The NFL trade deadline arrives at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, and 18 teams had reached Week 9 at .500 or better, creating a wide range of strategic choices around the league, according to ESPN.
ESPN’s analysis says four franchises should stand down at the deadline and avoid sacrificing significant draft capital. While a true bargain would still be acceptable, those teams are not advised to prioritize major additions, the report adds.
The other 14 clubs are divided into tiers that range from organizations that should be extremely active to ones that should be very selective. ESPN notes the plan lays out each team’s needs and names two trade candidates per club: a luxury addition and a cheaper rotational option, with teams listed alphabetically within each tier.
Buffalo (6-1) is among the teams ESPN classifies as candidates to be aggressive. Listed positions of need are offensive line, linebacker and safety. The 36-10 win over Baltimore came against a Ravens team that played Joe Fagnano at quarterback for much of the game, a detail ESPN says could mean the result reflected opponent personnel issues more than a definitive defensive turnaround. Buffalo’s next three opponents are the Vikings, Jets and Dolphins, a stretch that could influence front-office urgency.
ESPN notes Buffalo trimmed safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who started six games earlier this season, and that the team believes in linebackers Dorian Williams and Terrel Bernard while still coveting a cover linebacker. A luxury target mentioned was Cardinals safety Budda Baker — listed as accounting for more than $8 million over the remainder of this season and $17.8 million in 2027, the final year of his deal. Bargain candidates include Chargers cornerback Elijah Molden, due about $3.3 million the rest of this season, and Colts cornerback Cam Bynum, whose departure would save Indianapolis nearly $6 million in cash. ESPN adds Buffalo could free cap room by restructuring Greg Rousseau’s contract or by asking trading partners to retain salary in exchange for higher picks.
