The Buffalo Bills have seen some steady improvement in their secondary, but one NFL insider believes they will still make a move to bolster the unit ahead of next week’s trade deadline.
The team’s secondary had a rough start to the season, though saw improvement in last week’s 36-10 win over the Baltimore Ravens. They got strong play from practice squad call-up Geno Stone, filling in for veteran C.J. Gardner-Johnson before his release this week after returning from a one-game suspension.
Bills Could Seek Veteran Safety in Trade With Colts
NFL insider Vic Carucci believes the Bills will add more help, naming Washington Commanders safety Nick Cross as a strong fit.
In an appearance on WGR 550, Carucci identified Cross as a good target for the Bills. Reporter Jeremy White noted that Cross checks a lot of the right boxes for the Bills, especially when it comes to his cap hit.
“NFL Insider Vic Carucci mentions Washington S Nick Cross as a potential trade target for the Bills. Young, cheap, term,” White wrote in a post on X. “Putting a pin in that one.”
Cross has appeared in 71 games since coming into the NFL as a third-round pick of the Indianapolis Colts in 2022, making 42 starts. He has 344 career tackles, 3.5 sacks, and 12 passes defensed.
The Colts have already made a series of trades to build up draft assets, shipping out DeForest Buckner and Quenton Nelson.
Bills Created Roster Hole With C.J. Gardner-Johnson Cut
The Bills could need more help after changing course on Gardner-Johnson this week. Head coach Joe Brady initially said the team would stand by the veteran safety after he was ejected from the team’s win over the Las Vegas Raiders and handed a one-game suspension.
“Look, C.J.’s a member of the Buffalo Bills,” Brady said, via Pro Football Talk. “We brought him here for a reason, and we know that he knows that he has to play better. He knows he has to be better for this team, and, you know, just like everybody else, right, we’ve got to learn from this stuff, and we have to improve and find ways to get better as the season goes.”
But the Bills ended up releasing Gardner-Johnson when his suspension came to an end. Brady explained that it was more about his play on the field, as Gardner-Johnson had struggled in coverage and committed some costly penalties.
Brady also appeared to hint that the team could stick with Stone, who still has two more practice squad elevations available.
“But it also opened a door and an opportunity for guys the other day, and that was a part of evaluation,” Brady said. “And seeing how those guys kind of played, and you know with a lot of the roster moves.”
Bills Predicted to Target 71-Game Safety at NFL Trade Deadline