Josh Allen’s arsenal.
“I think it will be a net positive for Buffalo,” a rival AFC East executive told me shortly after the trade was finalized. “I think Josh Allen is that good. They will draft a receiver, they’ll sign another, maybe even use some of that extra draft capital to pull off a trade of their own to get a veteran wideout.
“Here’s the thing, Diggs turned on them, and didn’t do much at all down the stretch last season when they needed him most.”
Now, after moving on from Diggs, the Buffalo Bills could turn to the NFL Draft to replenish Allen’s receiving corps, but even aggressively trading up into the top-10 picks might not be enough to make up for the production lost and the impact of Diggs’s explosiveness in the vertical passing game has on opposing defenses.
Brandon Beane and the Bills should prioritize selecting a wide receiver in the draft, but should also trade for a veteran.
Buffalo Bills Should Trade for Terry McLaurin
The Bills might not have the resources to trade up to the top of the board, which means Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers, nor Rome Odunze will be on the receiving end of Allen passes this fall.
However, given that the Washington Commanders are seemingly aiming to fast-track a rebuild, Bean would be wise to gauge general manager Adam Peters’ interest in dealing dynamic pass-catcher Terry McLaurin.
Perhaps a swap of the No. 40 pick and a 2025 second-round selection for McLaurin would be enticing for Peters and Washington.
Mclaurin, 28, is about to become expensive for the Commanders, with a combined cap hit of $47 million over the next two seasons. However, if Washington designates McLaurin as a June 1 trade, the Commanders would save $16.5 million against the cap.
Last season, McLaurin caught 79 passes for 1,002 yards and four touchdowns.
As Pro Football Focus points out, McLaurin averaged a whopping 4.5 yards after the catch per reception, despite wildly inconsistent quarterback play.
Through his first five seasons, McLaurin has caught 378 passes for 5,283 yards and 25 touchdowns.
McLaurin could be an ideal fit for the Bills’ offense and potentially be an upgrade over Diggs’ production down the stretch in 2023.
Meanwhile, in Washington, Jahan Dotson is an emerging deep threat who is still on his rookie contract, and the Commanders might be able to pair added draft capital to move up the board to select one of the top receivers to pair with the rookie quarterback of their choosing with the No. 2 pick.
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