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The New York Jets and the Buffalo Bills made history on cutdown day.
Gang Green shipped off defensive back and return specialist Brandon Codrington to Buffalo, per NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero. Rich Cimini of ESPN revealed on social media that it was the first trade executed between the two teams since 1987.
37 years ago Buffalo sent defensive lineman Don Smith to New York in exchange for a 1988 conditional draft pick, per Cimini. The two teams were much more active in trade talks through the 1960s and 1970s making seven trades over that period Cimini said.
Both teams confirmed the trade on Tuesday, August 27. The Jets sent Codrington and a 2026 seventh-round pick in exchange for a 2026 sixth-rounder. Essentially the green and white moved up a round in a draft two years from now.
More Details on Bills-Jets Intra-Division Trade
Codrington joined the Jets in May after going undrafted out of Houston Christian and Louisana Monroe.
The talented defender was a backup to Michael Carter II in the slot but did most of his damage as an ace return man this offseason. During the preseason he “forced 15 missed tackles on 8 returns this preseason,” per PFF BUF Bills.
“He returned 6 punts and 2 kickoffs, including a 31-yard punt return that set up a touchdown against the Panthers,” Jets reporter Ethan Greenberg said in the official press release.
Although the highlight was Codrington’s 63-yard kickoff return during the preseason game versus the Carolina Panthers.
Despite all of those big plays, Rich Cimini of ESPN said Codrington “wasn’t going to make the Jets 53 but he does have skills.”
So instead of potentially losing him for nothing by releasing him, the Jets flipped him for a future draft asset.
The radio voice of the Jets, Bob Wischusen, said, “Good for Brandon Codrington… made the most of his opportunities and got on teams radar and clearly raised his value to the point where someone really wanted him… a true preseason success story.”
A Sense of Fear in the Air After the Jets-Bills Trade
It is better to get something for someone than nothing. However, the Jets’ decision to trade Codrington could come back to bite them.
If the green and white would have released Codrington he would have been subject to waivers. The waiver wire order in late August is determined by the original 2024 NFL draft order.
That means the Bills would have had the No. 28 pick in the waiver wire order. In other words, 27 NFL teams would have had to pass on Codrington for Buffalo to have a chance to claim him.
If the Bills were willing to give up a pick to land him, then that means they believed he would have been claimed by one of those other teams. If they didn’t think that, then they wouldn’t have given up a draft pick to acquire him.
The Jets decided to trade him to get a future sixth-round pick. If Codrington has a big return against the Jets this season or helps Buffalo in any way in a big game, they can thank the other New York team for helping them out.
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