Buffalo Bills: Lamar Miller injury adds fuel to Clowney trade rumours

The Buffalo Bills have been linked with a trade for Jadeveon Clowney and a recent injury to his teammate might help them get him.

Jadeveon Clowney looks set to leave the Houston Texans this season and the Buffalo Bills are reportedly one of the teams most interested in acquiring his talents.

The first overall selection in the 2014 NFL Draft has been a solid edge rusher for the Houston Texans over the past five seasons, with nine sacks, one forced fumble, three fumble recoveries, 47 combined tackles (16 for a loss) and 21 QB hits in the 2018 season.

Unable to agree to a new long-term deal with the Texans, Clowney is set to play the 2019 season on the franchise tag – earning a base salary of $15,967,200.

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A number of teams are keen on adding Clowney to their rosters, but negotiations on a long-term deal appear to have been the biggest stumbling block for many, including the Bills’ AFC East rivals the Miami Dolphins.

The Texans’ circumstances this week have changed greatly and could help the Bills become the frontrunner for Clowney’s talents.

Running back Lamar Miller has officially been ruled out for the 2019 season after suffering a torn ACL and MCL thanks to a hit from defensive tackle Maliek Collins in the first period of the Texans’ 34-0 loss to state rivals the Dallas Cowboys.

This leaves the Texans with a need for a starting running back, something that the Buffalo Bills might be willing to help with, in exchange for Clowney.

The Bills have Jerry Hughes as a legitimate starting edge rusher, while Clowney would certainly be an upgrade over Trent Murphy – the other player penned in to start on the outside.

What the Bills do have that could potentially appeal to the Texans, is LeSean McCoy – who could be included in a deal that sees the Upstate New York team land a legitimate starting edge rusher.

McCoy is entering his 11th season in the NFL and took a large step backwards in 2018, leading to many trade rumours since the close of the regular season.

If McCoy is able to replicate the form he showed when he first arrived in Buffalo, he would be a valuable piece to Sean McDermott‘s offence, but there’s no guarantee they will see the same McCoy again.

With Frank Gore and Devin Singletary ready to play this season, along with QB Josh Allen‘s ability to run the football effectively, the Bills may view McCoy as a luxury they do not need, with Clowney adding far more value to the team’s defence in return.

A straight swap isn’t likely to be enough to land Clowney, but the Texans’ unexpected need for running back help could certainly help the Bills land the South Carolina native for a lower price than before.

But what do you think Bills Mafia? Should the team attempt to bring in Clowney? Should McCoy be included in a trade for the edge rusher? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!