The trade deadline came and went, and for a few AFC teams, the biggest story was what didn’t happen.
In Buffalo, the Bills went after help in the secondary and didn’t settle quickly. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, they made a strong push for Cardinals S Budda Baker before getting turned down and moving on to S Amani Hooker. Fowler says the Titans also initially said no, but Buffalo stayed on it and eventually put enough on the table to get a deal done.
Indianapolis had a different kind of decision hanging over it. ESPN’s Dan Graziano says the Colts were never truly eager to move RB Jonathan Taylor, and he points to the fact that the team extended Taylor this offseason while not doing the same for players such as G Quenton Nelson, DT DeForest Buckner and WR Josh Downs. That, Graziano notes, is a major reason those three were traded and Taylor wasn’t.
There was also the matter of price. Fowler says the Colts wanted a first-round pick or something close to that kind of value for Taylor. The Giants were closely tied to him, but Fowler heard the Broncos made a late push to bridge the gap with Indianapolis and couldn’t get there.
Fowler also says one reason the Colts were hesitant to deal QB Daniel Jones is that the staff doesn’t seem especially eager to move forward with QB Anthony Richardson.
Graziano adds that the next general manager will be the one making the call on Jones. The quarterback still has half a season left to make his case for another year as the starter, and the contract situation gives Indianapolis flexibility: Jones is due $38 million in 2027, but none of it is guaranteed, meaning the Colts could move on with a $35 million dead cap hit.
Jacksonville took a different route entirely. Graziano and Fowler say the Jaguars simply weren’t interested in subtracting from the roster, which is why WR Brian Thomas Jr. stayed put through the deadline.
The two ESPN reporters say Jacksonville could have landed significant compensation for Thomas, but the team wanted to protect itself from injury in a season where it is clearly aiming high. Fowler adds that his sense is Thomas would have been open to a fresh start if that chance had come along.
In Other News...
Bills Made A Statement And Josh Allen Sent A Clear Message
The Bills 23-6 win over Minnesota on Monday night was the kind of performance that can travel well into the rest of the season. Buffalo leaned on a defense that controlled the game from start to finish, smothering the Vikings ground attack and making life miserable for Carson Wentz, while the linebackers fit into the scheme cleanly and helped keep the field tilted in the Bills favor.
Josh Allen did his part, too, delivering a strong outing even with some pressure coming through the offensive line. For Buffalo, the bigger takeaway was the way the whole operation looked connected on a national stage, a reminder that when the defense is dictating terms and Allen is still producing, this team can make a statement without needing a shootout. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Trade Price For Amani Hooker Will Spark Debate
The Bills spent the trade deadline shoring up a defense that had a clear vacancy after the release of safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, landing Amani Hooker from the Titans in a move that immediately gives Buffalo a proven piece in the back end. Hooker arrives with a track record of producing on defense this season and a contract that runs through 2028, which makes him more than just a short-term patch for a team trying to keep pace in a crowded AFC race.
What will keep this deal under the microscope is the price Buffalo paid to get him, sending a 2027 second-round pick and a fifth-rounder to Tennessee. For a front office that has generally valued draft capital, the question now is whether Hookers fit and long-term control will justify the cost, especially if he settles in quickly and becomes a fixture in a secondary that needed help right away. [Read more 🡒]
Former Bills Coach Rex Ryan Is Facing Serious Questions In Nashville
Former Bills coach Rex Ryan turned himself in to Nashville police after a warrant was issued for his arrest, putting the longtime NFL figure at the center of a serious legal matter far from his days in Buffalo. Authorities say he faces multiple charges, including leaving the scene of an accident and failing to render aid, after an alleged incident in which two pedestrians were struck by his pickup truck.
Bond was set at $6,000, and neither Ryan nor ESPN has commented on the case. For Bills fans who remember his loud, high-profile run on the sideline, the latest news is a jarring reminder that one of the leagues more recognizable personalities is now dealing with questions that go well beyond football. [Read more 🡒]