Is Brandon Beane planning to trade away one of Bills' defensive tackles?

What exactly does Buffalo Bills' general manager Brandon Beane have up his sleeve?

With the NFL's August 26 roster cutdown deadline looming, Beane is no doubt hard at work as the coaches and personnel staff identify the team's Top 53 players while also keeping the practice squad in mind.

Beane's latest reported move, however, has Bills Mafia asking questions.

On Sunday evening, multiple national and local outlets revealed that defensive tackle Jordan Phillips will re-join the team "and is expected sign with the team later this week."

While it would appear to be a practice squad depth signing, which would explain the "later this week" idea, being that practice squad signings don't begin until Wednesday, but New York Upstate's Ryan Talbot subsequently cited a source that said Phillips will join the 53-man roster.

That's where the questions really arise.

First, it doesn't make much sense to immediately use a roster spot for Phillips, when the 33-year-old will need at least two weeks to get back into NFL shape.

Jordan Phillips post play — Dec 29, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Jordan Phillips (97) reacts to getting an interception against the New York Jets in the second quarter at Highmark Stadium. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

If the Bills were to indeed add Phillips to the Week 1 roster, it would likely mean that the team will either trade or cut one of its current defensive tackles. Rookie draft picks TJ Sanders and Deone Walker certainly aren't on the chopping block, and veteran Ed Oliver has become an organizational player who Buffalo seemingly wishes to keep building around.

Although still a reach, the only two feasible options are veteran DaQuan Jones and 2024 third-round pick DeWayne Carter.

Now, in addition to filling out the roster, Beane will have to make the Bills salary cap compliant in the process. Exact figures are unclear, but Buffalo will definitely need to create some cap space on cutdown day. That is where Jones would factor into the equation.

According to Over The Cap, the Bills would save $5.5 million against the salary cap by releasing Jones at this juncture. Making Jones a cap casualty, and replacing him with Phillips on a minimum contract, would certainly make some sense, but it would be surprising considering the grizzled veteran saw first-team reps throughout training camp.

As for Carter, granted he hasn't shown much, but it's rather unusual for the Bills to give up on a Top 100 pick after only one season.

Some suspect that defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi, who is suspended for the season's first six games, may be the salary cap casualty. That thinking, however, fails to recognize that Buffalo doesn't have to count Ogunjobi on their roster until October.

Maybe, Beane pulls off a trade that turns Carter into a Day 3 draft pick, or maybe the GM has his "big baller" hat on and intends to pull off a blockbuster of sorts.

Buckle up, Bills Mafia.

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DaQuan Jones sack — Titans quarterback Mason Rudolph gets sacked by Bills DaQuan Jones during second half action at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Oct. 20, 2024. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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