The Bills made a noteworthy move ahead of Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET NFL trade deadline, acquiring safety Amani Hooker from the Tennessee Titans. In exchange, Buffalo sent Tennessee a second-round pick from 2027 and received a fifth-round pick from the same year.
To facilitate Hooker’s arrival, Bills president of football operations Brandon Beane had to make a crucial roster decision. After Tuesday evening’s deadline, Beane told reporters they needed to restructure left tackle Dion Dawkins‘ contract to make the trade for Hooker possible.
“Bills GM Brandon Beane says the team restructured LT Dion Dawkins’ contract to make S Amari Hooker’s trade happen: ‘Appreciate Dion and his reps helping us out,'” Beane said, via The Buffalo News, Katherine Fitzgerald.
Bills Had to Restructure Dawkins Contract
Beane didn’t specify exactly what he had to do with Dawkins’ contract, but Michael Ginnitti, the co-founder of Spotrac, thinks the Bills could have opened up a maximum of $5.6 million in cap space.
“In order to facilitate the Amani Hooker trade, the Bills processed a salary conversion on OT Dion Dawkins’ salary. Firm numbers on that not yet available, but Buffalo could have opened up a maximum of $5.6M of cap space with that restructure,” Spotrac wrote on X.
The Bills extended Dawkins to a three-year $60.5 million deal in the 2024 offseason.
Dawkins has a $24.8 million cap hit this season and a $25 million cap hit next season. He will be a free agent after the 2027 season, according to Spotrac.
Beane Had High Praise For Hooker
If you’re going to part ways with a second-round pick for a player, you better love them, and Beane is already saying great things about Hooker.
“He’s a player that instincts, ball skills. You’re going to think I’m describing Micah Hyde. … He’s just been a very steady player. We really liked him coming out,” Beane said, via Lance Lysowski.
The Titans drafted Hooker in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft, and he appeared in 103 games for Tennessee over eight seasons. He recorded 468 combined tackles, 14 tackles for loss, one sack and 17 interceptions, with five of those occurring this season during his time with the Titans.
Beane was trying to find a difference-maker at the deadline, and he believes he did by trading for Hooker.
“We were trying to find a difference-maker. … And we would be willing to give up significant compensation, which we did,” Beane said.
The Bills will take on the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. ET.
How Bills’ Dion Dawkins Played Critical Role in Landing Amani Hooker