The Buffalo Bills took a big swing this offseason, landing wide receiver DJ Moore in exchange for a second-round draft pick in the hopes of adding some stability to their offense.
But the move has attracted some scrutiny, with one analyst expressing concern over the wide receiver’s recent decline in production and the large contributions the Bills will likely expect out of him.
Bills Get Midde-of-the-Road Grade for DJ Moore Trade
NFL.com writer Kevin Patra graded all offseason trades, giving the Bills a B-minus for landing Moore. He noted that the trade is something of a necessity for the Bills, who needed to improve their wide receiving corps but had few avenues available to do it.
Patra suggested that the Bills have reached their ceiling with the current group, and can’t count on Khalil Shakir to give any more.
“From that perspective, you can certainly see why the Bills made the move,” Patra wrote. “With cap issues, they were unlikely to be big players for the top free agents, and at Pick No. 26, they couldn’t bank on a game-breaker falling in a questionable draft.”
Patra wrote that Moore ‘immediately makes Allen’s life easier,” but faces concerns over whether he can keep contributing at the level he has in the past.
“The concern, however, is that Moore’s age has begun to show,” Patra wrote. “In 2024, he averaged a career-worst 9.9 yards per catch, and last year, he posted career lows in receptions (50) and receiving yards (682). Were the struggles in Ben Johnson’s offense a byproduct of the system, younger receivers garnering more targets and an attack with more mouths to feed? Or is the cliff approaching? The Bills are banking heavily on the soon-to-be 29-year-old returning to form under Brady.”
Bills Have More Work to Do
Many analysts believe the Bills are not done shaping their wide receiver room for the upcoming season. They have been linked to some other top receivers on the trade market, including San Francisco 49ers pass-catcher Brandon Aiyuk.
John Lynch, the 49ers general manager, said this week that the team still plans to trade Aiyuk, but isn’t confident it would happen before the NFL draft.
âIâve had some discussions,â Lynch said, via KNBR. âDo I think itâs a high probability? Likely no. Is there a chance? Yeah.â
The Bills have been seen as a potential landing spot for Aiyuk, who is expected to fetch a mid-round draft pick after his relationship with the 49ers fractured beyond repair.
Other analysts believe the Bills will invest a high draft pick in a wide receiver, and they have been in talks with a strong producer from last year’s team on a potential return. The Bills picked up veteran Brandin Cooks off waivers in December, watching him become a top target for Allen over the final games of the regular season and in the playoffs.
ESPN reporter Alaina Getzenberg shared that the Bills have been in contact with Cooks on a potential return.
âThe Bills remain in touch with veteran receiver Brandin Cooks, who spent the end of last season with the team,â Getzenberg wrote.
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