Rivalries aren’t limited to divisional matchups, and for the Buffalo Bills, being a contender in a competitive AFC means that top teams like the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens are always on their radar.
Each signing, trade, or roster adjustment is strategically made with the aim of surpassing these formidable opponents.
After trading for Amari Cooper and joining the other contenders in the conference to try and get over the hump of the playoffs, Buffalo isn’t quite done with their deadline plans just yet.
So long as the rest of the conference isn’t done, either. “Listen, you’re competitive,” Bills general manager Brandon Beane said. “You never want another team, somebody in your division, an AFC rival, whatever it is, you never want those guys to get better.
Again, we’re wired competitively. But ultimately, we always have to do what’s best for our team. That’s, whether we make a trade with another club or whatever it is.
“Some fans were upset with us for trading with the Chiefs during the draft, but in the end, both teams made decisions that they believed would benefit their rosters. The interesting part is that there can be beneficial moves for both sides—it doesn’t always have to result in a clear winner or loser.”
Buffalo’s injury report remains extensive so there are plenty of holes on the roster they could look to address on their roster moving forward with an acquisition in the coming days.
Will it be enough to overtake teams like the Chiefs or Ravens, though? Well, that depends on what those franchise’s actually do themselves.