The Buffalo Bills swung a blockbuster trade in 2020, landing Stefon Diggs and sending the Minnesota Vikings a first-round draft pick that they would turn into star wide receiver Justin Jefferson.
Now, close to six years later, the Bills are being urged to send double the package to land Jefferson.
The former AP Offensive Player of the Year has struggled this season with second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy at the helm, leading to some tensions with the team and rumors that Jefferson could be on his way out. If the team entertains a trade, one Bills insider believes Buffalo should be at the front of the line.
Justin Jefferson’s Struggles Continue
Jefferson is on a career-worst pace this season, making just 62 receptions for 799 yards and two touchdowns as the Vikings have fallen to 4-8. The team that won 14 games last season is now on the brink of playoff elimination as the calendar turns to December, and Jefferson has shown signs of discontent with the team.
After Sunday’s blowout loss to the Seattle Seahawks — who have Vikings castoff Sam Darnold at the helm and a 9-3 record — Jefferson left the locker room without speaking to reporters.
“Justin Jefferson left the locker room after the Vikings loss today without talking to reporters,” noted reporter Alec Lewis in a post on X, adding, “The Vikings say Justin Jefferson declined to speak. First time that’s happened since I arrived in 2022.”
Bills reporter Nate Geary responded to the report by suggesting the Bills make a blockbuster offer for Jefferson, sending first-round picks in 2026 and 2027 if needed. The Bills have struggled to get consistent production from their wide receiving corps this season, with many insiders suggesting they need a star addition to boost the struggling offense.
Bills Fell Short on Another Blockbuster Addition
The Bills already tried to make one blockbuster trade this year, ultimately falling short in their bid to land Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle. Reporter Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network reported that the Bills were turned down when general manager Brandon Beane balked at sending a 2026 first-round pick.
Beane said after the trade deadline that he was upset at not being able to pull off a trade to help quarterback Josh Allen and the offense.
“Believe me, I went home as mad as any other fan,” Beane said. “I wanted to do things. I’m always wanting to do things to make this team better.”
Beane added that it was difficult to find another team willing to make a trade with the Bills, especially among their divisional foes.
“Unfortunately, it takes two to tango and we tried on quite a few,” he said. “A lot (of what we heard was) we’re not moving them and we ran into a couple teams in our division who were trading, (but we) couldn’t get a lot of interest there.”
While it’s not clear if the Vikings would be willing to listen to trade offers for Jefferson, it could take a pair of first-round picks and more to get them to part with him.
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