The Buffalo Bills announced that they have traded linebacker Reggie Ragland to the Kansas City Chiefs and received a 2019 fourth-round draft pick in return. Ever since head coach Sean McDermott took over this offseason, Ragland has seen constant decreases in playing time and relegation to the second and third team defenses.
A second round pick in 2016, Ragland seemed poised to make a big contribution in his rookie year, but suffered a tear to his ACL during training camp. His biggest proponent, Rex Ryan, was fired by the end of the season. Since then, McDermott took over and converted the defense back to a 4-3 scheme, which put Ragland at a disadvantage.
The new regime is wasting no time at all taking full control of the roster. General manager Brandon Beane finagling a fourth-round pick for a second year player who has never played an NFL snap is pretty impressive, though it’s a sobering reminder that NFL front offices can hold very different opinions on the value of a player.