The Buffalo Bills are heading into their bye week at 5-1, and the offense has spent the opening stretch of the season looking every bit like the force Buffalo hoped it would be. Josh Allen has been playing lights-out, and the Bills have climbed back into the mix as one of the AFC’s top teams.
The issue, though, is the other side of the ball. Buffalo’s defense has been more of a work in progress, and that kind of weakness can turn into a real problem when the schedule tightens up. With the NFL trade deadline coming on November 10, the Bills may need to make a move if they want to shore up that unit and keep their Super Bowl hopes on track.
One possibility worth kicking around is DeForest Buckner. The Indianapolis Colts defensive end has been part of trade chatter for a while, and that talk picked up again over the last 24 hours after Buckner voiced his displeasure with how the team has been following the Colts loss to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.
Buckner’s production still jumps off the page. In six games this season, he has 26 total tackles, including four for loss, along with 4.0 sacks, one fumble recovery, and three pass deflections. He has also been one of the NFL’s most reliable pass rushers for years, recording at least 6.5 sacks in seven of his last eight seasons.
For Buffalo, that kind of player would fit the need perfectly. A veteran edge presence like Buckner could give the defense an immediate lift, and the Bills would also be getting someone who might be eager for a change of scenery and a chance to join a winning team.
There’s another layer that makes the idea even cleaner for Buffalo: Buckner is on an expiring deal. That means the Bills wouldn’t be taking on a long-term commitment, and if the fit didn’t work, they could move on after the season without much baggage.
So if Buffalo is serious about making a splash before the deadline, Buckner looks like the kind of swing worth exploring. The Bills need help on defense, and the Colts star could be exactly the kind of explosive addition that changes the conversation.
In Other News...
Bills Keep Winning But One Concern Isnt Going Away
The Bills kept rolling in Las Vegas, outlasting the Raiders 33-30 in Week 6 to move to 5-1, and Josh Allen did his part with 255 passing yards and two touchdowns. It was the kind of road win that usually says plenty about a teams staying power, especially when it comes in a game that was tight all the way through.
Even so, the mood around Buffalo isnt exactly all-clear. The win helped keep the Bills near the top of the league picture, but the same lingering issue keeps surfacing after every victory: the defense still has to convince people it can be more than just a side note to Allens offense. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Suddenly Face A C.J. Gardner-Johnson Problem Before Tough Stretch
The Bills secondary is suddenly dealing with an unwelcome wrinkle as C.J. Gardner-Johnson sits at the center of an NFL discipline case heading into a pivotal part of the schedule. The league suspended the safety for one game without pay after determining he violated the sportsmanship rule during the game against Las Vegas, leaving Buffalo with an unexpected absence to navigate around after its Week 7 bye.
Unless an appeal changes the outcome, Gardner-Johnson is set to miss the Week 8 matchup with Baltimore, a game that already looms large for Buffalo. Coach Joe Brady said the team will not add any further punishment and expects Gardner-Johnson back in the lineup once he is eligible again, but for now the Bills have to prepare for a stretch that gets tougher with one of their defensive pieces unavailable. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Just Made Their Stance On C.J. Gardner-Johnson Clear
C.J. Gardner-Johnsons spitting incident and the suspension that followed put Buffalo in a familiar spot any time a talented but combustible defender enters the conversation. On the surface, it raised the usual questions about accountability and fit, but coach Joe Brady made it clear the Bills did not bring Gardner-Johnson in expecting a spotless record. They brought him in for the edge that makes him difficult to deal with on the field.
Brady framed the issue less as a breaking point and more as a test of growth, comparing it to other mistakes players make along the way. For Buffalo, the takeaway is straightforward: the organization is not treating this as a reason for a quick exit, but as a chance for Gardner-Johnson to show he can channel that intensity the right way. [Read more 🡒]