Last night, the Buffalo Bills played their first preseason game, losing 17-10 to the Minnesota Vikings. However, their general manager must have gotten really hyped about football being back because today the team conducted two stunning trades that shocked many around the league.
Bills stunning trade with the Los Angeles Rams
The Buffalo Bills first traded number-one receiver Sammy Watkins and a 6th-round pick in 2018 to the Los Angeles Rams. In return, they got cornerback EJ Gaines and a 2nd-round pick in 2018. In trading for Watkins, the Rams can hopefully get the number-one option for wide receiver that they have spent a decade searching for.
He should be able to open up the field for Todd Gurley, Tavon Austin, and the rest of the offense.
In Gaines, the Bills get a solid-enough corner that is only 25-years-old. He lacks size and speed but is almost always in position, can diagnose offensive plays, and takes the correct angles. Gaines looked impressive his rookie season, but missed all of 2015 with a Lisfranc injury and did not play as well last season. The team also drafted cornerback Tre'Davious White in the first round of the draft.
Details on the Bills' second trade with the Eagles
Next, the Buffalo Bills sent top cornerback Ronald Darby to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for Jordan Matthews and a 3rd-round pick in 2018. As a 21-year-old rookie, Darby produced an amazing rookie season, but he took a big steps backwards in his playing last year, as did most of the Bills' defense.
Now, he joins an overhauled Eagles team at cornerback. The team already spent their second- and third-round picks in the draft on corners.
Matthews was the Eagles' number-one receiver the last two seasons, playing out of the slot. However, he had been dealing with a lingering knee issue, and the team has not been serious about extending his contract as he enters his final season.
With the Eagles having added Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith, Matthews became expendable. In Buffalo, he should be competing with the recently-signed Anquan Boldin, rookie Zay Jones, and Andre Holmes to see who emerges as the top receiver.
Bills in line to have a stacked 2018 draft
Following these two shocking trades, the Buffalo Bills now have a pile of riches in next year's draft.
They have two first-round picks, two second-round picks, and two third-round picks. This means that the team can sit back and build their team or move these picks around to acquire assets and/or trade up in the draft. They can now build around a rookie quarterback next year since it is highly likely that they part ways with Tyrod Taylor after this season.
