What QB Josh Allen said about Bills’ lack of additional trades before deadline

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen spoke about his team's lack of additional trades before the November 5 deadline.

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Though Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane oft-spoke about his willingness to make additional maneuvers ahead of the NFL’s November 5 trade deadline, the day’s 4:00 p.m. cutoff came and went without the executive swinging any more deals.

It wasn’t a completely inactive trade window for Beane, as he acquired five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Amari Cooper from the Cleveland Browns in mid-October. That said, a portion of the Buffalo faithful wanted to see the team acquire additional talent from outside the organization ahead of the deadline, with defensive tackle being an oft-floated possibility given the team’s injuries and general lackluster play at the position (the Bills’ interior defenders have combined for just three sacks through nine games this season).

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Beane ultimately chose to stand pat, the primary reason perhaps being the team’s relative lack of salary cap space; Buffalo currently has under $3 million in available space and, thus, wasn’t in the position to acquire even a moderately-sized contract from another club. The team is still well-positioned for a strong postseason run despite their lack of Tuesday trades, however, currently sitting at 7-2 on the 2024 season while being firmly on track to earn their fifth-consecutive AFC East crown. The Bills may also receive internal reinforcements as the season progresses, as they expect to get former All-Pro linebacker Matt Milano, defensive tackle DeWayne Carter, and defensive end Dawuane Smoot back from injured reserve before the campaign concludes.

Quarterback Josh Allen spoke about the team’s uneventful deadline day during his Wednesday media availability, telling reporters that Beane’s decision to remain inactive illustrates his confidence in the roster he’s constructed.

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“I know he trusts the guys in this room,” Allen said. “We’ve got a lot of love and a lot of faith in each other in this building, and ultimately that’s the only thing that matters.”

Buffalo currently sits as the No. 2 seed in the AFC behind only the back-to-back Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs; it demonstrably can win with the players currently at its disposal, and the lack of a depth trade on deadline day does not necessarily aggravate its lofty ambitions. The team ultimately did bolster its defensive line, re-signing former Bills defensive tackles Jordan Phillips and Quinton Jefferson after their Tuesday releases from the Dallas Cowboys and Cleveland Browns, respectively.

Beane is confident in his team’s roster and did not feel as though major—or even minor—alterations were needed as it prepares for the playoffs; Allen seemingly echoes this sentiment, and he’s justifiably not hitting the panic button regarding Buffalo’s lack of a last-minute trade.

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