The Buffalo Bills may already be at a crossroads with Joshua Palmer, a receiver they signed just last offseason.
That’s the setup in a recent trade idea from Moe Moton of Bleacher Report, who floated a deal that would send Palmer from Buffalo to the New Orleans Saints for a late 2027 pick. It would be a quick exit for a player the Bills hoped could help stabilize the receiver room, but Palmer’s first year in Buffalo never got off the ground.
Palmer arrived on a three-year deal in the 2025 offseason after four seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers. The move didn’t come with much fanfare, and the production profile matched that modest billing. His best season yardage-wise came in at 769 yards, and his touchdown totals had dropped by one each year before he failed to score at all last season.
In Buffalo, the results were even tougher. Palmer dealt with injuries early in the year and wound up missing the entire playoffs. By the end of the season, he had just 303 yards, a line that made his debut campaign look like a clear disappointment.
That’s part of why his name is suddenly surfacing in trade chatter. The Bills have added DJ Moore via trade with the Bears, drafted Skyler Bell, and also have public support behind Keon Coleman. With that group in the mix, Palmer’s spot looks far less secure than it did when he signed.
Moton’s case for the move leaned on that crowded picture.
" If the Bills plan to keep wideout Keon Coleman and allow him a chance to bounce back from a regression season, Palmer could be on the way out of Buffalo after one term. The 26-year-old had an uneventful 2025 campaign, hauling in 22 passes for 303 scoreless yards." said Moton.
He also pointed to a possible landing spot that would reconnect Palmer with familiar coaching.
" The Saints can reunite Palmer with head coach Kellen Moore, who called plays for the Los Angeles Chargers offense when the wideout caught 38 passes for 581 yards and two touchdowns in 2023. New Orleans can bring him in as veteran insurance if there are concerns about rookie first-rounder Jordyn Tyson's durability." Moton added.
From Buffalo’s perspective, the move would come down to whether the other receivers can simply do more. Over The Cap says the Bills could clear $10.1 million by moving Palmer, though the return would likely be minimal.
With Moore now the team’s new No. 1, Bell arriving as a promising rookie, Coleman still in line for another shot under Joe Brady, and Khalil Shakir already in place, Palmer’s roster status is suddenly a real question. Whether he’s still in Buffalo in 2026 is now one of the more interesting subplots in the Bills’ receiver room.
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