How Bills trading Xavier Worthy pick to Chiefs instead of Patriots could backfire

The Buffalo Bills traded the 28th overall pick to the Kansas City Chiefs in last month’s NFL Draft, resulting in the Chiefs taking University of Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy. The thing is, the New England Patriots tried to swing a deal with the Bills in order to take Worthy, too.

Ultimately, Buffalo settled on the Kansas City deal, trading down to No. 32 and picking up third and seventh-round picks in the process. The Bills ended up taking Florida State wide out Keon Coleman, who Josh Allen seems to love.

But did Buffalo make a big mistake by allowing the Chiefs to land Worthy?

During an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, NFL analyst Michael Lombardi outlined why he thinks the Bills made the wrong move.

“I think if you’re Brandon Beane, you have to sit there and say, ‘Yeah maybe Kansas City offered me a lot more but why would I give Worthy to them, who’s a weapon, who could become the next Tyreek Hill for them. I know he’s undersized at 160, plays bigger he’s a tough kid, but why am I doing anything to help the Chiefs,'” Lombardi said.

It wouldn’t be the first time Buffalo helped Kansas City in the draft, either.

Back in 2017, the Bills traded the 10th overall pick to the Chiefs for a handful of draft choices. And who did Kansas City take with No. 10?

None other than Patrick Mahomes.

The Bills have a major Chiefs problem, but does it matter in 2024?

Texas Longhorns wide receiver Xavier Worthy (1) celebrates a play in the fourth quarter of the Sugar Bowl College Football Playoff semi-finals at the Ceasars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, Jan. 1, 2024. The Huskies won the game 37-31. Sara Diggins/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK

Yes, Buffalo may have just gifted the Chiefs their next Tyreek Hill, as Lombardi specified. And yes, the Bills have lost to the Chiefs in the playoffs three of the last five years. But let’s be honest: does it really matter that much heading into 2024?

Buffalo doesn’t really look like a legitimate Super Bowl contender going into next season. There was a mass exodus of players from Buffalo over the last couple of months, including the club’s top two wide outs in Stefon Diggs (who was traded) and Gabe Davis (who departed via free agency).

The Bills also lost numerous key pieces defensively.

This past season, Buffalo was 6-6 at one point before reeling off five straight wins to capture its fourth straight AFC East title, so it’s not like the Bills were world-beaters in 2023, either.

I understand the rationale behind not wanting to help the Chiefs. I get it. But at this point, with Buffalo needing to add elite talent to a declining roster, it simply had to take the best deal it could get, and it’s obvious that Kansas City offered more than the Patriots (who, by the way, play in the AFC East with the Bills, so it’s not like this was some random other team here).

Worthy could end up being a stud. He ran the fastest 40-time in the history of the NFL Scouting Combine, and he is coming off of a terrific final season at Texas. But just because he’s fast does not necessarily mean he will end up being Hill, who is one of the most special playmakers this league has seen in quite some time.

The Bills took the best trade package on the table, and that’s completely understandable. They are kind of in the process of a soft rebuild here, so they probably won’t even be dealing with the Chiefs in the playoffs next winter anyway. Beane’s job right now is to acquire talent, and it shouldn’t really matter what avenue he chooses to achieve that.