Grading a Bills-Panthers trade proposal that woefully replaces Stefon Diggs

The Buffalo Bills are equipped with the universally accepted second-best QB in the NFL. Josh Allen has proven his ability to perform on the postseason stage. He has the arm strength, mobility, and vision to complete just about every throw in the book. When his options evaporate, Allen can just take off down the field as a 6-foot-5, 237-pound freight train. He's a tier-one, freakish athlete.

One would expect the Bills, who fell just shy of the AFC Championship Game last season, to supply Allen with an appropriately competent WR room. The cornerstone of most contenders is elite QB play. Buffalo has it. So, there's little excuse to neglect other areas of the roster. Especially not the pass-catching department.

And yet, Buffalo is set to begin the season with the weakest WR corps in the AFC. With all due respect to second-round pick Keon Coleman, he is not ready to lead a contending offense. Josh Allen will optimize Coleman's big-play ability, but the rest of Buffalo's WR room — Khalil Shakir, Curtis Samuel, Mack Hollins, Chase Claypool — pales in comparison to other contenders. Are the Bills even a contender right now?

Buffalo traded Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans for a future second-round pick and let Gabe Davis walk in free agency. That is Allen's two favorite targets out the door without viable replacements. Now, the clock is ticking with training camp around the corner. Buffalo needs to move fast to improve its WR room before they waste a season of Allen's prime.

A new trade propsal from Bleacher Report's Alex Kay addresses the Bills' WR need... sorta.

If this is Buffalo's big solution, it's safe to say the Bills Mafia will be thoroughly disappointed.

Bills-Panthers trade to land Terrace Marshall Jr. next to Josh Allen in Buffalo

The Bills essentially acquire Terrace Marshall Jr. from the Carolina Panthers for free. A seventh-round pick two years in the future carries very little value and is quite easy to replace. The Panthers granted Marshall permission to seek a trade before the 2023 deadline, but nothing materialized. He has been lightly used across three seasons in Charlotte, but as a former second-round pick with undeniable physical tools, there is some hope that Marshall can flourish in a better situation.

It's hard to imagine a better spot for Marshall to resurrect his career than Buffalo. He would step into a more sizable role out of necessity, catching passes from Josh Allen instead of Bryce Young. At 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, Marshall is a tall, explosive athlete who wowed NFL scouts at LSU despite the presence of other top WR prospects like Ja'Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson. Maybe, just maybe, the Bills can start to unearth some of Marshall's long-dormant upside.

That said, this is a pure shot in the dark. Marshall has accrued 64 receptions for 767 yards across three NFL seasons. He has one career touchdown. If he wasn't cracking the first unit on a regular basis in Carolina, there's no guarantee that he can save the Bills' shoddy WR room. He's also entering the final year of his rookie contract, so it's little more than a rental. Buffalo won't extend Marshall. If he performs well, he can just leave for a more lucrative deal in the offseason.

It's impossible to grade this trade negatively for either side — it's a risk-free gamble for Buffalo and it's time for Carolina to sever ties with Marshall — but this move reeks of inadequacy for the Bills. Again, this cannot be the only move. Marshall does not make up for missing out on trade candidates like Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, or Tee Higgins.

Bills grade: C+
Panthers grade: B