3 Buffalo Bills who could be traded who aren’t Stefon Diggs

Buffalo Bills Pro Bowl wide receiver Stefon Diggs has seemingly beat the trade rumor allegations this offseason.

ESPN’s Jeff Darlington said he feels a sense of “belief” that Bills and Diggs can find common ground on a restructured contract that keeps the latter happy and in Buffalo, ensuring quarterback Josh Allen’s top receiving target remains put. 

The idea of a Super Bowl contender like the Bills exploring avenues to move on from a player of Diggs’ caliber is more so a reflection of Buffalo’s messy payroll situation, currently ranking 26th in cap space with roughly $8, per Spotrac.

By dangling Diggs’ name in trade/release rumors, the Bills showed they are willing to do what’s necessary to preserve their financial flexibility, meaning the same can happen to virtually anyone on the team other than Allen. That being said, these three players could be next on Buffalo’s list of potential trade candidates as the team looks to cut costs.

3. Bills could still trade CB Kaiir Elam

Kaiir Elam has not given the Bills the production they had hoped for in the secondary since Buffalo traded up two spots to select him in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Elam showed flashes down the stretch of his rookie season but was limited to three games in 2023 due to a combination of injuries and healthy scratches, logging only 157 defensive snaps and 14 combined tackles.

After being declared inactive for the Bills' Week 8 meeting versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ahead of last year’s trade deadline, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that Elam was a player who could be on the move, adding that the 22-year-old garnered interest from teams around the league.

Alas, Elam finished the season in Buffalo. But with the offseason upon us and the Bills doing everything in their power to fix their cap situation, could the team make him available? 

Both sides could benefit from a parting of ways. The Bills can recoup assets after moving up the draft board to select Elam while he still has trade value, while the young defensive back gets a fresh start with a change of scenery.

Buffalo can move forward with their cornerback trio of Rasul Douglas, Taron Johnson, and Christian Banford.

2. Bills could still trade LB Matt Milano

Like Diggs, trading a talented veteran linebacker and fan-favorite like Matt Milano would merely be a cap casualty, not because of his on-field performance.

Carrying a cap hit worth roughly $12.5 million in 2024, a number that increases to $16 million the following two campaigns, the Bills are paying Milano a hefty amount over the next few years as he enters his age-30 campaign while recovering from a season-ending fractured leg and torn ACL injury.

When healthy, Milano has proven he is amongst the most impactful defenders in football, as evidenced by his 2022 All-Pro nod. However, does Buffalo want to bet on the health of an aging player coming off a devastating set of ailments? Or do the Bills cut bait prematurely to move off his contract before it’s too late?

Buffalo would be losing their field general and have a massive void to fill in the middle of their defensive unit if they were to move on from Milano, but cutting him would leave approximately $29 million in dead money, so it’s the most ideal solution for the Bills if they want to shed his salary off their payroll. 

However, you can argue that the Bills would be selling Milano when his value is at its lowest, which could complicate matters. But that shouldn’t matter if their top priority is getting their finances in order.

1. Bills could still trade TE Dawson Knox

After signing a four-year, $52 million contract extension with the Bills in 2022, it felt like Dawson Knox was locked into being Buffalo’s long-term solution at the tight end position. That is at least, until they selected Dalton Kincaid in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft the following offseason.

Knox took a back seat to Kincaid by the end of last season after the former suffered a wrist injury that required surgery and limited him to 12 games and was a non-factor down the stretch upon his return.

With the ascension of Kincaid, Knox is now expendable. The Bills “reworked” the latter’s contract this offseason to reduce the burden of his cap hit for 2024, which was previously $14.4 million, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. However, there could be more work to do.

Modifying Knox’s deal is only a short-term resolution, and releasing him makes an insignificant difference to Buffalo’s salary cap outlook. But trading him and moving off his contract could.

Considering how well Kincaid performed in a full-time starting role and how little the Bills are paying him compared to Knox (carrying a cap hit between $3-4 million annually through 2026), having the latter on the roster feels like a luxury Buffalo cannot afford to have right now.