Buffalo Bills general manager Doug Whaley is known as a guy who isn’t afraid to make a trade. As we enter into the pre-draft period and with free agency looming, let’s look at some candidates for a deal.
OT Cyrus Kouandjio
Behind Cordy Glenn, Kouandjio isn’t likely to get a chance to play anytime soon. His grades are much higher on the left side than they are on the right. Could a team needing a left tackle make an offer? The former second-round pick is entering the final year of his rookie contract and scheduled to make $1 million in base salary.
DE/OLB Jerry Hughes
A Hughes trade would save the Bills $1.7 million. If the trade is going to happen, it will need to happen soon. He is due a $2 million roster bonus in less than a month. He is only 28 years old and had a pair of 10-sack seasons under Jim Schwartz before Rex Ryan took over the defense and his sack figures plunged. He still has three seasons left on his deal with consistent cap numbers. The Patriots got a hefty bounty for trading Chandler Jones last offseason.
LB Preston Brown
Brown is an up & coming player but with Reggie Ragland waiting in the wings and only one middle linebacker spot, Buffalo might be forced to play one of the two out of position if they can’t move one of them of the roster. Brown would be the best value with a solid injury history and good numbers over three seasons to back it up. He has one year remaining on his rookie deal. Linebackers typically don’t merit big compensation on the trade market, but Buffalo has used two to solidify their team in the past, acquiring Jerry Hughes and LeSean McCoy in exchance for linebackers Kelvin Sheppard and Kiko Alonso.
DT Kyle Williams
Williams has spent his entire career with the Bills and it would be a big decision to part with him. He is due $6 million in salary in 2017, the final year of his contract. He is 33 and a trade would save Buffalo almost $7 million in cap space. It might be more respectful to release him so he could pick his landing spot, but he is coming off another Pro Bowl year and should garner some interest.