Even with a long list of injuries, the Buffalo Bills (3-1) continue to be one of the most dominant teams in the NFL. However, the Bills’ run game, which has long been an issue for their offense, remains a sore spot.
Quarterback Josh Allen has been the Bills leading rusher throughout three of their first four games, and is the only player with a rushing touchdown, a fact which head coach Sean McDermott told reporters on Wednesday, October 5, does not make him feel “overly comfortable,” per 13 WHAM‘s Dan Fetes.
On Thursday, October 6, Bleacher Report‘s David Kenyon urged Buffalo to make “one of the biggest deals in the NFL” by trading for Carolina Panthers star running back Christian McCaffrey “this month.” While the Panthers signed McCaffrey to a four-year, $64 million extension in 2020, Kenyon believes Carolina (1-3) is nearing a complete rebuild and is ready to part ways with their 26-year-old star running back.
“Every loss moves the franchise closer to a seemingly inevitable breakup with head coach Matt Rhule. Plus, at the beginning of the 2022 offseason, Carolina was ready to entertain offers for star runner Christian McCaffrey,” Kenyon wrote.
In 2019, McCaffrey led the NFL with 403 touches, 2,392 total yards, and 19 touchdowns, during which he earned All-Pro honors. While there’s an inherent risk with the former No. 8 overall pick from the 2017 NFL Draft, as he only appeared in 10 games between 2020 and 2021 due to injuries, Kenyon believes McCaffrey is worth the price for a Bills team that is Super Bowl or bust. Throughout four games thus far, he’s racked up 58 rushes for 270 yards, 138 receiving yards, and two touchdowns.
“ McCaffrey could be a core piece of the expected new regime. Conversely, he’s a high-priced player at a position that won’t significantly alter the competitiveness of a rebuilding team,” Kenyon wrote. “Buffalo, on the other hand, is lacking a difference-maker at running back. The offense is already dangerous, but the Bills would be straight-up terrifying with McCaffrey in the backfield.”
What Would It Cost to Get McCaffrey to Buffalo?
Trading McCaffrey would not be an easy decision for the Panthers, as it would land them with over $7 million in dead space for the 2022 NFL season and a painful $18 million for the 2023 season, per Over the Cap. Therefore, the price to land the Stanford alum would likely be steep.
“Trading for McCaffrey would require some cap gymnastics for Buffalo both now and in the future,” Kenyon wrote. “Between some creative moves and/or contract restructures, though, space can be opened.” While making difficult financial situations work is one of the Bills general manager Brandon Beane’s specialties, Bleacher Report’s analyst believes the Stanford alum may be willing to take a pay cut if it meant landing in Buffalo.
“McCaffrey may even be open to reshaping his deal to join a contender in his prime, too,” Kenyon wrote. “If the 1-3 Panthers keep losing, the trade buzz around McCaffrey may ascend from logical to likely.”
Back in May, NFL insider Adam Caplan reported that the Bills inquired about a trade for All-Pro running back, but the Panthers said he wasn’t available. During his end-of-season press conference, Beane spoke about wanting “a RAC (run and catch guy) that you can get the ball to and he can turn a 5-yard pass into a 60-yard touchdown,” and McCaffrey, if he can stay healthy, fits that bill.
The Washington Post‘s Jason La Canfora reported on Tuesday that NFL executives are telling that McCaffrey is a “key name to keep an eye on ahead of the trade deadline” amid the growing friction between owner David Tepper and Rhule.
“Carolina doesn’t have a quarterback or a quality roster, and this team isn’t loaded with extra draft picks, either,” La Canfora wrote. “That’s the stuff that attracts the top candidates. ‘That job, working for that owner, is a tough sell right now,’ as one NFL GM put it. Two general managers I spoke to anticipate the Panthers ultimately will be willing to eat a chunk of salary to move McCaffrey and others to add assets for the future. Either way, morale is very low in Carolina, and frustration is mounting.”
However, Charlotte Sports Live analyst Will Kunkel subsequently slammed La Canfora’s report as false.
Devin Singletary Remains the Bills’ No. 1 RB
GettyRunning back Devin Singletary #26 of the Buffalo Bills runs with the ball against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on October 02, 2022 in Baltimore, Maryland.
Last season, the Bills ranked last in the NFL in yards after catch per reception last season and percentage of receiving yards after the catch. While much of that could be credited to Allen’s ability as a dual-threat quarterback, the Bills’ run game isn’t exactly thriving this season.
Devin Singletary remains the team’s No. 1 back. He’s recorded 34 rushes for 129 yards and one touchdown in four games this season. As for Zack Moss, other than his 43-yard game against the Miami Dolphins in Week 3, he’s struggled to make an impact with a total of 16 rushes for 84 yards thus far this season.
And while there was major hype surrounding rookie running back James Cook, he got off to the worst start possible, fumbling on his first-ever career snap and carry for a turnover. During the Bills’ 41-7 win over the Titans in Week 2, he finished with 11 rushes for 53 yards but was sparingly used against the Dolphins, and relegated back to the bench during Buffalo’s 23-20 win over the Ravens in Week 4.
Clutch Points called Cook, the Bills’ second-round pick from the 2022 NFL Draft, Buffalo’s “biggest disappointment” through the first four weeks of the season. However, it’s still early and the Georgia alum has time to get into a rhythm and turn things around just yet.