The Buffalo Bills are 7-1 after beating the Minnesota Vikings in Week 9, and they’re still sitting on top of the AFC East and the conference. With the NFL trade deadline closing in, though, they may not be done making noise.
After the Jacksonville Jaguars landed Jessie Bates III and Jordan Davis on the same day, Buffalo could be looking to answer with a major move of its own. One name now in the mix is Budda Baker.
According to Johnny Venerable of PHNX Cardinals, the Bills have “checked in” on the Cardinals’ All-Pro safety. Venerable added, “Can confirm the Buffalo Bills have ‘checked in’ on Budda Baker, per multiple sources,” and noted, “No word on if the Cardinals will move off their Pro Bowl safety. Would likely take ownership approval to sign off on trading a franchise icon.”
Baker would be a huge swing for Buffalo. He’s a two-time All-Pro and eight-time Pro Bowl safety, and players with that kind of resume almost never get moved. The Cardinals also don’t have many players who could bring back a major haul, which is part of why Baker stands out as a potential trade chip.
Drafted in the second round in 2017, Baker has spent almost 10 seasons with Arizona and built a remarkable body of work along the way. He has made the Pro Bowl seven straight seasons heading into 2026, and his career numbers include nine interceptions, 48 passes defended, eight forced fumbles, 13.5 sacks, and 1,083 tackles.
Safety has been a clear need for the Bills, who have already been tied to some of the top names that could be available before the deadline. Once Bates went to Jacksonville, Baker became the most obvious target on Buffalo’s board.
Nothing is done yet, and a deal would take plenty to pull off. The Cardinals may not want to part with him at all. But the interest is real, and the Bills have reportedly “checked in” as they weigh a potential blockbuster before the deadline.
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Jaguars Just Made One Deadline Bet Fans Can't Ignore
The 2026 NFL trade deadline brought a flurry of activity across the league, but Jacksonvilles move stood out because it was the kind of swing that can reshape a roster well beyond November. The Jaguars landed Jordan Davis from the Philadelphia Eagles in a deal built around future draft picks, signaling a willingness to pay for help now rather than wait for the offseason to address the front of the defense.
Around the league, the deadline also underscored how differently teams approached their own situations, with the Colts choosing to hold onto Jonathan Taylor despite multiple offers. For Jacksonville, the debate is already centered on whether the price was worth it, since some analysts have questioned the deal as unfavorable for the Jaguars. The real answer will come later, but this is the sort of bet that tends to follow a team long after the deadline passes. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Quiet Deadline Left One Frustrating Question About Their Reset
The trade deadline gave the Jaguars a notable addition in Jordan Davis, a move that fits the kind of front-line reinforcement contenders usually chase when they think the moment is right. Around the league, the Bears landed Jeffery Simmons and the Eagles leaned into future draft capital, underscoring how differently teams approached the same window. For Jacksonville, the takeaway was simple enough: while some clubs chose patience, the Jaguars made sure they were part of the conversation.
Elsewhere in the AFC South, the Colts quiet deadline stood out for a different reason, especially in a market where inaction can feel like a statement of its own. The rest of the league had reasons to debate whether teams were buying, selling or simply waiting, but Indianapolis left one frustrating question hanging over its reset and what it was really trying to build. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Sent A Clear Deadline Message About Their AFC Push
The trade deadline around the league brought a few reminders that contenders are willing to make bold moves, but it also showed how carefully some teams are protecting their core. The Giants reportedly checked in with the Falcons about Bijan Robinson, the Colts reportedly passed on moving Jonathan Taylor, and a few notable names changed teams as clubs weighed present-day help against long-term value. For Jacksonville, it was another snapshot of how the AFC race is shaping up, with rivals making decisions that can alter the path through the conference.
For the Jaguars, the bigger takeaway is the message sent by the deadline itself: if a team believes it has a real shot, it has to decide whether to add, stand pat, or resist the temptation to break up what it already has. The leagues activity, from Jeffery Simmons landing with the Bears to Kirk Cousins ending up with the Vikings, underscored how quickly the balance can shift when front offices get aggressive. Jacksonville now has to keep an eye on how those choices ripple through the AFC, because the next move from a rival could matter just as much as anything that happened this week. [Read more 🡒]