Analyst Identifies Buffalo Bills Top 3 Trade Assets Entering Offseason

Change has been the theme this offseason for the Buffalo Bills.

After nine seasons with Sean McDermott as the head coach, they decided to switch things up. McDermott was let go and offensive coordinator Joe Brady is taking his place.

They also hired three new coordinators with Pete Carmichael taking over the offense, Jim Leonhard running the defense, and Jeff Rodgers leading special teams.

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The changes won’t stop there, either. Buffalo is expected to revamp their roster, and that could include saying goodbye to some of their veteran pieces. While trading players away hasn’t been widely discussed, Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine has identified three players who would be their top trade assets, two of which would free up plenty of cap space.

Dion Dawkins, OT

Buffalo Bills offensive tackle Dion Dawkins celebrates Josh Allen’s first quarter TD against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

This one already feels like a non-starter. Dion Dawkins has a cap hit of nearly $25 million, but Buffalo doesn’t save much at all in a move. Still, Ballentine says they could get a decent haul for Dawkins.

“Dawkins would be incredibly difficult to replace. He's still one of the top pass-blocking tackles in the league,” Ballentine wrote. “But they would likely get multiple valuable picks in return and they need inexpensive pieces to re-tool the roster.”

Moving Dawkins, even for multiple picks, seems like it would do more harm than good.

Keon Coleman, WR

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman yells as he takes the field during team introductions. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The second player mentioned is Keon Coleman. Once seen as a potential WR1, Coleman has found himself in the dog house after just two seasons. His lack of development has been frustrating, but there might be a team out there that believes they can unlock his potential.

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“Keon Coleman has been a lightning rod for public discussion among the Bills' brass. New head coach Joe Brady endorsed him, but it's still worth noting that Coleman was benched this season when Brady was the offensive coordinator,” said Ballentine.

Dawson Knox, TE

Bills tight end Dawson Knox scores a TD against the New York Jets. | Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The last player mentioned as a trade piece is tight end Dawson Knox. This makes sense from a financial standpoint, and the roster has the talent to replace him. Jackson Hawes proved plenty capable of being a TE2 behind Dalton Kincaid.

“Dawson Knox would provide a nice financial boost for the Bills' bottom line. Trading him would create $9.7 million in cap space,” Ballentine wrote. “Dalton Kincaid has clearly become the top tight end on the team.

While moving Knox makes sense, there’s more to consider. He’s a veteran leader and one of Josh Allen’s favorite people on the team. Is the potential cap savings worth rocking the boat? That’s what general manager Brandon Beane has to ask before pulling the trigger on anything involving Knox.