The Buffalo Bills are being sized up as a “light buyer” heading toward the 2026 NFL trade deadline, according to Bleacher Report, and the idea on the table is a familiar one: maybe add a defensive back to help shore up the defense.
That prediction comes with Buffalo sitting at 5-1 and in first place in the AFC East in Year 1 of the Joe Brady era. The Bills’ only loss so far came in Week 4, when the New England Patriots got them.
Josh Allen, meanwhile, keeps doing Josh Allen things. The 2024 MVP has piled up 1,504 passing yards, nine passing touchdowns, 240 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns through the Bills’ first six games. He leads the NFL in rushing touchdowns.
His latest showcase came in Buffalo’s 33-30 win over the Las Vegas Raiders before the bye. Allen finished 23-of-33 for 255 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions, his first game without a pick since Week 2. The play everyone will remember came midway through the third quarter, when Allen dodged defenders, took contact and somehow still managed to shovel-flick a 12-yard touchdown to a wide-open Keon Coleman.
Afterward, Allen said the pass was not a no-look flick. He knew Coleman was open, but once he got hit and spun around, he couldn’t tell whether the ball had actually been completed.
“Once it comes out, you kind of get hit and tumble around,” Allen said. “It's so hard in these away games which feel like home games. Once you hear the crowd go crazy, you're like, 'I don't know if it's a touchdown, and I don't know if it's an interception.'”
That road atmosphere wasn’t lost on James Cook III, either. The running back had 153 scrimmage yards in the win and said Bills fans were louder than the Raiders crowd.
“This is what Buffalo fans do,” Cook said. “Like I said, they always show up and show out.
Coming from Buffalo or wherever they came from, just to show that they support us and care about us. It shows a lot of gratitude to those fans.
I want to say thank you and we appreciate you guys.”
Dion Dawkins also found himself in awe of Allen after the game. The left tackle said he usually tries not to get carried away by the quarterback’s highlight-reel plays, but this time he couldn’t resist.
“I went over to Josh and I said, 'I've been around you a while, bro, and I don't ever want to be like, 'Oh my God, Josh Allen you're the best! But you are him.
You are Himothy,'” Dawkins said. “We're seeing it in real time.”
Buffalo’s next test comes in Week 8 against the Baltimore Ravens, with Lamar Jackson’s status up in the air because of an ankle injury.
Allen’s body of work in Buffalo keeps growing, too. He has 31,606 career passing yards, 229 career passing touchdowns, 4,961 career rushing yards and 87 career rushing touchdowns with the Bills. His starting record is 93-40-0.
The Allen era has already taken Buffalo to the AFC Championship Game twice, with both runs ending against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.
In Other News...
James Cook Faces A Huge Bills Test Against Baltimore
Buffalos ground game has been one of the biggest reasons the offense has stayed on schedule, with James Cook carrying the load and giving the Bills a steady threat between the tackles and on the edges. He has piled up 627 rushing yards and six touchdowns, production that has helped make the run game a real part of Buffalos identity rather than just a changeup.
The next test is a serious one, though, because Baltimore brings a top-10 run defense into the matchup and will force the Bills to prove their rushing attack can travel against a sturdier front. For Buffalo, that puts extra weight on Cooks role, especially with offensive coordinator Joe Brady already zeroing in on ball security as a point of emphasis. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Could Be Headed For A Maxx Crosby Deadline Debate
The trade deadline chatter around Maxx Crosby is starting to feel like the kind of conversation that could follow the Bills right up to Nov. 10. Buffalo has been mentioned alongside the Lions and Cowboys as a possible landing spot for the Raiders edge rusher, a reminder that teams looking to sharpen their defenses are keeping a close eye on the market for difference-makers, especially with the price of star defenders climbing into the multiple first-round-pick range.
For the Bills, the appeal is obvious even without the full mechanics of a deal coming into view. Crosby would fit the profile of a player who can change the tone of a defense in a hurry, and Buffalo is the sort of contender that has to at least weigh whether a swing of that size is worth it. The bigger question is whether the market gets even more complicated from here, because once a player of Crosbys stature starts drawing this much attention, the deadline can turn into a bidding war fast. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Head Into Ravens Game With Key Roles Still In Doubt
The Bills are heading into their matchup with the Ravens with a handful of important roles still unsettled after the final practice of the week. Joe Brady confirmed six players are listed as questionable, including DJ Moore and Dalton Kincaid, while the team has not officially ruled anyone out as it prepares for one of its biggest tests of the early season.
Greg Gaines was added to the injury report late after tweaking his lower body during Friday practice, adding another layer of uncertainty to Buffalos depth chart. On the back end, Damar Hamlin is set to start at safety with C.J. Gardner-Johnson serving a suspension, giving the Bills at least one clear answer as they sort through the rest of the roster before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]