Bills on the positive side in the list of criticized NFL trades since 2000

[ad_1]

While the NFL doesn’t have a trade deadline as active as other professional sports leagues … there are still a ton of deals that have been made since the turn of the century.

As of that time, Bleacher Report has ranked the seven “worst” deals that NFL teams have decided to make… but we have a rotation area.

A trade is only bad for a team. The other side usually benefits, and in such cases, benefits a lot. This is where the Bills ended up.

Landing in third place overall, the Bills’ decision to swap linebacker Kiko Alonso for running back LeSean McCoy is on the list. Here’s why, according to B / R:

Shortly after becoming Philadelphia’s football operations chief in 2015, Chip Kelly made a strange decision. Hindsight doesn’t do the former Eagles head coach a favor, either.

Kelly sent All-Pro running back LeSean McCoy to the Buffalo Bills for linebacker Kiko Alonso. McCoy had 3,620 yards of scrimmage in the previous two years; Alonso, whom Kelly coached in Oregon, had missed the previous season with an ACL injury.

McCoy played three seasons with the Bills and helped the organization break through an 18-year playoff drought. Alonso didn’t win a starting job at Philly, suffered a knee injury again and went to the Miami Dolphins in a trade the following offseason.

And the Eagles fired Kelly in December 2015.

Ouch, Philly.

The Bills certainly won this deal which is one of their best trades in franchise history.

While McCoy was cut off by the Bills during their 2018 training camp, it was a smart move. Since then, he’s only been signed as a substitute in the league … but at least he’s collected a few Super Bowl rings in those roles.

In McCoy’s four seasons at Buffalo, he twice passed the 1,000 rushing yard mark and earned three Pro Bowl nominations. Clearly motivated by being traded, McCoy once said while with the Bills, “I remember wondering, who is this guy?” referring to Alonso.

Should we say more about the winner of this deal?

In fact, yes. Let’s give a little more credit where it’s due.

Brandon Beane was unsuccessful in this exchange. At the time, Buffalo’s general manager was Doug Whaley. Landing Shady could be his best move while he was general manager of the Bills.

[ad_2]