Bills Central

How many first-round picks would Bills' Josh Allen cost in a trade?

Buffalo Bills quarterback and reigning MVP Josh Allen may have a price if he was ever on the trade block.
Josh Allen signs autographs for fans during the opening day of Buffalo Bills training camp.
Josh Allen signs autographs for fans during the opening day of Buffalo Bills training camp. | Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

No, the Buffalo Bills aren't trading Josh Allen anytime soon.

The reigning league MVP just signed an extension earlier this offseason and is expected to be the Bills' savior to get them their first Super Bowl in franchise history.

That being said, everyone has a price, and ESPN analyst Bill Barnwell thinks the Bills would need at least five first-round picks in a potential Allen trade.

Josh Allen works the heavy ball during position drills during day six of Buffalo Bills training camp
Josh Allen works the heavy ball during position drills during day six of Buffalo Bills training camp. | Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"Pick a number. Five? Six? Seven? The Bills aren't trading Allen for any number of first-rounders after ripping up his old contract in March and signing the reigning MVP to a six-year, $330 million deal, the vast majority of which is practically guaranteed. You don't need me to tell you he's an incredible quarterback," Barnwell wrote.

"The only concern some teams would raise about the 29-year-old superstar is his style of play. Attempts by the Bills to rein in Allen as a runner and finisher at the end of plays have mostly gone unheeded or been abandoned to sustain a wildly successful offense. There's always a perpetual concern he's going to take one too many hits and get injured or wear down quicker than expected, but at the same time, he hasn't missed a game since his rookie season in 2018. There are only a handful of teams that wouldn't drive their starting quarterback to the airport if it meant acquiring Allen."

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A trade involving Allen would arguably be one of the biggest in NFL history as nobody has been traded for five first-round picks before.

While Allen won't be traded, this exercise is further proof that the Bills quarterback is the most valuable player in the NFL and he is of paramount importance to Buffalo's winning plans.

If Allen were to win a Super Bowl with the Bills, this number would be even higher, but not even 10 picks would get the team to trade its star quarterback.

Josh Allen is all smiles during opening day of the Buffalo Bills training camp
Josh Allen is all smiles during opening day of the Buffalo Bills training camp. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several On SI sites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid and resides in Central Florida. He graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener.