The Buffalo Bills should steer clear of this particular trade.
The entire world knows that the Buffalo Bills need a wide receiver, and general manager Brandon Beane made it clear that the team has not exactly done right by Josh Allen in that regard.
Ever since jettisoning Stefon Diggs back in April 2024, the Bills have been unable to find a replacement, and if we are being honest, the effort has been questionable.
Buffalo did, however, attempt to make a major move for a wide receiver at the trade deadline this past November, with Beane alluding to a potential deal with the Miami Dolphins for Jaylen Waddle.
"At the end of the day, I know we had the strongest offer on one [receiver]," Beane told Adam Schein of Mad Dog Sports Radio. "But they ultimately decided not to pull the trigger. ... Maybe they decided it wasn't enough, or maybe they decided they just didn't want to send him in the division."
While Beane did not mention Waddle by name, it's not hard to figure out to whom he was referring. The New York Jets weren't trying to move Garrett Wilson, and the New England Patriots certainly weren't aiming to dump any key receivers (which, ironically enough, includes Diggs).
So, would Waddle have been a good addition for the Bills?
Miami Dolphins receiver Jaylen Waddle. Credit: Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images.Well, Waddle is a very impressive player. He posted three straight 1,000-yard campaigns to begin his career between 2021 and 2023, topping out at 1,356 yards (while averaging 18.1 yards per catch, mind you) in 2022.
The last two years, however, Waddle has finished with less than 1,000 yards. The Dolphins' quarterback situation has definitely played a role in that, but it's also fair to question whether or not the former first-round pick is genuinely an elite No. 1 receiver.
Waddle also signed a three-year, $84.75 million extension with Miami back in May 2024, a deal that takes him through 2028.
The Dolphins have no reason to rush to trade Waddle as a result, and they would certainly ask for a lot in return ... especially from an AFC East rival.
Buffalo does not have the greatest financial situation as it is, so trading significant draft capital for a wide out who carries cap hits of $33.8 million and $37.2 million in 2027 and 2028 would probably not be the best move.
Now, if Waddle were Justin Jefferson or Ja'Marr Chase (or maybe even A.J. Brown), then that would change things. But Waddle isn't quite on that level.
It's true that the Bills need wide receiver help wherever they can get it, but Waddle is probably not the best answer given the extravagant cost.
Buffalo would be better off either prioritizing the position in the NFL Draft or chasing a much bigger name on the trade market.
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