The Buffalo Bills do not have any one glaring weakness on the roster, but there are a few positions that it certainly would not be out of the question to suggest they could benefit from upgrading at.
Despite adding second rounder, Cole Bishop, in 2024, and fifth rounder Jordan Hancock, in this past April’s draft, the safety room does look a little thin – with only Damar Hamlin and Taylor Rapp the other vaguely starting-caliber names in the unit.
Both Rapp and Hamlin are more than serviceable players, but Buffalo may look to add a more veteran presence for a defensive backs room that has often been the Achilles Heel for what have otherwise been very solid Bills teams.
And Matt Holder of Bleacher Report believes that Buffalo should make a move for said veteran DB in the form of New Orleans Saints safety, Tyrann Mathieu.
Bills Told To Make A Move For All-Pro Safety
“The Buffalo Bills are one of a few teams that have close to a complete roster,” Holder wrote on Wednesday, “though safety remains a question mark.
The position was one of their needs this offseason, but the front office didn’t do much at that spot besides adding depth with Darrick Forrest and Jordan Hancock.
So, if the rebuilding Saints are willing to put the 33-year-old Mathieu on the trade block, Brandon Beane should give Mickey Loomis a call.”
The Bills are very familiar with Mathieu, who played for the Kansas City Chiefs from 2019 to 2021, winning Super Bowl LIV in the process.
Mathieu played against Buffalo twice as a Chief, in the 2020 season’s AFC Championship, and the following year’s Divisional Round, with him being on the winning side in both encounters.
What Would Tyrann Mathieu Add To The Bills’ Secondary?
Mathieu is not the same player who, at one point, was the most feared free safety in football nearly half a decade ago.
But he is also no scrub, with Pro Football Focus having him as one of the top ranked safeties in the league in the aftermath of the 2023 season, although his stock took a hit after a fairly average 2024.
Much of Matthieu’s added value to the Bills will hinge on if the team is able to coax out the 2023 version of the 33 year old, rather than the decent-but-not-spectacular player we saw last season.
The LSU alum would likely be in line to assume the starting role alongside Bishop, although he could face competition from Hamlin and Rapp for the job.
What Would Matthieu Cost Buffalo In A Trade?
Not a vast amount, in all likelihood. The main issue for the Saints is that a standard trade would leave New Orleans with over a $9 million dead cap hit in 2025, despite Matthieu’s cap only being around $6 million, such is their dysfunctional salary cap situation.
A simple six or seventh rounder should likely suffice, and perhaps even less if the Bills are willing to absorb more of the cap hit. Although with Buffalo’s also-tight cap situation, that feels unlikely.
