The Buffalo Bills fell short of landing Maxx Crosby when he hit the trade block earlier this offseason, but could have a crack at getting another star edge rusher.
New York Giants star Dexter Lawrence has sought permission to pursue a trade, and the team updated this week that they are willing to listen to offers. This could be good new for the Bills, who have undergone some turmoil in their edge-rushing room this offseason and could use a game-breaker like Lawrence under new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard.
Bills Could Lean on Connections to Land Dexter Lawrence
Giants general manager Joe Schoen, a former Bills assistant general manager with close ties to Bills GM Brandon Beane, said this week that the team is open to offers for Lawrence.
“I’m always gonna pick up the phone,” Schoen said. “If a team calls … that is my job as general manager, if teams call, you take into account it’s a case-by-case basis in what the compensation may be. That’s my job to take into consideration what that looks like.”
As Alex Brasky of SI.com noted, the Bills could be a good landing spot for Lawrence.
“A prospective team hoping to swing a deal for Lawrence would likely have to spend at least a first-round pick to do so,” Brasky wrote. “The Bills hold the No. 26 pick and six other selections in the upcoming draft and could bring in an immediate contributor by flipping a pick or two into the perennial Pro Bowler.”
The Bills had already pursued Crosby, reportedly losing out to the Baltimore Ravens after the Las Vegas Raiders decided Buffalo’s first-round pick was too low. That trade blew up when the Ravens backed out, halting the team’s plans to trade Crosby.
The Bills could move on by pursuing Lawrence, though it would likely come at a high cost for a team that has several roster holes to address.
Bills Undergoing Changes on Defense
The Bills have already made some sweeping changes on defense as they prepare to shift to Leonhard’s 3-4 base. The team allowed defensive end A.J. Epenesa to leave in free agency, with veteran Joey Bosa also following him to the open market.
Leonhard has already hinted at changes, saying he wants his defense to be more aggressive. The team under former head coach Sean McDermott rarely blitzed, instead relying on the front four to generate pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
“We’re going to be an attacking defense up front and in the back end,” Leonhard said, via the team’s official website. “We’re going to attack the football. The biggest stat in football is turnovers, so we’re going to be aggressive, we’re going to fly around, we’re going to communicate, we’re going to play well together, but we’re going to cause issues for offense, and we’re going to force them to react to us.”
Leonhard said he believes the team has all the talent needed for his defense on the roster already, adding that he wants to bring in players who are versatile.
“I think there is a level of versatility in there that is exciting to think about,” Leonhard said about Buffalo’s roster. “I am big on flexibility and being able to play to your best players and force offenses to try to find your issues and to have to deal with their own problems, not always being reactive.”
Bills Get Major Update on Dexter Lawrence Trade Rumors