The Bills have already started looking around for help at safety, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. One name that surfaced in that search was Cardinals safety Budda Baker, who would reportedly be open to joining a contender if Arizona were to move him. Even so, Fowler made it clear the Cardinals are not expected to entertain offers for Baker.
In New York, the focus is on Will McDonald and where things stand after his trade request. Zack Rosenblatt reported that McDonald’s strong bond with the previous staff played a major role in how empowered he felt early on. He also tried to make his case to the current staff about earning more snaps once his role shrank, but that hasn’t led to a change yet.
According to Rosenblatt, McDonald has told people close to him that it feels like this staff no longer believes in him. Rosenblatt also noted that the Jets had interest in McDonald at the deadline last year, but the defense has since shifted in style, and McDonald now wants a change of scenery. On top of that, the team has not been pleased with his run defense progress or his inability to add bulk.
Despite the trade request, Jets head coach Aaron Glenn made it clear he expects McDonald to remain in the building. “Will is going to be here,” Glenn said, explaining that the team is in the business of keeping good players. Glenn also addressed the deadline more broadly, saying, “Never say never but right now we’re going to stay pat.”
In New England, Mike Vrabel didn’t sugarcoat Christian Gonzalez’s performance in Sunday’s blowout loss to the Packers. Vrabel said, “Again, when your best players don’t play good, you don’t have much of a chance in this league,” via NBC Sports.
He added, “So, we expect a lot more. He expects a lot more.
We need more from him and everybody else. It wasn’t just him.
Again, we got to be able to coach and be prepared, and then we have to execute. Just like it is every single week when we don’t win, it’s all of us, and it starts with me.”
In Other News...
Bills Trade Deadline Pressure Is Suddenly All About One Defensive Need
With less than 24 hours before the 2026 NFL trade deadline, the Bills are still weighing whether to make a move, and the conversation around Buffalo has narrowed to one obvious area: defense. ESPNs Troy Aikman said he spoke with general manager Brandon Beane about the possibility of adding help on that side of the ball, a sign the front office is at least exploring whether there is a deal worth making before the clock runs out.
Joe Buck also floated Budda Baker as a potential target, which only adds to the speculation around what Buffalo might be willing to do if it decides the roster needs a boost. For now, though, nothing official has happened, leaving the Bills in the familiar deadline spot of trying to balance urgency with the cost of making a move. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Just Got More Pressure As An AFC Rival Goes All In
The AFC race just got a little tighter for Buffalo after Jacksonville spent the days leading into the trade deadline loading up on defense. The Jaguars added safety Jessie Bates III from Atlanta, then followed with deals for defensive tackles Davon Godchaux and Jordan Davis from Philadelphia, a clear sign they are trying to fortify the middle of their defense and push harder in a crowded conference.
For the Bills, the timing matters as much as the names. Jacksonville paid for those upgrades with multiple future draft picks, a move that signals urgency now and confidence in the roster around it, and it adds another team in the AFC willing to act aggressively to close the gap. Buffalo has spent plenty of time measuring itself against the conferences best, and this kind of deadline swing is the sort that can reshape the path to January. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Defense Is Forcing A Bigger Question Than Fans Expected
Since the Week 7 bye, Buffalos defense has started looking like the unit the Bills expected it could be, holding opponents to far fewer yards and points in back-to-back games. The improvement has shown up across the board, with the pass rush getting home more often and the group playing with the kind of urgency that can change the feel of a game before the offense even settles in.
Greg Rousseau has been one of the voices pointing to the shift as something more lasting than a short burst, and the numbers back up the eye test even without needing much decoration. The bigger question now is less about whether the defense has found something and more about how Buffalo balances that rise with the steady work of Josh Allen and James Cook on the other side of the ball. [Read more 🡒]