Green Bay Packers defensive back Rasul Douglas let out his frustrations with his team’s losing ways after a loss on Sunday to the Minnesota Vikings.
Now Douglas will have a chance to turn around his fortunes as a member of the Buffalo Bills.
After being hit by injuries and inconsistent play from their secondary, the Bills acquired the veteran Douglas in a trade deadline deal with the Packers. The move adds depth to a critical position for the Bills and gives Douglas a chance for a fresh start with a new team.
As NFL.com reported, the Bills landed Douglas and a 2024 fifth-round pick in exchange for a 2024 third-rounder.
Bills Make Key Acquisition
Though the Bills avoided any splashy moves at the trade deadline, they addressed a key area of need by adding Douglas. The secondary had taken a hit with the season-ending torn Achilles for Tre’Davious White, while second-year cornerback Kaiir Elam is in a disappointing season with six healthy scratches in the first eight games.
As NFL.com noted, the struggling Packers were willing to make a deal that cleared the way for some of their younger players to take on bigger roles in the secondary.
“With the Packers losing four straight games, Douglas suddenly became available,” the report noted. “Green Bay recently placed cornerback Eric Stokes on injured reserve for a second time, but they have some young corners in Carrington Valentine and Corey Ballentine who can take Douglas’ place.”
The report added that Douglas had been one of the team’s most reliable defensive backs in recent seasons, making 10 interceptions in 36 games. He has started all seven of the team’s games this season, with one interception and six passes defensed.
Rasul Douglas Was Tired of Losing
The Packers’ downturn had been taking a toll on Douglas, who shared his disappointment with reporters following the team’s loss to the Vikings on October 29.
“I’m both. I’m both,” Douglas said when asked if he was frustrated or angry. “We’re saying sh** but until we actually do the sh**, it don’t really matter. I’m thinking about it like, bro, I’ve never been a loser in my life. These last two years have been f***ing loser. That sh** ain’t me. I don’t think that sh**’s us. We’ve got to do something, you know what I mean?”
Douglas could have the chance to move into a meaningful role with the Bills. With Elam struggling, the Bills opted to sign veteran Josh Norman in free agency and made him the primary backup at outside cornerback for their win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday.
Some thought the Bills could move on from Elam at the trade deadline, especially after he was benched in favor of Norman for Thursday’s game. The Bills ultimately made only one move at the deadline, though did add depth to their backfield earlier in the week by signing veteran running back Leonard Fournette.
The Bills also held back on making any blockbuster deals, as previous reports had connected them to running back Derrick Henry and wide receiver Davante Adams.
