The Buffalo Bills needed help at every level of their defense after injuries tore through their roster. On Tuesday, they solved at least one problem by acquiring cornerback Rasul Douglas from the Green Bay Packers, as NFL Network reported.
The Bills will receive Douglas and a 2024 fifth-round pick in exchange for a 2024 third-rounder, according to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones.
Buffalo Bills, Green BayPackers Agree to Rasul Douglas Trade
Buffalo lost CB Tre’Davious White to a torn Achilles in Week 4, forcing the club to search for defensive back answers over the past month. Dane Jackson has jumped into the starting lineup opposite Christian Benford, while Taron Johnson has maintained his role in the slot.
Douglas should compete to take over Jackson’s starting spot, but he could also serve as an overqualified insurance policy. The Bills haven’t received anything from 2022 first-round corner Kaiir Elam, who’s been a healthy scratch and mentioned in trade rumors in recent weeks.
Douglas is best on the perimeter, where he’s played nearly 4,000 snaps during his NFL career. But he also has recent slot experience (198 snaps in 2022), making him a viable nickel replacement if Johnson were injured.
MORE: Buffalo Bills Depth Chart | Green Bay Packers Depth Chart
The Packers re-signed Douglas on a three-year, $21 million pact in 2022. Buffalo will assume roughly $856,000 of Douglas’ contract this season. They’ll hold a de facto one-year, $7 million option in 2024.
The Bills were also in talks with the Chicago Bears involving cornerback Jaylon Johnson, according to Ed Werder of ESPN. The Bears had reportedly placed a “high asking price” on Johnson, per Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune, so Buffalo opted for a more modest addition.
In addition to White, the Bills also lost linebacker Matt Milano and defensive tackle DaQuan Jones to season-ending injuries. For now, it appears general manager Brandon Beane is comfortable with Buffalo’s internal options at LB and DT.
Why Did the Packers Trade Rasul Douglas?
This season was always supposed to be a transitional year for the Packers, and four straight losses before the trade deadline probably made general manager Brian Gutekunst even more willing to trade a veteran like Douglas.
Green Bay is stockpiling picks in the 2024 NFL draft. The club now holds its first, second, and third-round choices, an extra second from the Aaron Rodgers trade, and an additional third from today’s Douglas swap.
In the immediate future, seventh-round rookie Carrington Valentine will likely step into Douglas’ starting CB role alongside Jaire Alexander and nickel corner Keisean Nixon. Former first-round pick Eric Stokes could reclaim a starting job if/when he returns from injured reserve.
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