Bills Central

Buffalo Bills' biggest trade blunder in past decade might surprise you

What trade was the worst for the Buffalo Bills in the past decade?
Randy Gurzi|
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin makes a catch against the Chicago Bears.
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin makes a catch against the Chicago Bears. | Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images

The Buffalo Bills made a huge trade during the 2017 NFL draft that shook up the entire league.

Buffalo gave up the 10th overall pick in a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs, which was used on Texas Tech quarterback Patrick Mahomes. As fate would have it, Mahomes is now the face of the franchise that continues to keep the Bills out of the Super Bowl.

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Again in 2024, Buffalo made a trade with the Chiefs, this time allowing them to land wide receiver Xavier Worthy. As much criticism as they’ve received for both trades, it wasn’t their worst over the past 10 years according to Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox.

That distinction instead goes to another move in 2017, when they added Kelvin Benjamin in a trade with the Carolina Panthers.

”In October 2017, the Bills sent 2018 third- and seventh-round picks to the Carolina Panthers for wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin. The Florida State product had topped 1,000 receiving yards as a rookie in 2014 but missed 2015 with a torn ACL and saw a drop in production every successive season after.”

Buffalo Bills WR Kelvin Benjamin against the Tennessee Titans at New Era Field.
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin against the Tennessee Titans at New Era Field. | Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images

Knox continued, “Benjamin did not bounce back with Buffalo. He lasted a little over a year with the franchise, appearing in 18 games and producing 571 receiving yards, before he was waived in early December 2018.”

Benjamin was a bust in Buffalo but it’s hard to see how this was worse than gifting the Chiefs Patrick Mahomes. Sure, they got a solid return—as Knox stated in his piece—but Benjamin hasn’t become their kryptonite in the postseason.

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Randy Gurzi
RANDY GURZI

Randy Gurzi is a graduate of Arizona State and has focused on NFL coverage since 2014.

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