Major acquisition for the Bills to bolster their defense

On paper, the Buffalo Bills have a roster capable of competing for the Super Bowl title. The team appears to be well-stocked at several positions, but one area continues to raise questions ahead of the upcoming season: the inside linebackers.

According to Matt Okada of NFL.com, this position represents the “biggest remaining issue” on the Bills' roster. Buffalo might therefore be tempted to make a trade to add an experienced player capable of stabilizing the center of its defense.

One name to watch is Blake Cashman, an inside linebacker for the Minnesota Vikings. According to Bradley Locker of Pro Football Focus, Cashman is among the players who could be traded before training camp begins.

The Bills could potentially acquire his services in exchange for a late-round draft pick, which would be a small price to pay for a team aiming for a championship.

Cashman just had a productive season with the Vikings. In 2025, he recorded 144 tackles in just 13 games, extending a streak of three consecutive seasons with over 100 tackles.

Blake Cashman could bring much-needed stability to the Bills

The 28-year-old linebacker will enter the final year of the three-season, $22.5 million contract he signed with Minnesota in 2024. His $7.5 million salary for the upcoming season would not pose a major obstacle for Buffalo.

Despite his impressive statistics, Cashman experienced a slight dip in performance in 2025. His overall grade according to Pro Football Focus dropped from 72.0 to 63.6, largely due to struggles in pass coverage.

However, his effectiveness against the run remains a strength. He posted a 7.7% run-stopping rate and a low missed tackle rate of 5.3%.

The situation in Minnesota could also make a trade more likely. The Vikings selected linebacker Jake Golday in the second round of the draft and extended Eric Wilson's contract, which could reduce the role of either Cashman or Ivan Pace Jr.

As for the Bills, the current situation is far from ideal. Terrel Bernard and Dorian Williams saw the majority of the reps in 2025, but neither truly dominated at the heart of the defense. Buffalo also allowed the fifth-most rushing yards in the NFL last season.

Fourth-round pick Kaleb Elarms-Orr is an intriguing prospect, but he may need time before becoming a regular starter.

Elarms-Orr does, however, possess several qualities sought after in a modern linebacker. Standing 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing 237 pounds, he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.47 seconds at the Combine. In 2025 with TCU, he recorded 130 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and four sacks.

His main challenge remains his ability to quickly analyze plays and recognize offensive schemes.

With a team clearly aiming for the Super Bowl, the Bills might therefore choose to add a reliable veteran like Blake Cashman to shore up a defense that has yet to find solutions in the middle of the field.

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