The Buffalo Bills ended up staying pat at the NFL trade deadline, passing on potential deals to help their wide receiving corps and edge rushing group despite some rising needs.
One of the biggest potential targets for the Bills was rival wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, as the Miami Dolphins have slid out of playoff contention and were expected to become sellers at the deadline. That didn’t materialize, and a new report reveals that their high asking price may have scared away the Bills and other potential suitors.
Dolphins Turned Down Offers For Two Star Players
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Tuesday that the Dolphins received calls on both Waddle and edge rusher Bradley Chubb but didn’t have any reach their asking price.
“Despite getting calls for Jaylen Waddle and Bradley Chubb, the Dolphins did not make another deal before the deadline and opted to hold on to both,” Schefter reported.
The asking price was likely too high for the Bills. SNY reporter Connor Hughes reported that the Dolphins were seeking at least a first round pick.
There were already indications that the Dolphins would be holding onto Waddle, with Schefter reporting earlier in the week that Miami was holding for a huge offer.
“The Dolphins are willing to listen to offers on any of their players ahead of Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline, but it is — in the words of one well-placed source — ‘highly unlikely’ that Miami will trade wide receiver Jaylen Waddle,” Schefter reported. “The Dolphins are expected to trade away at least one of their pass rushers, according to league sources, but a trade involving Waddle would be exceedingly difficult to pull off for a variety of reasons.”
Bills Seen as Top Landing Spot for Jaylen Waddle
Many expected the Bills to seek help for their wide receiving corps at the trade deadline, with Waddle seen as a swing-for-the-fences target. Though it may have been unlikely that the Dolphins would send their star wide receiver to a division rival — and days before they play them — the Bills were expected to be aggressive in their quest for help.
Waddle is a proven wide receiver and the top target for Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, making 41 receptions for 586 yards and four touchdowns this season.
The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported in the days before Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline that the Bills were hitting the phones to seek wide receivers to add.
“The Bills were one of the teams that inquired in recent weeks about Saints WR Chris Olave, sources say,” Russini reported. “New Orleans is still expected to retain Olave, while Buffalo is making calls on other receivers, including Jakobi Meyers.”
The Saints ended up holding onto Olave, instead trading fellow wide receiver Rashid Shaheed to the Seattle Seahawks. The Las Vegas Raiders also moved Meyers to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Others expected the Bills to seek some help for their defensive line, which was hit by two major injuries over the last two weeks. The team lost starting defensive tackle Ed Oliver to a torn bicep that is expected to keep him out for the rest of the regular season, with a potential return in the playoffs.
The Bills also saw edge rusher Michael Hoecht go down with a season-ending torn Achilles.
Report Reveals Why Bills Passed on Jaylen Waddle Trade