Bills have surprising number of trade-deadline needs for Super Bowl contender

As long as the Buffalo Bills have quarterback Josh Allen in the prime of his career, they are going to be a Super Bowl contender, and the 2025 season is no different. They are 5-2, solidly in a playoff position and have one of the best players in football (Allen) leading their team.

But as the NFL trade deadline approaches (Tuesday, Nov. 4) it is awfully hard to ignore the fact they have a shocking number of needs that still need to be addressed.

More than your typical Super Bowl contender.

Bills have big needs at wide receiver and on defense

Perhaps the most obvious need for the Bills is on offense, where Allen is lacking a true No. 1 wide receiver to throw to in the passing game. Buffalo is just 15th in the NFL in passing yards per game (218) after finishing in the top-10 in each of the past five seasons.

Their top wide receivers this season are Khalil Shakir and Keon Coleman. Neither player ranks in the top-35 in receptions or yards, while Coleman is averaging fewer than 10 yards per reception. 

The Bills have been able to get by with that and lean on their running game, but it might be a problem come playoff time and against the truly elite contenders in the AFC. They are going to get a big test in that regard on Sunday when they play the Kansas City Chiefs. 

Whether it's Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Myers, or New Orleans Saints' Chris Olave or even Miami Dolphins' Jaylen Waddle, any of them could be options — and potential game-changers — for the Bills offense.

But while wide receiver has been the position that has received the most interest in Buffalo, they also have some serious needs on the defensive side of the ball, especially against the run where they are allowing a shocking 150.3 yards per game. Only the Cincinnati Bengals (151.9) are allowing more per game. 

They have concerns at edge-rusher and also at safety, where Taylor Rapp is on injured reserve and Jordan Poyer is 34 years old.

Allen is good enough to mask a lot of flaws for the Bills and drag an imperfect roster a long way. Whether or not he can drag them all the way to a Super Bowl is a different question, and is one he should not have to answer. With the Bills having a Super Bowl window that is still wide open, they should do everything they can before Tuesday to give him the help he needs.