Getty Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen.
The Buffalo Bills could be a team in decline. The team struggled last year and head coach Sean McDermott was on the hot seat before things turned around toward the end of the season. Buffalo just traded star wide receiver Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans and is taking on a $30 million dead cap hit, which will make it difficult to replace.
The Bills haven’t been able to win a Super Bowl with a roster that was better than it currently is and the AFC is only getting tougher. Quarterback Josh Allen is one of the best in the NFL and is good enough to still lead this team to the playoffs. However, if the Bills think that they need to start a rebuild, Allen would be one of the most valuable trade assets in the entire NFL.
As unlikely as it is that the Bills would consider trading the Pro Bowler, a quarterback-needy team like the Las Vegas Raiders should at least reach out to get an idea of what the situation is. Head coach Antonio Pierce has made it clear he’s willing to do whatever it takes to get a franchise quarterback. The haul that Allen would command would be legendary but he’d immediately make the Raiders Super Bowl contenders.
It’s difficult to see the Bills ever agreeing to the idea of trading Allen but perhaps he could force his way out if he doesn’t like the direction the team is going. Las Vegas is much closer to his hometown of Firebaugh, California, than Buffalo is. Allen is likely worth more than three first-round picks in a trade but that’s the limit that the NFL allows.
A trade for Allen would start with three first-round picks and go from there. Adding an additional three second-round picks could be enough to get a deal done. Las Vegas could also throw in Aidan O’Connell so that the Bills would get a quarterback with some starting experience. It’s hard to get fair value for a player of Allen’s caliber but that’s about the most the Raiders could offer a rebuilding team in a trade.
Buffalo Bills Didn’t Tell Josh Allen Trade Was Happening
The only way Josh Allen is going anywhere is if he gets fed up with the Bills and wants to leave. As unlikely as that is to happen, it’s not impossible. Big-name quarterbacks like Aaron Rodgers, Brett Favre and Deshaun Watson have been traded in the past.
It won’t help the Bills that general manager Brandon Beane didn’t keep Allen in the loop on the Stefon Diggs trade.
“I did alert [Allen] that there had been some inquiries and it wasn’t 100 percent off the table,” Beane said in an April 3 statement, per BuffaloBills.com. “Josh and I have a pretty regular conversation on things and I think it’s important for me to make sure if I think something could happen to make sure he’s not blindsided.”
“Josh Allen doesn’t need Stefon Diggs”
Josh Allen without Stefon Diggs:
A Josh Allen Trade Could Be More Realistic Next Year
Right now, it’s highly unlikely that Josh Allen trade rumors start to creep up. It’ll likely take a year of the Bills missing the playoffs for it to be a possibility. That said, it’s possible Buffalo could have a tough road to the playoffs next season.
The AFC is very good and the Bills were close to missing the playoffs last year. Teams that missed the playoffs last year like the Raiders, Los Angeles Chargers, Cincinnati Bengals, Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Jets could all be improved next season. The path to the playoffs isn’t easy for the Bills and may not be for a long time. Allen plays a physical style of football and may not have the career longevity of a Tom Brady or Drew Brees. If it doesn’t look like there’s a path for the Bills to win a Super Bowl, he could start considering his options.