The Buffalo Bills were sitting at 6-2 as the NFL trade deadline expired with the team not making any sort of changes. That may have come as a surprise due to the fact that the team’s general manager, Brandon Beane, has a reputation of being one of the best general managers in the NFL.
The Bills have problems that’s a fact, so let’s take a look at a few of these problems, how severe they are, and if the anything could have been addressed at the trade deadline:
Pass rush
The Bills have recorded 19 sacks this season, which is tied for ninth in the league, but they aren’t generating consistent pressure. According to Pro Football Reference, the Bills have only hurried opposing quarterbacks 16 times, which is tied for 30th . They have also only hurried the quarterback on 5.4% of dropbacks, which is tied for last in the league (Titans). To put this into more context, the Steelers, the league leader in both categories, have hurried the quarterback 38 times, which means they’re hurrying the quarterback on 13.9% of their plays. Per PFF, the Steelers have generated the most pressure on opposing quarterbacks per dropback, at an outstanding 33.9% of passes. The Bills on the other hand are sitting at 19th in the league by generating pressure on 19.2% of dropbacks.
So could this have been addressed via trade? Yes.
Newly acquired Yannick Ngakoue gets a sack on Big Ben.pic.twitter.com/mZHllFCdOz
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) November 1, 2020
The Ravens acquired premier pass rusher Yannick Ngakoue from the Vikings. The Ravens sent over a 2021 third-round pick and a 2020 fifth rounmder. Since 2016 Ngakoue has had 42.5 sacks, the Ravens spent pennies on the dollar for one of the best pass rushers in the league.
Pass catchers
When the Bills traded for Stefon Diggs in the offseason their receiving corps looked infallible. The trio of Stefon Diggs, Cole Beasley, and John Brown had the potential to be the best trio of receivers in the NFL, but halfway through the season it hasn’t quite panned out. Diggs has lived up to his billing so far though. He’s second in the NFL with 695 receiving yards, he’s caught 54 passes, and has three receiving touchdowns.
Too smooth. 😏@JoshAllenQB | @StefonDiggs pic.twitter.com/1HL2lNm5fY
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) October 29, 2020
The rest of the receivers haven’t been up to snuff. Brown, the Bills’ No. 1 receiver from last season, has just 15 catches for 215 yards, and two touchdowns. In most games, Brown is a non-factor with the likes of Gabe Davis, Beasley, and tight en Tyler Kroft out performing the speedster. Speaking of Davis, he had a bright start to start the season, but in the last four games he has been another non-factor. Receivers haven’t been the only disappointment though, Buffalo’s tight ends haven’t produced consistently.
The two starting tight ends, Dawson Knox and Kroft, have just 211 yards and two touchdowns combined. If Buffalo wants to contend they will need to see more production from their tight ends and the rest of their receivers.
Could this have been fixed at the trade deadline? Yes and no.
While this is a cop-out answer, this is due to that not many pass catchers were traded during the regular season. But receiver John Ross III of the Cincinnati Bengals tweeted that he requested a trade from the team.
https://twitter.com/WatchJRoss/status/1322268384118083586
If Buffalo wanted to make a splash, they could have added the disgruntled receiver.