With the NFL trade deadline approaching, Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane should be working the phones in an attempt to shore up his team's defense. The Bills currently have two major needs, with cornerback and safety being problematic through their first six games.
Buffalo brought back Tre'Davious White, who started 16 games in 2025. White is currently on the practice squad, but the Bills will be working to get him up to speed as soon as possible.
While his addition will help, the Bills are still without a game-changing safety and C.J. Gardner-Johnson reminded them that he shouldn't be relied upon after getting ejected in Week 6, and eventually suspended for Week 8, for spitting at Brock Bowers.
The good news for Beane is that there are several names rumored to be available, with the biggest name being Budda Baker of the Arizona Cardinals. As good as Baker is, he shouldn't be the top priority. Instead, Beane should be calling the Tennessee Titans about Amani Hooker.
Why Amani Hooker is better fit for Bills
Baker is a true playmaker at the position, but he's better in the box rather than as a deep cover safety. In Buffalo, it's far more urgent for them to address their coverage woes.
The Bills enter their bye week ranked 31st in defensive passing yards, and much of that has fallen on the performance of the safeties. Six games into the season, their highest-rated safety in coverage has been Gardner-Johnson, who has a 62.7 grade from PFF. Fellow starter Cole Bishop has a coverage grade of 47.5, while Damar Hamlin is sitting at 56.1.
Baker's coverage grade is lower than all three of those safeties, with a 47.1 entering Week 7. It'sd a completely different story with Hooker, however, who has a 71.7 coverage grade, which is the 16th-highest at the position.
What makes Hooker even more intriguing, though, is that he's been even better against the run. The veteran currently has an 88.5 against the run, which helped him earn an 81.1 overall, which is currently the eighth-highest score at safety.
Tennessee is just 1-5 and they're expected to be sellers at the deadline. The Bills are on the other end of the spectrum, sitting at 5-1 and are one of the favorites to contend for a Super Bowl. To help increase their odds of finally winning a title, they need to shore up their primary weakness and Hooker is the perfect addition to do exactly that.
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