The proposed trade for Bills secures a predicted $96 million wide receiver as their new top player.
The challenge for the Buffalo Bills this offseason involves finding a way to fill the void left by Stefon Diggs’ four-year contribution to their productivity.
The Bills surprised everyone with their blockbuster trade to acquire Diggs, but now an analyst is proposing that a similar strategy could be used to replace him after he was traded to the Houston Texans. Sam Monson from Pro Football Focus analyzed different options for the Bills and suggested they consider trading with the San Francisco 49ers in order to obtain wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk as his replacement.
The Niners would require convincing to trade their star receiver, as per the bills.
Monson observed that the Bills lack any top-tier receiving options obtainable through free agency, and their forthcoming NFL Draft pick at No. 28 will prove inadequate in securing a leading prospect from among the available receivers.
He proposed that the Bills could attempt to convince the Cincinnati Bengals to trade Tee Higgins, but they may hesitate due to their reluctance in sending him off to a team within their conference. Aiyuk might be an easier target for acquisition, albeit still needing the Bills’ firm bid including a first-round pick from its draft pool.
According to Monson, the San Francisco 49ers are interested in keeping Brandon Aiyuk on their team. However, they have not yet had his loyalty put to the test with a trade offer that includes a first-round pick. Aiyuk’s performance last season was impressive as he averaged 2.65 yards per route run- second only to Tyreek Hill who received higher PFF grades than any other receiver in NFL history. If Buffalo were considering trades for these players, they would need to factor in contract negotiations and potential deals similar’deals recently made by Hill , Diggs and Brown.’
Aiyuk had an astounding performance last season, achieving a personal record of 75 catches for 1,342 yards and scoring seven touchdowns.
This offseason resulted in significant losses for the Bills as they bid farewell to both Diggs and No. 2 receiver Gabe Davis, who departed for the Jacksonville Jaguars via free agency. The onus of being their top returning receiver falls on Khalil Shakir, with his record of 39 catches totaling up to 611 yards and two touchdowns from last season; although Justin Shorter is anticipated to make a comeback after spending his entire rookie year sidelined due an injury concern. To compensate these losses, Curtis Samuel and Mack Hollins were signed by team management through free agency this year.
The Hefty Price Tag Attached to Brandon Aiyuk
Should the Bills successfully negotiate Aiyuk’s transfer from the 49ers, their subsequent hurdle would lie in procuring sufficient funds to accommodate him. Based on Spotrac’s forecast, a four-year deal worth $96.1 million would be deemed fitting for the talented wide receiver.
According to Jeff Kerr from CBS Sports, the Bills were already facing financial constraints before dealing Diggs and will have to endure additional immediate costs before eventually reaping some benefits.
According to Kerr, while the Bills’ salary cap prospects may seem grim for 2024, Buffalo seems to be taking a strategic approach. The trade of Diggs will result in $31.1 million in dead cap space; however, it also means that the team will save $19 million in cash by trading him now. This move gives them an additional $19 million freed-up cap space for 2025 since they won’t have Diggs on their books anymore and leaves them with an estimated available cap space of around $4.5 million for 2024.
