At the bye week, the Bills 2026 defense ranks poorly in just about every defensive category.

Changes need to be made on Bills’ defense, starting at nickel cornerback

Leonhard has vowed to make changes to his defensive unit moving forward, and Bills ON SI recently suggested a few such switchups that Buffalo should consider during the current bye week.

One of those changes involved trading for another defensive playmaker.

The upcoming trade deadline is less than three weeks away, on Tuesday, November 10, at 4 p.m. ET.

And, apparently, the idea of defensive difference-makers being shipped around the league is a popular idea as ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler revealed that a player on trade watch is Tennessee Titans’ cornerback Alontae Taylor.

Titans’ DB is possible trade target at deadline

Taylor is a former No. 49 overall pick of the New Orleans Saints out of the University of Tennessee in 2022.

In 69 career games, which includes 58 starts, Taylor has been impactful, amassing:

• 318 total tackles,
• 52 pass deflections,
• 25 tackles for loss,
• 11 quarterback hits,
• eight interceptions, and
• three forced fumbles

Alontae Taylor Just Signed a Massive Contract

That performance afforded Taylor the opportunity to test free agency inking a three-year deal with the Titans worth up to $60 million.

The switch from New Orleans to Tennessee, however, hasn’t been a warm “homecoming” for the former Volunteer standout defender. In Week 6 he was benched by Titans’ head coach Robert Saleh due to continued poor play this season.

In fact, Taylor, who stands at 6-foot-1 and weighs 199 pounds, was a healthy scratch in week 6 against the Indianapolis Colts.

Might that mean he’s on the move in the coming weeks? Well, possibly . . . depending on what team can facilitate his hefty salary.

Could the Bills be one of those teams? 

Could The Bills Afford Taylor Under Their Cap

Possibly.

The cap space isn’t much, though, currently standing at $4.4 million in available space. 

Given the team’s struggles in the secondary—both on the boundary and in the slot—the addition of another capable body to help Leonhard’s ailing defense makes plenty of sense.

Taylor Is a Fit For Leonard's Defensive Needs

Taylor's skill set appears much better suited for the nickel cornerback position, which is where he primarily played for the New Orleans Saints during his first four years in the league.

After signing with the Titans prior to this season, Tennessee suprisingly moved him to an outside corner role. So it’s not hard to see why there might be a disconnect between the 27-year-old’s past success and his failures with his new AFC South squad.

At his stellar size, Taylor is a physical player who seems more comfortable playing closer to the quarterback and near the line of scrimmage where he can be an asset to a team in both the run and the pass game.

Tennessee's season is a mess

While it’s unclear whether or not the Titans would actually move on from their big free agent signing after just 6 games, it’s a possibility seeing that Tennessee already benched him before the calendar has even turned to November.

Coupling that with the fact that Tennessee is now fighting for the No. 1 overall pick next April (battling the hapless Miami Dolphins), it would be smart for the Titans to acquire multiple draft picks to retool for 2027.

It’s never a good thing when a franchise is thinking about the draft in the middle of October, but that’s exactly where Tennessee’s heads should be at.

Bills’ GM Beane must be aggressive to fix defense

Bills’ general manager Brandon Beane needs to pick up the phone and talk with the Titans’ brass.

The Bills' current nickelback Dee Alford Alford signed a 3 year, $15M contract with the Buffalo Bills before this season, but is struggling mightily in Leonard's new system. The Bills can't wait and hope for things to work themselves out and need defensive help now.

At some point, something’s got to give with Leonhard and Co. on the defensive side of the ball, so we should not be shocked to see Beane pull out all the stops to make sure that dreadful unit isn’t what holds Buffalo back in the playoffs once again.

Pass defense is the biggest area of concern for the Bills, so some sort of defensive back is the most logical.

So, why not Taylor, Bills Mafia?