EXCLUSIVE: Breaking News Bills Face 3 Biggest Concerns Ahead of 2024 NFL Trade Deadline

With the trade deadline approaching, the Bills still have key areas to strengthen. Their impressive 31-10 win over the Seattle Seahawks pushed their record to 6-2 and extended their AFC East lead to 3.5 games, but also revealed some ongoing concerns that must be resolved to become serious Super Bowl contenders.

Buffalo’s general manager, Brandon Beane, has already made a notable move by trading for wide receiver Amari Cooper from the Cleveland Browns. However, he has until November 5 to consider another significant addition to the roster.

Some of the Bills’ biggest challenges, though, may need to be addressed from within, with head coach Sean McDermott tasked with tackling these pressing issues.

Buffalo Bills’ Biggest Issues Before NFL Trade Deadline

1. Penalties

Since arriving at One Bills Drive eight years ago, McDermott has consistently emphasized accountability. Despite this, the team continues to struggle with internal mistakes, sometimes more impactful than anything an opponent can throw their way. This has been particularly evident lately.

In two of their past three games, Buffalo has hit double digits in penalties, including 11 in a close 23-20 win over the New York Jets and 13 in Sunday’s victory over the Seahawks. The game would have been much tighter had it not been for Seattle’s own errors.

Wins tend to downplay such issues, and it’s also helped that Bills opponents have been flagged 64 times this season, the league’s highest according to NFLPenalties.com. This has often overshadowed Buffalo’s own penalty challenges.

So far, the Bills have accumulated 53 penalties over eight games, ranking 10th in the NFL, with a recent spike pushing them up the list.

The Bills' offense was repeatedly in 1st & 20 and similar situations due to penalties and just shrugged it off like it was nothing.

Terrifying unit now that Shakir is healthy and they've added Cooper

— Computer Cowboy (@benbbaldwin) October 28, 2024

Buffalo’s starting offensive tackles have been the main culprits. Dion Dawkins and Spencer Brown each have seven penalties, with no other player exceeding three. Their nine combined false starts are a persistent issue that needs fixing ahead of the playoffs.

While roster improvements could help, the path to a championship requires cutting down on costly penalties and limiting unnecessary yardage giveaways.

2. Bills’ Safety Play Looms Large Ahead of Trade Deadline

The Bills entered training camp hoping a competitive battle would reveal two strong starters at safety. However, no one from the group of Taylor Rapp, Damar Hamlin, Mike Edwards, and rookie Cole Bishop has stood out significantly. Rapp and Hamlin earned starting roles largely due to their familiarity with Buffalo’s defensive scheme.

Here are their Pro Football Focus grades over the first eight games, with Edwards and Bishop seeing limited action as backups:

– Hamlin: 60.5
– Rapp: 60.4
– Edwards: 64.3
– Bishop: 50.3

These numbers reflect underwhelming performances. Rapp is a high-risk, high-reward player, as likely to make a standout play as he is to make a costly error. Hamlin shows strong football intelligence, but his limited speed is a significant coverage liability. Despite these issues, Buffalo’s coaches have been hesitant to promote Edwards or Bishop into starting roles.

Fans have hoped for the return of Micah Hyde, a longtime favorite who remains a free agent after neck injuries. Hyde has expressed that he’d only consider playing again for Buffalo, but each passing week dims the possibility of his return. Potential trade options include Budda Baker (Arizona Cardinals) and Andre Cisco (Jacksonville Jaguars), both of whom could provide valuable support.

While the Bills’ two-high, zone-heavy defense reduces pressure on their safeties, top NFL teams are likely to exploit any weaknesses in this position.

3. Reserve Linebackers

The Bills are hopeful that Pro Bowl linebacker Matt Milano, sidelined by a bicep injury from training camp, could return by December. Meanwhile, fellow starter Terrel Bernard missed Sunday’s game due to an ankle injury and had previously missed two games with a pectoral injury.

Buffalo’s defense relies on a two-linebacker base setup, with slot cornerback Taron Johnson filling the role of a traditional third linebacker, even in run scenarios, making him one of the top players at his position.

When Milano and Bernard are healthy, they form one of the league’s top linebacker duos. Unfortunately, Milano’s recovery is precarious, and Bernard is already dealing with multiple injuries just halfway through the season.

One thing is certain: the Bills can’t hinge their Super Bowl ambitions on Dorian Williams and Baylon Spector. While Williams is ranked ninth in the NFL with 72 tackles, his production masks issues, including poor pursuit angles and coverage lapses. Spector’s struggles are evident in his PFF grade of 38.8, reflecting a rough start when required to step up defensively.

Dorian Williams has to to better in coverage. It's a mess from him

— Kevin Massare (@KevinMassare) October 27, 2024

With injuries turning a top linebacker duo into a liability, the Bills should seriously consider trading for veteran support. Potential targets include Devin Lloyd from the Jaguars and E.J. Speed from the Colts, with Lloyd looking like an ideal fit on paper.