The Bills have been ravaged with defensive injuries this season, but on Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline, they replenished one position.
In a move with the Packers, Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane sent a 2024 third-round pick to Green Bay, in exchange for corner Rasul Douglas and a ’24 fifth-rounder. Douglas has this year and next remaining on his contract, at cap hits of $571,764 and $6.25 million.
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Douglas, 29, spent the last two and a half years with the Packers and became a quality starter in coordinator Joe Barry’s zone-heavy scheme. While he’s struggled some this year, he’s still a plus player for Buffalo, giving the team another option after losing Tre’Davious White for the season with a torn Achilles.
In seven NFL seasons, Douglas has 15 interceptions across time with the Eagles, Panthers and Packers. His best year was 2021 (his first season in Green Bay), when he nabbed five interceptions to help the Packers become the NFC’s top seed.
In Buffalo, look for Douglas to play on the outside opposite of Dane Jackson and Christian Benford, with Taron Johnson holding down the slot. The addition of Douglas also means less time for veteran Josh Norman, along with second-year man Kaiir Elam.
While the return of a third-round pick is significant, Douglas’s contract likely has to do a lot with it. The Bills are not only getting Douglas for this year but also through 2024, which is key considering White might need time next season to recover as well.
All told, it’s a rich return, but with Buffalo in a Super Bowl window, it’s understandable.
As for the Packers, the value was too good to pass on. Douglas is a good player, but Green Bay general manager Brian Gutekunst understands the team’s situation. The Packers are 2–5 and sinking fast. Douglas is exiting his prime years. Getting a top-100 pick for his services is an easy decision, even if he’s a valuable player.
Going forward, the Packers will rely even more heavily on star corner Jaire Alexander and Eric Stokes to be the mainstays in the secondary, while the draft (and perhaps free agency) will be utilized next offseason to replace Douglas.
