The Buffalo Bills bolstered their secondary after acquiring safety Amani Hooker from the Tennessee Titans at the trade deadline. The Bills also received a fifth-round pick, sending the Titans a second-round pick as a return.
Hooker will provide Buffalo a boost with his experience and versatility. His arrival will help the Bills plug some of their holes on defense as they look to maintain their dominance in the AFC. They lead the conference with a 7-1 record.
Bills general manager Brandon Beane revealed the exact moment the deal for Hooker gained steam, as reported by Buffalo News Sports' Terrin Waack.
“If you asked me at 12 noon, I didn't feel great that we were going to be doing anything. But we had conversations going. This one picked up sometime after 1 p.m. and got it to the finish line,” said Beane.
Waack added that Beane and Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi started talking last week. Beane did not relent in convincing Borgonzi.
“Titans weren't ready after (the Chicago) Bears-Jeffrey Simmons deal. Beane then saw Borgonzi at Miami-Notre Dame. Didn't talk work then, but followed up yesterday and today,” wrote Waack.
Beane stressed that it is his job to look for ways to improve the roster. The 28-year-old Hooker is having a strong campaign with five interceptions, tied with Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney for the most in the NFL. Hooker also has 52 tackles and six passes defended.
He spent seven and a half seasons with the Titans, who drafted him in the fourth round in 2019.