Like every other team, the Buffalo Bills came into this season with extremely high expectations. After going to the AFC Championship Game once again in 2024, they would have been hoping to take that next step with MVP Josh Allen at the helm. Through the first five weeks of the season, they’ve looked the part of a true contender, going 4-1 and dominating wins across the board.
However, throughout the year, they’ve had one clear issue on the team, and that is the defense. Despite making a ton of investments on that side of the ball during the offseason, the end result hasn’t been as fruitful as they may have hoped. As a result, one analyst believes they need to make a blockbuster trade to get over the hump.
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Thanks to a relatively soft schedule, Buffalo has thrived with only one side of the ball functioning like a true contender. The offense, which is second in the league on PFSN’s Offense Impact, has been the foundation for their success.
Conversely, though, the defense has left much to be desired. Through five weeks of the season, they rank 12th on Defense Impact, which is good but nowhere near the elite level necessary to become a contender in the AFC.
Across the roster, they do not have a true difference-maker on the unit, with Joey Bosa not proving to be enough. As a result, PFSN’s Jacob Infante believes they could get into business with a superstar edge rusher to get them over the hump.
Describing their playoff history over the last five years, the four losses to the Kansas City Chiefs were an apparent slight against the Bills. To get over them, though, Infante believes the best man for Buffalo to go after is Trey Hendrickson.
Even though Hendrickson suffered a back injury and is currently ‘questionable to return’ to the game against the Green Bay Packers, he is still a desirable pick. The injury occurred in the 2nd quarter of the game. He has now been ruled out of Week 6.
#Bengals star edge Trey Hendrickson was ruled out with a back injury.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 12, 2025
Cincinnati’s season was derailed after Joe Burrow’s injury, so the organization might pull the trigger on a full-blown teardown. The extended negotiation with Hendrickson serves as valid proof that he might be among the first names gone.
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After not signing or trading him in the offseason, the Bengals ultimately only offered him a restructure for this season, which brought his salary to $29 million, after holdouts during training camp became a problem for the entire team.
For the Bills, though, his application would be markedly different. As Infante explained, “Even if they don’t have the intention of extending Hendrickson, it could be smart to bring him in as a pass-rushing mercenary for the rest of the season to make it to the Super Bowl finally.”
The idea comes from the last team to defeat the Chiefs in the postseason. “The Bills have a solid rotation at edge rusher, featuring the likes of Greg Rousseau, Joey Bosa, and A.J. Epenesa. As the Philadelphia Eagles’ win over the Chiefs in last year’s Super Bowl will tell you, though, there’s no such thing as too many pass rushers.”
For a team with a singular goal this season, bringing in the league leader in sacks from last year seems like an immediate recipe for success. But a player of Hendrickson’s caliber, who’s made four consecutive Pro Bowl and All-Pro teams, isn’t going to come at a cheap price.