The Buffalo Bills pulled the trigger on a trade to acquire cornerback Rasul Douglas from the Green Bay Packers just before the league’s deadline expired on Tuesday, October 31.
While the Bills were expected to include cornerback Kaiir Elam in a trade package, the Bills former first-round pick from the 2022 NFL draft remains in Buffalo. Instead, Buffalo sent Green Bay a 2024 third-round pick in exchange for Douglas and a 2024 fifth-round pick.
While The Athletic called the trade for Douglas “a win for Buffalo” and a “terrific addition,” Bills Mafia couldn’t help but remember a tense interaction between him and quarterback Josh Allen.
A video of Allen telling Douglas, “He f****** sucks,” went viral on X, formerly known as Twitter, after the trade was announced.
Based on Allen’s comments on Miami Dolphins cornerback Christian Wilkins, with whom he’s had several scuffles with over the years, there shouldn’t be any concern over lingering beef between the Bills quarterback and Douglas.
“I do love playing against [Wilkins],” Allen told reporters ahead of the Bills matchup against the Dolphins in Week 4. “I do respect his game… We do get a little chippy, but that’s a part of the game… When you’re playing against guys you can chirp with and then show respect after the game, that’s what football is all about.”
Douglas will hopefully keep his competitive nature in check in Buffalo. Back in Week 1, the former Packers corner was called for unsportsmanlike conduct during a pick-six celebration and fined $13,569. In Week 3, Douglas was slapped with $11,473 fine for an unnecessary roughness penalty.
Packers Fans & Analysts Were Sad to See Rasul Douglas Traded to Buffalo
Another reason not to fret over Allen and Douglas getting along is the pained reaction from Packers fans and analysts after learning about the trade. The Pack Show co-host Eli Berkovits posted, “I do not like this. Rasul has been playing too good and is too much of a leader to trade away right now.”
NBC 10’s Nicole Menner posted, “Shocked to see this. Obviously a loss on the field, but the Packers also lose a leader and great voice in that locker room.”
Personality-wise, Douglas sounds like he’ll be a great fit in the Bills’ locker room. It’s also not difficult to see how Douglas, the Philadelphia Eagles third-round pick from the 2017 NFL draft, will fit into head coach Sean McDermott’s game plan.
The Buffalo News’ Mark Gaughan wrote, “Douglas, 28, is a big cornerback with 57 career starts and a reputation as a quality defender in a zone-heavy coverage scheme, which is what the Bills play.”
Douglass has recorded 10 interceptions, 32 pass breakups, and 174 tackles since he joined the Packers in 2021.
Rasul Douglas Is Predicted to Become the Starting CB Opposite Christian Benford
As for how the Bills defense will look after acquiring Douglas, the 6-foot-2, 209-pounder is predicted to replace cornerback Dane Jackson, who took over the starting role after All-Pro Tre’Davious White suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in Week 4.
Gaughan wrote, “The presumption is, if everyone stays healthy, at some point soon Douglas will take over a starting spot from Dane Jackson. That would give the Bills an outside cornerback tandem of Christian Benford and Douglas, with elite Taron Johnson in the slot.”
While Jackson was a clear choice to start over Elam, the 26-year-old cornerback hasn’t exactly been lights out. “Jackson has allowed an 82.4% completion percentage as the nearest defender in coverage (14-17) this season and a quarterback rating of 118.6,” ESPN reported.
Elam, who was replaced by practice squad call-up Josh Norman against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, will move further down the depth chart.
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Video of Josh Allen Telling New Bills CB He ‘F****** Sucks’ Goes Viral