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Buffalo Sports News

Bills Rumors: Buffalo Linked to Star DE Ahead of 2025 NFL Draft

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bills maxx crosby

The Buffalo Bills went all-in to sign future Hall of Fame edge rusher Von Miller in 2022. Three years later, it’s clear an aging Miller wasn’t the solution to the team’s pass-rushing woes and now it’s time for the front office to make another big swing. Enter Maxx Crosby.

Although a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders for Crosby, a four-time Pro Bowl selection, would be costly, he’d finally give the franchise the game-changing defensive cornerstone it’s lacked throughout the Josh Allen Era. It’s the biggest missing piece of the Bills’ championship puzzle.

Jarrett Bailey of Sporting News linked Buffalo to Crosby and created a mock trade involving the Bills’ first-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft:

  • Bills trade: 2025 1st Round Pick, 2026 1st Round Pick, 2025 4th Round Pick, 2025 5th Round Pick
  • Raiders trade: DE Maxx Crosby, 2025 4th Round Pick

Let’s analyze how the Bills reached this point and discuss whether the Raiders superstar could finally push the franchise past the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC arms race.

Bills May Target Raiders’ Maxx Crosby in Blockbuster Trade

Buffalo Must Move On From Von Miller

The Bills signed Miller to a six-year, $120 million contract in March 2022. It was a high-risk, high-reward attempt to fill their desperate need for a game-wrecker on the edge. Unfortunately for Buffalo, injuries appeared to sap any juice the now 35-year-old legend had left in the tank.

Miller has recorded just 14 sacks in 42 appearances for the Bills. That figures includes no sacks in five playoff games since joining the franchise. He simply hasn’t shown much explosiveness since returning from a torn ACL suffered in 2022, and it’s hard to imagine him bouncing back in his late 30s.

In turn, it’s time for Buffalo to head in a new direction. That starts with releasing the Texas A&M product in the coming months. They’ll save either $8.4 million with an early-offseason release or $17.4 million if he’s designated as a post-June 1 cut, per Spotrac.

The latter option seems more plausible, especially if the Bills plan to acquire an edge-rushing replacement via trade rather than free agency. General manager Brandon Beane can fill the team’s other needs with free agents and draft picks before using the June 1 money to land Crosby.

Having Miller count $23.8 million against the salary cap next season would be a grave mistake by Buffalo.

The High Cost of Acquiring Crosby

Players with Crosby’s upside don’t come cheap. Bailey’s mock trade illustrates that, as the Bills give up their next two first-round picks along with a couple other draft selections. It may seem like a steep price, but Beane can’t afford to maintain the status quo on the edge. A bold move is needed.

Crosby would certainly fit the bill. The two-time Second Team All-Pro selection has tallied 59.5 sacks in 95 career games. He posted a career-high 14.5 sacks in 2023. An ankle injury cut short his 2024 campaign but he still took down the opposing quarterback 7.5 times in 12 appearances.

The Michigan native is also under contract through 2026. While it’s a hefty deal—a cap hit of $28 million in 2025 and $24.8 million in 2026—the contractual control still adds to the potential acquisition cost. That’s because there’s zero time pressure on the Raiders to move him this summer.

Yet, although the price is high, the Bills shouldn’t shy away. Getting close to the franchise’s first Super Bowl title is no longer good enough. It must be a championship-or-bust mentality moving forward. Landing Crosby is one way to significantly improve their chances.

Crosby to the Bills: Deal or No Deal?

Deal, at least from Buffalo’s perspective. Beane has attempted to keep the Bills in contention through a series of smaller moves in recent years. Some worked and some didn’t, but now it’s time to make another marquee addition. An elite defensive talent is sorely needed.

It’s fair to wonder whether two first-round picks is too much for a non-quarterback. The reality is, however, the Bills are going to pick late in the opening round every season Allen is healthy. In a perfect world, they won’t pick inside the top 10 again until about 2038.

That’s a blessing and a curse. On one hand, it means Buffalo is constantly competing in the playoffs and giving itself a title opportunity. On the other hand, it’s hard to acquire prized prospects that late in the first round. You often have to find superstars in other ways, whether it’s trades or free agency.

Trading for Crosby would give the Bills someone who could cause headaches for Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, and the rest of the AFC’s star-studded quarterback group. It’s a costly move, but also a necessary one.

Buffalo has two options: pay the price for a high-end edge-rusher, whether it’s Crosby, the Cleveland Browns‘ Myles Garrett or someone else, or continue to fall short of its ultimate goal.

Main Image: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

The post Bills Rumors: Buffalo Linked to Star DE Ahead of 2025 NFL Draft appeared first on Last Word on Pro Football.