The Buffalo Bills and Washington Commanders were recently suggested as possible trade partners involving a $12 million edge rusher.
The Buffalo Bills added edge rusher Joey Bosa in free agency this offseason in the wake of the team parting ways with Von Miller, and that move has led at least one analyst to believe the team could trade fellow edge rusher, A.J. Epenesa.
In a recent article outlining one possible trade candidate for each team ahead of the 2025 NFL draft, FOX Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano picked Epenesa for the Bills.
Vacchiano’s suggestion has led to Last Word on Sports’ Anthony Palacios to dream up possible landing spots for Epenesa if he’s traded, and one of the teams he listed was the Washington Commanders.
“The future is bright for the Commanders since it was taken over by quarterback Jayden Daniels and head coach Dan Quinn,” he wrote. “They’re building something special in Washington, and they should maximize Daniel’s rookie contract as much as possible. Epenesa could be an easy fix since the team lost Dante Fowler Jr., who led the team in sacks last season.”
As Palacios notes, the Commanders lost their sacks leader from last season in Dante Fowler Jr., who moved on in free agency with the Dallas Cowboys. That has left a huge void along the edge for the Commanders, which is a major concern with Washington having Super Bowl aspirations in 2025.
Epenesa would be a solid replacement. He has tallied six or more sacks in each of the past three years, and his six in 2024 would’ve been the third-most on the Commanders. Washington would probably have to give up an early Day 3 pick for the former second-rounder, but it would be well worth it considering Washington’s status as a true contender.
The problem with this scenario is that the Bills are highly unlikely to trade Epenesa. The addition of Bosa was a good one, but the veteran has had issues staying healthy during his career, which makes keeping Epenesa as depth crucial.
Like the Commanders, the Bills are vying for a Super Bowl in 2025, and in an AFC that sports several talented quarterbacks, Buffalo can ill-afford to sacrifice its depth along the edge.
