Getty Josh Allen reacts to a play in a game against the New York Jets.
The Buffalo Bills took some significant risks to land Josh Allen in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft, then signed him to a major extension to keep him in Buffalo for the foreseeable future.
But despite the team’s success under Allen and the ongoing commitment from the front office, some analysts still speculate on what it might take for the team to move on and trade the Pro Bowler. The latest trade proposal comes from a CBS Sports host who speculated that the Bills could flip Allen this offseason for a pair of top draft picks — an idea that is drawing plenty of pushback from Bills fans.
Bills Fans Blast Trade Idea
Radio host Ryan Hickey cooked up a trade proposal that would send Allen to the Chicago Bears in exchange for two first-round draft picks, the No. 1 and No. 9 overall selections this year.
On its face, the proposal seems a near impossibility. The trade and compensation alone appear far out of line with other recent deals of similar stature. When the Seattle Seahawks traded an aging Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos in 2022 they received more than double what Hickey proposes the Bills would receive, getting two first-round picks along with two second-round picks two proven players, quarterback Drew Lock and tight end Noah Fant.
While some Bills fans laughed off the paltry compensation, others pointed out that there is no scenario where the team would even consider trading their franchise quarterback.
“Fans would burn down the city and [general manager Brandon] Beane would have to go into witness protection for the rest of his life. Not happening but good troll job,” one fan replied on X.
Others pointed out that parting ways with Allen would leave the Bills with a crippling salary cap hit, with more than $50 million in dead cap.
“So Buffalo starts the offseason $33M over the salary cap, and then trades Allen, which now sets them $85M over the cap,” another fan wrote on X. “They would have to cut every other player with a positive cap savings number and field a roster of at least 30 minimum contract/UDFAs.”
Hickey is not the first to suggest a wild trade for Allen. Back in November, Evan Roberts of WFAN’s “Evan and Tiki” speculated that the Bills could trade Allen to the New York Giants for a fresh start — an idea that SI.com’s Mike Fisher blasted as “nonsensical.”
Brandon Beane Stuck His Neck Out for Josh Allen
Aside from the logistical reasons the Bills would likely never consider trading Allen, there is also the enduring commitment from Beane. Buffalo’s general manager opened up this week about the risks he took in landing Allen, which included a series of trades to move up to the No. 7 overall pick in 2018 to take a player with polarizing reviews.
Beane said he recognized that drafting Allen was an all-or-nothing gambit that would have led to his firing had it failed.
“I mean, we got criticized a little bit for how much we gave up for Josh,” Beane said. “And I’m like, well, if he doesn’t work out, I’m not going to be here anyway. And if he does work out, nobody’s gonna give a sh**.”
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