Buffalo Bills: Bills must actually use LeSean McCoy before considering a trade

In perhaps one of the worst rumors the Buffalo Bills have been of in recent memory, LeSean McCoy’s days as a Buffalo Bill might be coming to an end. There is just one problem, it is their fault his value is the lowest it’s ever been.

The Buffalo Bills are in a position where they could trade pro-bowl running back LeSean McCoy.

Quite honestly, the Bills would be unwise if they didn’t even consider it. There is a demand for McCoy, his old team, the Eagles, are one team for example who could use him.

But, the only problem with trading “Shady” at this point is that the Bills have screwed themselves.

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Right now, LeSean McCoy’s return value is the lowest it has ever been. Another problem, is that this is the season the Bills have needed him the most.

It is not often that a team has a top 30 All-time running back on their team. The Bills are even luckier that he was gifted to them because of Chip Kelly’s ineptitude.

However, the Bills now find themselves in a spot where a team needs a running back and the Bills have them.

There is one problem. What would the Bills get in return for McCoy?

Yes, McCoy is aging and getting older at a position where age simply ends careers. He is also in the middle of the season where he missed a game due to a rare injury.

However, he is still really important to the Bills. He is still really good too.

Normally, Shady would be worth a first round to second round pick. Or something later and another player.

But, right now, because of the way the Bills are using him, he is barely worth that return. His 2018 season consists of being a factor in just one game so far, last week’s win vs the Titans.

The rest of the games, Shady has been hurt or barely touched the ball. In the Bills’ loss to the Packers, they needed to keep Aaron Rodgers off the field. By doing that, they needed to use McCoy and run the ball.

Instead, he suited up but barely touched the field. Injury or not, he was active and should have carried the ball more than five times.

What that does in this scenario, is lower his value to other teams. He is becoming less of an asset. That is the Bills’ fault, not his.

Shady, when actually out there, still looks great. He still makes the cuts he is famous for and can be valuable.

That aging narrative needs to go out the window this year, but the Bills have not shown anyone to make them believe that.

This Sunday, the Bills face the Houston Texans. That is a winnable game. The Texans have a young quarterback, but so do the Bills in Josh Allen.

The Texans’ only other real threat on offense is DeAndre Hopkins and he will likely be shut down by Tre’Davious White.

So, that leaves the advantage to the Bills in the running back department. If the Bills get McCoy involved more, they can win that game. If it is because of McCoy that skyrockets his value.

Force turnovers. Feed LeSean McCoy. That is the formula that got them to the playoffs last year, of all the things that were broken on the Bills last year despite that, Shady was not one of them.

Now, even while being misused, he is still more important to the Bills than he has ever been.

Josh Allen is a rookie QB in the NFL. He is even turning into a solid runner himself. But if the Bills go out and trade Shady, a captain, a leader, a guy who has been around the block, that pulls the carpet out from under Josh Allen.

The Bills need to set up Josh Allen for success, not failure. If you take away a player with the charisma of McCoy the Bills would have a hard time letting Allen develop.

As much of a workhorse, a player like Chris Ivory is, he will not help Josh Allen acclimate to the NFL. Shady can. He is a reliable back and that gives Allen one less thing to worry about.

The Bills, if they do end up trading McCoy, if all these rumors are true, then the Bills must use the heck out of him, show him off, and show the league he can still bring it.

If the Bills do use him up and he gets injured so be it. That keeps him around to be a leader and that is worth a lot more to the offense than what the Bills would get in a trade for him now.

The Bills can wait until the trade deadline to make moves. They can even wait to see if more teams need a running back down the stretch.

But, what the Bills absolutely have to do until then, is get the most they can out of Shady. His max value is worth a high draft pick. Or multiple picks.

His value right now is worth almost nothing.

The Bills need to show that Shady is worth his max value. Despite the age, despite the Bills’ offense being inept from the bottom up.

LeSean McCoy is a huge asset to this team. He will be an asset to any team he plays for next.

He is one of the best running backs ever and still has gas left in the tank, even if it’s a quarter empty, it is going to run.

So, the Buffalo Bills’ only job this year is to, and this is only if they are hellbent on trading him, is to get that max value for LeSean McCoy.

They turn him into the gift that keeps on giving by getting the return he is worth for him. That just won’t happen right now.

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Get Josh Allen some help, that still stands for the foreseeable future. Even if that help comes from a trade for Shady the Bills can’t refuse, but that is on them to make happen.

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