Bills trade proposal adds to position of need, but not wide receiver or cornerback

The Buffalo Bills have some clear needs to address before the Nov. 4 trade deadline, with most of the attention being on cornerback and wide receiver.

But the defensive line is another area that general manager Brandon Beane should be focused on.

Buffalo lost DeWayne Carter for the season and both DaQuan Jones and T.J. Sanders are dealing with injuries, which leaves Buffalo depending heavily on a rookie in Deone Walker.

The Sporting News' Vinnie Iyer has suggested a logical trade with the Cleveland Browns that would add defensive tackle Shelby Harris alongside Ed Oliver.

"There is some clamoring for the team to go after more wide receiver help," Iyer wrote. "But instead, going for a solid run stopper to help Ed Oliver up front would be a better, more reasonable choice to upgrade a key weakness."

Cleveland Browns defensive tackle Shelby Harris (93) closes in on Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) during the second half of an NFL football game at Huntington Bank Field, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio. | Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

At 1-5, the Browns should be looking to sell off anything that isn't nailed down and Cleveland has already shown a willingness to deal after already making three trades this season.

Harris is in the final year of his deal and is a prime trade candidate as a result. The Browns should look to move him before he potentially leaves in free agency in 2026.

The 34-year-old defender might not be the player he once was, but he would still be a more reliable option than Walker and can improve the team's rotation upfront.

Harris doesn't offer much in the way of a pass-rusher, but he's a solid run defender, as evidenced by his 72.0 run defense grade from Pro Football Focus, which ranks 21st among interior defenders.

The Bills enter the bye with the third-worst run defense in the NFL. Buffalo is ceding a whopping 156.3 rushing yards per contest and that simply isn't sustainable.

At the price of a Day 3 pick, it makes sense for the Bills to take a swing on Harris, who should bolster one of Buffalo's biggest weaknesses.

Dec 8, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Cleveland Browns defensive tackle Shelby Harris (93) tackles Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris (22) | Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

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