ESPN hits the Bills where it hurts the most just weeks ahead of the NFL Draft
Not the best news for Bills Mafia.
The Buffalo Bills have been relatively quiet during the offseason, but not silent. The team kicked things off before free agency began with the addition and trade for wide receiver DJ Moore. Moore gives the offense some much-needed firepower, especially considering how poorly that entire unit performed in 2025. The trade wasn’t without its fair share of critics, though.
After Moore, Buffalo got busy during free agency. Bringing in cornerback Dee Alford, EDGE Bradley Chubb, and safeties Geno Stone and C.J. Gardner-Johnson. Not only that, but Buffalo took care of its own by bringing back center Connor McGovern on a three-year deal and Alec Anderson on a one-year deal. A nice mixed bag of moves made by Buffalo, but don’t tell ESPN that.
ESPN released an article ranking the most improved rosters in the NFL, listing moves the team made that the company liked and didn’t like. With their rankings, Buffalo came near the very bottom of the league—a disastrous and brutal update for Buffalo with the NFL Draft just weeks away.
ESPN gives Buffalo kudos for the McGovern deal
Buffalo ranked No. 29 in the league with the key additions being what we had mentioned above, with the only difference of including quarterback Kyle Allen, who was added after the team lost quarterback Mitch Trubisky in free agency to the Tennessee Titans.
As for the move that ESPN loved, it was one that we didn’t see coming. Bringing back McGovern was a huge boost in protecting Allen, even though the two sides immediately before the decision was made didn’t seem even close to a resolution. Buffalo took care of its own and brought back McGovern for a three-year deal, one that ESPN couldn’t help but fawn over.
“Keeping McGovern. The Bills had two big free agents on the interior in McGovern and guard David Edwards. The price to sign McGovern came in at $13 million per year over a four-year deal, while Edwards was at $15 million over the same four-year period. I wouldn’t have minded either signing in Buffalo, but the important thing was that the Bills didn’t lose both. The Bills have enjoyed great continuity along their offensive line in the past two seasons, and although a breakup was inevitable, they minimized the damage.” – Ben Solak
ESPN wasn’t too thrilled with Buffalo bringing in DJ Moore
As for the move that Solak and ESPN didn’t like, it was that of Moore’s acquisition. Solak has his concerns about Moore in the offense and thinks it was a steep price to pay to bring him into Buffalo. You can’t seem to win with these people.
Although I will admit, I was skeptical at first when the second-round pick came into light, but after a few moves during the free agency period, it looks like a steal for Buffalo, regardless of what Solak might think of the decision to bring Moore in.
“The Moore trade. I’ve had a lower opinion than consensus on Moore going back to his Carolina days, and I continue to have my suspicions. He’s fast but not fast enough to be a true field-stretching threat. He has YAC ability but lacks the toughness and intensity of a true tackle breaker. And his mental lapses in route running over the past few seasons in Chicago have dramatically hampered his impact as a high-volume WR1 who gets targets at all three levels of the field.
Moore is the best receiver rostered by the Bills, and his best days came with Joe Brady in Carolina. The bet is that he’ll unlock a new level of play when catching passes from an elite quarterback like Josh Allen … but I’m dubious.” – Ben Solak
Rankings in March don’t win games in January. The Bills didn’t have to make these moves to impress ESPN; they made them to maximize Allen’s prime. If Moore clicks in head coach Joe Brady’s system the way Buffalo believes he will, this “No. 29” roster is going to look a whole lot different when it actually matters.
Buffalo Bills News
Bills could be showing their hand with what the next move is going to be, and the NFL didn’t even try to keep it a secret
A sneaky good addition of both sides can get a deal done.
