Proposed Bills trade for 290-yard wide receiver named Buffalo's best possible deal

The Buffalo Bills have a wide receiver problem, plain and simple.

Currently, the Bills don't have a No. 1 wide receiver. Keon Coleman has not taken the step forward many thought he would, Joshua Palmer has been a disappointing and is hurt, and even Khalil Shakir hasn't had the kind of start Buffalo hoped.

If Josh Allen and Co. are going to keep up with some of the high-powered offenses around the NFL, they need more firepower at wide receiver.

The Sporting News' Vinnie Iyer recognizes this issue and believes a trade for Tennessee Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley is the "best NFL trade deadline deal" for Buffalo.

"Ridley is hurt for now (hamstring) but he's being lost in the Titans' youth movement passing game around No. 1 overall pick rookie QB Cam Ward," Iyer said. "Ridley would make more sense attached to a QB in Josh Allen who can push the ball deep well to him and also make him a red zone priority, much like he was during his young heyday with the Falcons."

It's true Ridley is dealing with a hamstring injury, but there is no indication he'll be out long term.

The Titans trading Ridley is conceivable. After all, Tennessee is 1-6 and in the midst of a rebuild and should be looking to add more draft capital.

Ridley, 30, doesn't figure to be in the Titans' long-term plans and is one of the team's more attractive trade assets. Tennessee probably wouldn't mind unloading his contract, either.

Ridley once looked to be on a superstar trajectory before his gambling suspension in 2022. Ridley never ended up becoming elite, but he's still a good receiver.

Ridley has tallied 1,000-yard campaigns in each of the past two seasons, with his 2024 showing being particularly impressive because the Titans had a terrible quarterback situation.

Oct 8, 2023; London United Kingdom, Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Calvin Ridley (0) carries the ball against Buffalo Bills cornerback Kaiir Elam (24) during the second half of an NFL International Series game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Ridley has 290 yards through six games played (he missed Week 7 with a hamstring injury) and is only on pace for 821 yards in 2025, but he's also got another lackluster quarterback situation with rookie signal-caller Cam Ward struggling.

Allen would instantly be the best quarterback Ridley has ever played with, so it stands to reason he could reach new heights with Buffalo or, at the very least, be a 1,000-yard receiver.

Ridley might not be a true No. 1 wideout at this stage in his career, but he would immediately be the best wide receiver on the team upon his arrival and offers Allen someone who can impact the game at all three levels of the field.

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For Buffalo to make this move, some financial maneuvering would be necessary with Buffalo's tight cap space situation, even if the Titans were to pick up some of Ridley's money.

Ridley is under contract through 2027, which can be construed as good or bad. The potentially bad part is that Ridley is north of 30 and could begin to decline.

The good part is Ridley is a potential multi-year solution and that softens the blow of giving up draft capital for him. Also, he only has $3 million guaranteed for the remaining two years of his contract (all in 2026), so the Bills can easily cut ties.

While the expectation is the Bills will do something small at wide receiver, if anything at all, general manager Brandon Beane needs to aim high to help his quarterback and, in turn, his team's Super Bowl chances.

Acquiring Ridley would check that box.

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