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Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell looks on against the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Buffalo Bills are expected to cast a wide net in their search for the next head coach, with a big group of potential candidates to replace Sean McDermott.
One insider believes they may not be limited to the pool of coordinators or college coaches, suggesting the Bills could pull off a rare trade to find their next head coach. Many expect the Bills to tilt more heavily toward the offense after years under the defensive-minded McDermott, and SI.com’s Conor Orr believes they could find some good candidates on the trade block.
Bills Could Target Vikings Head Coach
Orr noted that the Bills could potentially look to a trade to find their next coach, though warned that it would be both complicated and expensive in terms of draft assets.
“Do not rule out the exploration of a head coaching trade for Buffalo. I think this is something being bandied about in league circles—though to be clear, I am not reporting it as an inevitability or even a possibility,” Orr wrote. “It would be immensely complicated and cost a talent-deprived Bills team more draft capital.”
If the Bills did utilize a trade to land a new head coach, Orr suggested there would only be a small pool of candidates who were both available and the right fit.
“In my mind, the three best play-calling, offensive-minded head coaches who would be attainable via trade (meaning, there’s no way in hell the 49ers would trade Kyle Shanahan or the Rams would trade Sean McVay): the Vikings’ Kevin O’Connell, Panthers’ Dave Canales and Colts’ Shane Steichen,” Orr wrote.
Orr added that O’Connell might be the most logical target, which would allow the Vikings to promote defensive coordinator Brian Flores to their head coaching job while landing a host of draft picks from the Bills.
Bills Could Promote From Within
If the Bills want to avoid the complications and cost of a trade, many believe they have a capable candidate already in the building. Offensive coordinator Joe Brady has gotten some head coaching buzz and landed an interview with the Baltimore Ravens, and USA Today’s Jacob Camenker believes he could be high on Buffalo’s list as well.
“Brady helped lead the Bills to a strong offensive season in 2025, as they finished third in the NFL in offensive EPA per play, according to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats,” Camenker wrote. “Josh Allen has thrived under Brady’s leadership, which isn’t a surprise. Brady has a proven track record of getting the most out of elite-level quarterbacks, as he also oversaw Joe Burrow’s historic final season at LSU in addition to Allen’s 2024 NFL MVP campaign.”
The Bills could also bring back Davis Webb, who was a third-string quarterback under Allen in 2021 before leaving the NFL to join the coaching ranks. Webb serves as the passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Denver Broncos, who saw quarterback Bo Nix steadily improve through his first two seasons in the NFL and now stand one win from reaching the Super Bowl.
Nathan Dougherty is a sports reporter covering the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins. Previously he wrote for the Rochester Business Journal and served as the assistant editor of athletic trade magazines Coaching Management, Athletic Management and Training & Conditioning. He is based out of Rochester, New York, and loves everything football. More about Nathan Dougherty
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