Bills' Roadblocks for Amani Hooker, Budda Baker, Jessie Bates Trades Laid Out By NFL Insider

The Buffalo Bills face roadblocks if they want to make a big trade at safety.

Nov 1, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Tennessee Titans safety Amani Hooker (37) reacts after an unsuccessful two point conversion by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second half at Paycor Stadiu | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Buffalo Bills need help at safety and general manager Brandon Beane has just days before NFL trade deadline passes.

We know that the Bills are calling around for safety help, according to reports from both Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer and The Athletic's Jonathan Jones.

"The Bills are in the market, or at least dabbling in the market, for defensive help. I think, specifically, Buffalo would like to add to the defensive backfield. The Bills have made calls on safeties and cornerbacks," Jones wrote.

"I had it in my last trade column, and will add it here—The Bills are still looking in to adding a piece on the defensive side of the ball. And specifically at corner and safety," Breer said.

The Bills need to swing for the fences in a safety trade, but the team acquiring one of the top available players out there faces roadblocks, Jones writes.

Bills' roadblocks for big safety trade

Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker (3) walks off the field after the game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The three names connected to the Bills the most via speculation are Tennessee Titans safety Amani Hooker, Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker and Atlanta Falcons safety Jessie Bates.

However, according to Jones, sources tell him that the Cardinals do not want to trade Baker, so that puts an end to that dream.

Adding to that, Jones says teams up against the cap may have a tough time trading for Hooker and Bates because of their contracts.

"A few of the top safety names bandied about have been the Cardinals’ Budda Baker, the Titans’ Amani Hooker and the Falcons’ Jessie Bates III," Jones said. "Sources believe Baker can’t be pried away from Arizona, and Hooker’s and Bates’ high base salaries make deals difficult for teams up against the cap. If either is moved, the acquiring team will need the other team to retain some of the contract."

Bills' salary cap situation is a problem

Bills general manager Brandon Beane looks on during day six of Buffalo Bills training camp at St. John Fisher University Thursday, August 5, 2026 in Pittsford. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Bills qualify as a team "up against the cap."

According to Over The Cap, the Bills have just $3.9 million in cap space, which will make it difficult to add a player with a high base salary, which Bates, Hooker and Baker have.

So, either the Bills will have to move some money around or they will need the other team to take on some salary, which would mean Buffalo gives up more in draft capital.

If Beane is unwilling to either of those things, or if the team he's dealing with doesn't want to eat salary, he'll have to aim lower.

The problem is the Bills need a true impact player at the position. C.J. Gardner-Johnson is now gone and Damar Hamlin is slated to start next to Cole Bishop and we know that isn't an ideal scenario because of how limited Hamlin is. Taking it a step further, Bishop hasn't been all that great this season.

We'd love to see Beane make a big trade at safety or at any of the team's biggest positions of need, but it just doesn't feel like it's going to happen with all the hurdles in the way.

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