Since losing four consecutive Super Bowls-most recently in 1993-the Bills have failed to make it back to compete for the Vince Lombardi Trophy. For many years, they weren’t even close, until they selected Josh Allen in the 2018 Draft. Allen completely changed the face of the franchise; however, in the playoffs, he simply hasn’t been able to break through.
Although Allen played 11 games in his rookie season, it wasn’t until 2019 that he became the full-time starter. Since then, he has consistently led the Bills to the playoffs. The problem is that something always goes wrong-sometimes in ways that are hard to explain-especially in matchups against Patrick Mahomes in the postseason, where he has yet to beat him.
In fact, Allen is 0-2 against Mahomes in AFC Championship Games. Interestingly, during the regular season, the Bills’ quarterback holds a 5-1 record over the Kansas City Chiefs star. But what matters most is the playoffs-and that’s where he hasn’t delivered. Last season, even without Mahomes standing in their way, the Bills were eliminated in the Divisional Round after an overtime loss to the Denver Broncos.
The Bills Once targeted Jaylen Waddle
Over the past two seasons, following the departure of Stefon Diggs, the Bills have struggled to provide Allen with a true elite wide receiver-something that has clearly been missing despite his consistently strong numbers. For 2026, they addressed this need by acquiring DJ Moore via trade from the Chicago Bears.
This week, the Broncos sent their 2026 first-round pick (No. 30), along with additional assets, to the Miami Dolphins to acquire Jaylen Waddle-an elite receiver who is expected to become a key weapon for Bo Nix. What makes this situation particularly interesting is that the Bills had previously offered more for Waddle, but were unable to finalize the deal.
At the 2025 trade deadline, Tom Pelissero reported that the Broncos offered a 2027 first-round pick, while Miami was seeking a 2026 first-rounder as part of the deal-something the Bills ultimately refused to include, costing them the opportunity to add Waddle as a weapon for Allen.
Both the Bills and Broncos pushed hard for Waddle months ago, but Denver ultimately landed him. As NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported:
“Both the Bills and Broncos made a big push for Jaylen Waddle at the trade deadline. Buffalo, an AFC East rival, offered more, and the Dolphins decided to wait – now they get a first-round pick and more from Denver.”
Now, Waddle arrives in Denver as the primary weapon for Bo Nix, likely ahead of Courtland Sutton. Meanwhile, the Bills will hope that DJ Moore-coming off the worst season of his career-can bounce back and help Josh Allen achieve the ultimate goal: reaching the Super Bowl through the AFC, where Buffalo once again enters as a favorite.
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