Bills Urged to Trade for Superstar Pass Rusher to Boost Defense

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Buffalo Bills head coach, Sean McDermott, looking on from the sidelines against the Miami Dolphins during Thursday Night Football on September 18, 2025.

The Bills will return to action this week after a bye last Sunday. The bye couldn’t have come at a better time for Buffalo, as it dropped two straight games.

One of the key reasons the Bills lost their last two games is their struggling rush defense, which has been allowing an average of 156.3 rushing yards per game, ranking them 31st in the league.

Buffalo needs to improve its run defense if it hopes to contend for a Super Bowl title, and Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton may have the answer.

Bills Urged To Trade For Maxx Crosby

Moton made a list of potential trade packages for Las Vegas Raiders pass rusher Maxx Crosby. He has the Bills giving up a 2026 1st-round pick, a 2026 5th-round pick, a 2027 1st-round pick, EDGE A.J. Epenesa, and wide receiver Curtis Samuel for Crosby.

“The Bills lost consecutive games headed into their Week 7 bye. They’re fourth in pressure rate (26.8 percent), but the defense has recorded 15 sacks, which is a middling number leaguewide,” Moton wrote on Tuesday. “Also, in the Bills’ second loss, the Atlanta Falcons gashed them on the ground for 210 yards. 

“Buffalo would have to engage in cap-space gymnastics to absorb Crosby’s contract, but it can be done by restructuring deals and trading veteran players. The Raiders could acquire Epenesa, a 27-year-old defensive end, to help fill a void on the edge and Samuel, who would provide a veteran presence at wide receiver. Remember, wideout Jakobi Meyers wants a new deal. Las Vegas could trade him or allow his contract to expire next offseason.”

The Raiders currently have a disappointing 2-5 record and show little indication of turning things around. Las Vegas attempted to compete in the AFC this season by trading for quarterback Geno Smith from the Seattle Seahawks, reuniting him with head coach Pete Carroll. Unfortunately, the move hasn’t paid off. Smith has thrown for 1,417 passing yards, with seven touchdowns and ten interceptions this season.

With the Raiders’ season over and no clear quarterback of the future on their roster, they might consider trading Crosby to gain enough draft capital. This could allow them to potentially move up in next year’s NFL draft and secure a quarterback.

Buffalo Could Use Crosby For Playoff Run

However, Crosby signed a three-year extension worth $106.5 million this offseason, so it’s not like the Raiders have to move on from him because he’s not going to be a free agent anytime soon.

If the Raiders are considering trading Crosby, the Bills should immediately get on the phone. Buffalo can’t afford to sit back and wait to see if its defense will get better.

The Bills have fallen short in the last five postseasons, partly because they struggle to get after the quarterback or stop the run. With the AFC looking wide open this season, Buffalo could be the team to beat if it acquires Crosby.

The Bills have two more games before the Nov. 4 NFL trade deadline, and one of the contests is against the Kansas City Chiefs, who could be a good measuring stick for Buffalo.

Danny Fisher Is a football journalist covering the Buffalo Bills for Heavy.com. He has covered the NFL for Gridiron Heroics, focusing on the AFC and Penn State football for Nittany Central. More about Danny Fisher