Bills Trade Proposal Lands Josh Allen Another Target
It feels like the last thing the Buffalo Bills need at this point in time is yet another offensive weapon. Such firepower has them shockingly favored against the mighty Kansas City Chiefs at the not-so-friendly confines of Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday late afternoon (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS).
Is there a chance, however, that Buffalo can improve their already-stellar Super Bowl odds? ESPN's Bill Barnwell appears to think so.
In projecting several trades for contenders throughout the league, Barnwell appears to have big plans for the Bills: his imagination is partly headlined by a trade that would bring resurgent New York running back Saquon Barkley to the Empire State properly, but another deal sees Bills quarterback Josh Allen gaining another new receiving tool to work with.
Barnwell's second proposed trade sees Western New York negotiating with North Florida, as the Bills would send a sixth-round choice in exchange for Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Dan Arnold. The analysis discourages Bills fans from getting their hopes up about landing lauded Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey ... despite Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane's Charlotte connections ... but Arnold would help the team's surprising issues at tight end. Primary man Dawson Knox has dealt with injuries all season with Tommy Sweeney and the O.J. Howard experiment didn't make it past training camp. Practice squad mainstay Quintin Morris had to take on a larger role in the Bills' blowout victory over Pittsburgh last Sunday.
"Arnold would offer some veteran security and the flexibility to play more two or three tight end sets when the situation calls for another big body," Barnwell declares. "(He) has a little under $1.8 million remaining on the final year of his deal, so Arnold could use a change of scenery in advance of free agency."
Arnold, on his fourth NFL team since entering as an undrafted free agent in 2017, is labeled a "victim of circumstances" by Barnwell, who notes that he gained favor in the cursed Urban Meyer era. He came over from the Arizona Cardinals last September in a trade that involved first-round cornerback C.J. Henderson and was one of the favorite targets of the rookie Trevor Lawrence before a sprained MCL ended his season in November.
Since then, Arnold has struggled to maintain his standing in the new offensive regime overseen by Doug Pederson, his snaps now occupied by Evan Engram and Chris Manhertz. It thus wouldn't cost Buffalo much to inquire for his services as he seeks to make a more noticeable impact.
With Knox and Sweeney hurting, Buffalo tight ends have averaged only 35.6 yards through the first five games, the eighth-worst rate in the league. The Bills' offense looks formidable as is, but giving another consistent target to the explosive Allen would truly ignite the team's championship push.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
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