Grade the Bills’ trade for RB Nyheim Hines

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It’s Week 9 of the 2022 NFL season, and we want to know how you’re feeling, Bills Mafia! Every week of the season, we’ll ask fans if they’re confident the team is headed in the right direction—and more of the most pressing questions facing the coming game. Let us know what you think!

Leading up to the NFL’s 2022 trade deadline of November 1, the Bills had put feelers out to other teams, showing interest in making a trade for a running back. There was Christian McCaffrey of the Carolina Panthers, Alvin Kamara of the New Orleans Saints, and rumors of interest and beyond in myriad other players.

At the eleventh hour, general manager Brandon Beane and the Bills found their guy in running back Nyheim Hines—and a willing trade partner in the Indianapolis Colts. Buffalo sent third-year running back Zack Moss and a conditional sixth-round draft pick in 2023 (which can potentially become a fifth-round pick) to the Colts for Hines.

There are a lot of positives to bringing in Hines. He’s a very versatile player as a runner and receiver, and he’s had a lot of success in the NFL. His hands are as sure as they come, having caught 25 of 28 targets already this season, and he ranks fifth among active running backs as of 2018 with 1,725 receiving yards. His presence on the field will mean less spies on Allen while defenses compensate for the dual-threat Hines. He also brings sound ability as a punt returner, having caught 73 punts for an average of 11.8 yards per return—plus a pair of touchdowns. Hines is in the prime of his career for the position at 25, and he’s managed to score 10 rushing touchdowns and seven receiving scores in a complementary role.

There are also downsides to this move, depending on your frame of mind as it relates to the team. He’s currently signed to a multi-year deal, but his high cap number that lacks guaranteed money means he could be nothing more than a mid-season, partial-year rental as a potential cap casualty next spring. There’s also the issue of what the team does with rookie running back James Cook. While seemingly in both a funk and head coach Sean McDermott’s doghouse, Cook had a breakout game in Week 8 against the Green Bay Packers. He tallied 70 yards on six touches—numbers that have many pounding the table to see him get more playing time. But with Hines in Buffalo Blue now, will he render Cook inactive on game days? Let’s not forget that the Bills also lose a 2023 draft pick in the deal for Hines.

So, tell us by voting below:

1. How confident are you in the direction of the Bills?
2. What grade do you give Buffalo for its trade to acquire Nyheim Hines?