Getty Wide receiver Marquise Brown of the Arizona Cardinals.
The Buffalo Bills could be looking to add another target for Josh Allen at the trade deadline, with one insider speculating they will pass over big names like DeAndre Hopkins and Courtland Sutton for a more attainable wide receiver.
Sal Maiorana of the Democrat & Chronicle predicted that the Bills would be active at the upcoming trade deadline, bolstering their offense by seeking out another reliable receiving option alongside Stefon Diggs.
He noted that the Bills were initially in talks to land Hopkins before the Arizona Cardinals dealt him to the Tennessee Titans, and could be active again at the October 31 deadline with their eyes on a different Cardinals receiver — Marquise Brown.
Bills Could Target Proven Wide Receiver
Maiorana wrote that the Bills could potentially look into either Hopkins, Sutton, or fellow Denver Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy. But all would come with a high cost, he pointed out, and the Bills already have a potentially strong supporting cast led by Gabe Davis and Khalil Shakir.
That could leave Brown as a more attainable and affordable option. The 26-year-old is on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract, making $13.4 million.
“Another possibility could be Arizona’s Marquise Brown who would add much-needed speed,” Maiorana wrote. “He has averaged 53.3 yards per game in five seasons with the Ravens and Cardinals, he has 32 catches for 383 yards and three TDs this season, and is in the last year of his hefty contract.”
Marquise Brown scores against his former team
📺: #BALvsAZ on CBS
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus t.co/Quwvdzpx7G
Because Brown has struggled with injuries and is in the final year of his contract, Bleacher Report speculated that he could be traded for a Day 2 draft pick.
“With Brown in the final year of his rookie deal and set to hit free agency this spring, the Cardinals could decide to move the 26-year-old before the deadline,” the report noted. “They gave up a first-rounder in exchange for Brown and a third-round pick, but they would likely have to settle for a bit less to ship him off given his contract situation.”
Big-Name Option Off the Table
The Bills may already be out of the running for Hopkins, along with the rest of the NFL. The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported that the Titans will likely be holding onto both Hopkins and Pro Bowl running back Derrick Henry at the upcoming trade deadline unless a team is willing to make an “exceptional” offer.
“DeAndre Hopkins and Derrick Henry look to be staying in Tennessee,” Russini reported. “Teams have called GM Ran Carthon on a number of players, and I was told Carthon is not moving on any offer unless it’s exceptional.”
While the price for either Hopkins or Henry would likely be too high for the Bills, the team does have some financial space to make marginal moves at the trade deadline. The Bills restructured the contract of left tackle Dion Dawkins, creating $3.9 million in new cap space for this year.
Matt Warren of SB Nation’s Buffalo Rumblings predicted that the Bills could find more space by giving a one-year contract extension to defensive tackle DaQuan Jones, who is on injured reserve after suffering a pectoral injury.
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