Getty Zack Moss runs the ball in a game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Buffalo Bills could be exploring the trade market for running back Zack Moss, a new report indicates.
After a sophomore season marked by injury and some inconsistent play, Moss returned to training camp at full health and playing to the potential he showed in his rookie year. He played with Buffalo’s first-team offense through most of training camp, signaling that the coaching staff still has plenty of faith in him despite a dropoff in his second year. But a crowded backfield could have Moss on the trade block, Pro Football Network’s Mike Kaye reported.
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Moss Could Be Odd Back Out
After a strong rookie season in 2020 where he rushed for 481 yards with four touchdowns and a 4.3-yard-per-carry average, Moss broke his ankle in the playoffs and suffered the effects for much of his sophomore campaign. His production dropped last season, a year in which he rushed for 345 yards on a 3.6-yard-per-carry average.
But the health concerns now appear to be in the rear-view mirror for Moss, who came to camp at full health and made the most of limited carries, rushing seven times for 56 yards and two touchdowns.
Still, Moss could be stuck as the odd man out in a crowded backfield. Devin Singletary became Buffalo’s primary back down the final stretch of last season, and the Bills brought in rookie running back James Cook as a dual rushing/receiving threat out of the backfield. Kaye reported that there are rumors Moss is now on the trade block.
“Moss has had to battle for the No. 2 gig for the last three summers, and it just seems like he’s not a long-term option for Buffalo,” he reported.
“Moss could be of interest to the Eagles, who need a north-to-south rotational back. Moss also makes sense for a team like the Minnesota Vikings if they move Alexander Mattison, who is in the final year of his rookie deal. Moss has two years left on his contract.”
There are some conflicting reports about whether the Bills plan to trade Moss. The Pro Football Network’s Aaron Wilson reported on Twitter that the Bills had no interest in trading the third-year running back. Aside from being cost-controlled on his rookie contract, Moss also has the advantage of being the team’s most effective short-yardage threat.
The Buffalo Bills are not interested in trading running back Zack Moss, odds of trading him are ‘zero,’ per a league source @PFN365
Bills Face Tough Decisions
While it appears that Moss is well above the cut line as the team prepares to announce its final 53-man roster, another standout running back could still be fighting for a spot. Undrafted rookie free agent Raheem Blackshear had a strong preseason, ending with 24 carries for 116 yards and two rushing touchdowns to go with eight catches for 93 yards in three games.
Buffalo News insider Jay Skurski warned in an August 22 story that there may not be room on the 53-man roster for Blackshear, and the Bills could risk losing him to another team if they try to put him through waivers and onto the practice squad.
“Let’s take the case of Raheem Blackshear, for example. He’s shown in the preseason he probably belongs on an NFL roster, but he’s simply caught up in a numbers game in Buffalo,” Skurski wrote. “Who is Blackshear going to beat out with the Bills? Zack Moss? That seems like a stretch. I’m in favor of keeping veteran depth and trying to stash younger players on the practice squad. If the Bills lose one or two of them to another team, well, that’s the cost of having solid depth.”
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