We are roughly two weeks from the 2026 NFL trade deadline and while the Buffalo Bills aren't seen as an overly aggressive team when it comes to the deadline, general manager Brandon Beane should be willing to make some moves.

Buffalo is considered one of the elite contenders this season, but other teams in line for a title run aren't sitting idly by. The Seattle Seahawks added Quenton Nelson to shore up their defensive line, the Chicago Bears went for a home run with defensive tackle Jeffrey Simmons, and even the San Francisco 49ers improved by bringing back DeForest Buckner.

The Bills still have the talent to contend, but they need to take a page from these other teams and address some of their biggest concerns. That said, here's a look at the top four most pressing needs that Beane should be actively looking to fill.

4. Outside Linebacker

Greg Rousseau was off to a hot start, with six sacks in the first three games of the season. Unfortunately, he's been silenced over the past three games and has been held without a sack. In fact, the pass rush as a whole has been quiet since Rousseau's explosiveness went away.

Buffalo enters Week 8 with 11 total sacks and other than Rousseau, no player has more than Bradley Chubb's 1.5. The Bills did use their first pick in the 2026 NFL draft (which was in Round 2) on T.J. Parker, but he hasn't provided a major spark. He still has plenty of upside, but they need someone who can give them a lift now, which makes outside linebacker a priority.

3. Inside Linebacker

More concerning that outside linebacker, however, is the inside linebacker position in Buffalo. Dorian Williams is their highest-rated inside linebacker, according to PFF, earning a 64.6 through the first six games of the season. Terrel Bernard, on the other hand, is sitting at a 53.9. That's far better than rookie Kaleb Elarms-Orr, who has a 40.8 currently.

The concern is whether or not the Bills will admit this is a problem. They signed Shaq Thompson to the practice squad, but have yet to activate him for a regular season game. They seem committed to Williams and Bernard, and given Bernard's salary, they might not be willing to admit there's an issue.

That doesn't mean they shouldn't add some help, because this remains one of the more problematic positions on their entire defense.

2. Cornerback

The recent signing of Tre'Davious White gives the Bills some insurance at cornerback, but that doesn't solve all their isses. While White played well for them in 2025, he was returning to a defensive scheme he knew well under Sean McDermott. Now, he joins a defense led by Jim Leonhard and as we saw when he played for the Los Angeles Rams and Baltimore Ravens in 2024, White wasn't the same without McDermott.

That doesn't mean he can't find success under Leonhard, but the Bills can't count on him to be the one to save this underperforming group. Instead, they should be actively looking for someone who can not only help now, but perhaps allow them to move on completely from Maxwell Hairston, who has gone completely into Leonhard's doghouse.

1. Safety

Even before C.J. Gardner-Johnson's recent suspension for spitting at Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers, there were already reasons to be concerned with him. Gardner-Johnson can come up with some big plays, like when he had the interception against the Los Angeles Chargers, but he also has some big whiffs, including his two missed tackles against the Raiders before losing his cool.

What's worse is his attitude. Not only did he spit at a player, but he refused to admit he did and gave one of the worst excuses afterward, saying it was all about being competitive.

Outside of Gardner-Johnson, Buffalo is leaning heavily on Cole Bishop and Damar Hamlin, and neither are playing particularly well this season. Hamlin has the highest PFF grade of 59.1, while Bishop is struggling with a 51.3. Gardner-Johnson is in the middle, with a 55.2. Simply put, none have been living up to expectations, especially in coverage. That's a huge reason why Buffalo is currently 31st in the league in pass defense.

There are players available, with Amani Hooker of the Tennessee Titans standing out as the best option in coverage, but Beane has to be willing to pull the trigger. If he does nothing else at this deadline, adding someone who can play deep coverage would be a massive win for the Buffalo defense.