The Buffalo Bills and CJ Spiller are dealing with trade rumors this summer and while GM Doug Whaley said that there is no truth to the rumors, NFL.com is reporting that teams would be interested in making a deal, as Spiller is heading towards free agency and has not yet signed an extension and teams like the Oakland Raiders, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles and the San Francisco 49ers could be interested.
According to ESPN.com, the Bills downplayed the trade talk, but NFL.com and Spiller himself acknowledged the rumors and something could happen later in the season. The Bills obviously do not want to trade a back with the talent level of Spiller, but they did add Bryce Brown this offseason in a trade and also signed Fred Jackson to a one year extension and that gives the team some insurance in the situation.
Last season the Bills ranked second in the league in rushing yards per game and that obviously would take a big hit if Spiller is moved. The team is looking for Spiller to bounce back from a down season in 2013 and while he put up solid numbers, it was not quite what he did in 2012. Spiller had 1,244 yards that season and also added another 459 on 43 catches and the team is looking for those numbers this season. Last year he rushed for 933 yards and two touchdowns, but that was down from his six Tds and 6.0 yards per carry from the season before.
The Eagles traded Brown to the Bills and also added Darren Sproles, so they likely will not look into a deal, but reports from Pro Football Talk had the team checking in on the Bills before that happened. The team could look again if someone goes down with an injury, as Spiller could be a perfect fit in the offense from Chip Kelly.
The Bills had another losing season last year, but with EJ Manuel and Sammy Watkins, the team has a chance to really break out on offense. Jackson signed a one year extension with the Bills and he has been excellent over the past few years and while he is 33 years old, he has shown he can still be productive. The team also added Brown and that could be a big move if the team eventually trades Spiller.
