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The Buffalo Bills could beef up their pass rush by going after a Pro Bowl defensive end at the trade deadline, one insider is suggesting.
The Bills (4-2) are coming out of their bye week in relatively strong position, holding a one-game lead over the New England Patriots in the AFC East and still considered a top Super Bowl contender despite their Monday Night Football loss to the Tennessee Titans. While the team may have few holes to fill in the roster, insider Nate Geary believes that the team could still be active ahead of the Nov. 2 trade deadline, grabbing a veteran Chicago Bears defender who could help boost their pass rush.
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Bills Advised to Target Big Defensive End
Geary, the pregame and halftime host of the team’s flagship WRG 550 in Buffalo, took to Twitter to ask fans who they would target in the ideal deadline move. He also offered his own suggestion, a 10-year Bears veteran.
“Knowing what we know about how the AFC might shake up, is there a trade deadline move you think NEEDS to be made?” he tweeted. “If I had to ask for ONE move? Akiem Hicks”
Chicago could be the right target if the Bills are looking to make a move. The Athletic’s Adam Jahns wrote that the 3-4 Bears should be sellers at the trade deadline, as losses to the Rams, Packers and Buccaneers showed that the team is not yet ready to contend in a very competitive NFC. Jahns wrote that Bears general manager Ryan Pace likely sees the writing on the wall and will look to acquire some asses to continue building around quarterback Justin Fields. He specifically pointed to Hicks as one player who could be available.
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The Athletic’s Daniel Popper also pegged Hicks as a trade target, albeit for the Los Angeles Chargers.
“[The Bears] are not particularly close to contending,” Popper wrote. “They have a rookie quarterback in Justin Fields. And Hicks is someone they could use to acquire a draft pick. Hicks is on an expiring deal and is set to be a free agent after this season.”
Bills Could be Sellers at Deadline
There are some insiders who believe that the depth at defensive line could lead the Bills in the opposite direction at the trade deadline. The team invested heavily in pass rushing in the offseason, and now have such a deep unit that second-round pick Boogie Basham has been inactive for several games. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported back on October 12 that there was buzz around the league that the Bills could unload some of their excess pass rushers at the trade deadline.
Akiem Hicks ➡️ Chargers?
Evan Engram ➡️ Titans?
12 potential NFC trades ahead of the 2021 NFL trade deadline
Fowler suggested that 33-year-old Jerry Hughes, the longest-tenured member of the Bills, could be a potential trade target, though added that Mario Addison and Efe Obada may seem more likely to move.
Others have suggested that the Bills could make a move on the other side of the ball. FanSided reporter Matt Lombardo identified the Bills as one of the teams that could be in the mix for New York Giants tight end Evan Engram.
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Bills Advised to Target Bears Pro Bowl Defensive End at Trade Deadline