The Buffalo Bills came into the offseason with hopes of adding some firepower to their offense. Despite ranking second place in yardage gained and points scored in 2022, the team was lacking in some areas.
The team was hopeful to find a more consistent option in the passing game behind wide receiver Stefon Diggs. The team wasn’t able to land a veteran wide receiver but did select tight end Dalton Kincaid with their first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
If the Bills are going to make a move at this point in the offseason, it could come at running back. Last season’s starter, Devin Singletary, left in free agency, signing a one-year deal with the Houston Texans. Buffalo did sign Latavius Murray and Damien Harris to fill the void, having them join James Cook and Nyheim Hines.
However, the Bills have shown a willingness to at least try and upgrade at running back. They were in the Christian McCaffrey sweepstakes ahead of the deadline last year and were linked to Aaron Jones this offseason. Saquon Barkley was a popular hypothetical target before the New York Giants placed the franchise tag on him.
If Buffalo does want to make an upgrade, one player who would fit the bill is Dalvin Cook. The Minnesota Vikings’ star running back sounds like he will be on the move one way or another at some point this offseason.
The Vikings are likely holding out for the best trade package possible before they even consider cutting Cook. He remains productive, but his price tag is expensive and Minnesota could use some salary cap relief.
What could a trade between the Bills and Vikings look like? A suggested trade package involved players to match salary with some draft capital included but this is no longer feasible with Singletary elsewhere.
Thinking along those lines, the Bills could offer defensive tackle Ed Oliver and a 2024 sixth-round pick in exchange for Cook and a 2024 fifth-round pick. Swapping Oliver and Cook helps mitigate how much money Buffalo has to move around to take on the Pro Bowl running back.
If Buffalo has any reservations about keeping Oliver long-term, flipping him for an immediate contributor under contract for multiple seasons in Cook makes some sense. They also will move up in the 2024 NFL Draft by providing Minnesota some salary relief and plugging a major hole for them along their defensive line.
