The Bills are staring at a roster decision before the Nov. 10 trade deadline, and Joshua Palmer has emerged as the name worth watching.
Buffalo’s offense has kept rolling even after the team fired Sean McDermott and elevated Joe Brady to head coach, but the defense is a different story. New defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard’s unit is giving up 26.8 points per game, which leaves the Bills sitting No. 25 in points allowed. That kind of leak can push a front office to get creative.
One possible move would be dealing from a receiver room that already has young playmakers taking on bigger roles. Through four games, tight end Dalton Kincaid leads the team with 280 receiving yards and a touchdown. Keon Coleman is right behind him with 14 catches for 217 yards and a score, while DJ Moore has added 12 receptions for 178 yards and a touchdown since Buffalo traded for him from the Chicago Bears.
That has opened the door for Palmer to become a potential trade chip. Tony Pauline of Essentially Sports pointed to the receiver as someone who could draw interest, and the contract gives Buffalo some flexibility. Palmer signed a three-year, $30 million deal in 2025, and the Bills have an out in 2027.
So far, Palmer has only produced three catches for 80 yards, though two of those have gone for touchdowns. At 27, he hasn’t been a major part of the offense, but Buffalo could still prefer to keep him around in case injuries hit the receiver group later in the year.
If the Bills do shop him, they’ll have to weigh what kind of return they can get against the value of keeping depth in place. Palmer’s best season came with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2022, when he posted 72 receptions for 769 yards and three touchdowns.
Buffalo is also trying to regroup after taking its first loss of the season, a Week 4 defeat to the New England Patriots. Next up is another tough test: a trip to face the Los Angeles Chargers on "Monday Night Football."
Before the season, that game might have looked like a possible Super Bowl preview. Now, both teams are trying to avoid an ugly early-season setback.
In Other News...
James Cook Could Be Central To Buffalos Bounce-Back Against The Rams
After a frustrating loss to New England, the Bills turn their attention to a Week 5 matchup with the Rams looking for a steadier offensive rhythm, and James Cook figures to remain right in the middle of it. He has been one of Buffalos most reliable pieces through the first month, piling up 421 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 70 carries while helping keep the offense from leaning too heavily in one direction.
Cooks recent stretch has only reinforced his value, with a score on the ground in each of the past three games. ESPN Fantasy sees him continuing in a featured role against Los Angeles, projecting a workload heavy enough to shape Buffalos approach if the Bills can get back on track and establish the run early. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Passing Game Suddenly Rests On Keon Coleman In Week 5
The Bills passing game has been forced to adjust for a couple of weeks now, and the next test could lean even more heavily on Keon Coleman. With the offense already navigating a receiver room that has had to reshuffle since early in the season, Coleman has been the one stepping into a larger role and producing enough in Weeks 2 and 4 to keep Buffalo moving through the air. Against the Rams, that growth matters even more because the Bills need someone besides their usual perimeter threats to create separation and keep the passing game balanced.
Colemans challenge is a familiar one for young receivers: keep building trust while drawing top defensive attention. The Rams have the kind of corner play that can make every target feel crowded, and Buffalos staff has reason to believe Coleman is ready for the assignment based on how he has handled his expanded opportunities so far. If the receiver situation breaks the wrong way, though, the Bills may have to ask even more of him than they planned when the week began. [Read more 🡒]
Joe Brady Has Bills Fans Hopeful And Uneasy For One Reason
Joe Bradys first month as the Bills head coach has offered enough to fuel optimism, and just enough uneven play to keep Buffalo fans a little on edge. After the team moved on from Sean McDermott and elevated Brady for the 2026 season, the early return has been a 3-1 start through four games, a sign that the transition has gone better than many around the league might have expected. Brady has also continued working closely with Josh Allen, with an emphasis on cutting down turnovers and smoothing out the offenses rougher stretches.
But the reason this feels unfinished is the same reason it feels promising: the Bills havent yet looked fully settled under their new leader, and the recent inconsistency has left room for questions about how sustainable this start really is. Allen remains the center of everything Buffalo wants to do, and Bradys ability to clean up the mistakes without stifling the quarterbacks aggressiveness will go a long way toward determining whether this early surge turns into something sturdier over the long haul. [Read more 🡒]