Buffalo Bills among favorites to trade for Khalil Mack

One betting site has the Buffalo Bills as joint-second favorites to land Khalil Mack in a trade, but how realistic is such a scenario?

As recently as 2014, the Buffalo Bills had one of the most feared defensive lines in the NFL. Thanks to the combination of Marcell Dareus, Kyle Williams, Mario Williams and Jerry Hughes, the team registered a league-high 54 sacks, while finishing fourth in points and yards allowed.

Is it possible the Bills will once again have one of the best defensive lines in 2018? It depends on how much stock you put into betting sites and their odds.

As reported by Ryan Talbot of NewYorkUpstate.com, Odds Shark list the Bills as joint-second favorites to land Khalil Mack via a trade. The odds come courtesy of My Bookie:

Of course this is all about perspective, with the Bills being among three teams with the same odds. In addition, we didn’t include the Raiders, who are Mack’s current team and listed as second-favorites overall.

In any event, as much as betting sites more often than not come out on top, how realistic is a scenario of the 2016 Defensive Player of the Year actually ending up in Buffalo? Do the Bills have a genuine shot in the real world?

What we do know is Mack is currently holding out and not at training camp with the Raiders, due to a disagreement over what he is worth, In fact, the two sides have apparently not talked about a deal since February.

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As things stand, the three-time Pro Bowler is set to make $13.846 million in the final year of his current contract, which is a club option. However, he is reportedly looking for somewhere in the region of $20 million per season.

There is certainly no disputing Mack’s importance or impact. He has been a force since entering the NFL, with 40.5 sacks, 303 combined tackles, nine forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and even a pick in 64 career games.

And yet, the impasse remains with the Raiders. Which is why the Bills even have the possibility of trading for him.

In this respect, if the Raiders aren’t prepared to pay — or get close to what Mack wants —  will the Bills be any different? Assuming, of course, that there is actually any genuine interest from their end?

In truth, at least as things stand, the Bills will struggle to get near to what he’s looking for. As per Spotrac, the Bills currently have an estimated cap space of just under $12 million available for their top 51 players.

On top of this, what would the Raiders be looking for, if they were to finally give up and attempt to trade Mack? By the same token, what would the Bills be prepared to give up, in return for him?

Complications arise in this respect, with the Raiders having to be careful about what to ask for. The 2014 fifth overall draft pick is set to become a free agent after the conclusion of the 2018 season and could potentially walk away for nothing.

In a similar vein, the Bills could end up giving too much for a player, who could effectively be a one-year rental. There are no guarantees Mack would want to sign a long-term extension to remain in Buffalo.

For what it’s worth, at least the two-time First-team All-Pro has a connection with the Western New York Area. He spent his four years in college with the Buffalo Bulls, going on to become arguably the best player in the program’s history.

As noted by Talbot, Mack has been working out at the University of Buffalo during his holdout. Whether the Bills can use this to their advantage is open to question, but for now, Bills fans can at least dream of the possibility of the 2013 MAC Defensive Player of the Year suiting up for their team.

Do you pay much attention to bookmakers? How realistic is it to actually expect Mack to be traded to the Buffalo Bills this season? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.