The Buffalo Bills shored up their secondary Tuesday by acquiring safety Amani Hooker from the Tennessee Titans for a second-round pick, The Associated Press reported in a story carried by FOX Sports.
The deal came together about two hours before the trade deadline and a day after the AFC-leading Bills improved to 7-1 with a 23-6 win at Minnesota. Buffalo also received Tennessee's fifth-round pick.
Bills general manager Brandon Beane told the team's website he went into deadline week looking for "a true difference maker" and was willing to give up significant compensation. He said talks with Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi started about a week ago, but Tennessee was not ready to deal at first. Beane said he ran into Borgonzi at the Miami-Notre Dame game on Saturday, and the talks picked up after 1 p.m. Tuesday. "If you asked me at noon, I didn't feel great that we were going to be able to do anything," Beane said.
To fit Hooker's salary, Buffalo restructured the contract of offensive tackle Dion Dawkins. Beane said Hooker's three-interception game against Cincinnati may have made him harder to get. "I think it was going to take something significant like this to get Tennessee to move off him, which I respect," he said.
The AP said Buffalo's defense allowed an average of 28.5 points and 387 yards through its first six games while switching to a 3-4 system under coordinator Jim Leonhard, but has improved since its bye week. Hooker is expected to start opposite Cole Bishop after the Bills cut C.J. Gardner-Johnson last week. He has two years left on his contract after this season.
Hooker, 28, is tied for the NFL lead with five interceptions. Tennessee, rebuilding at 1-7 and last in the AFC South, has now traded two defensive starters in two weeks, including Jeffery Simmons to Chicago.
The Titans host the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday at Nissan Stadium.
Sources: The Associated Press via FOX Sports; Buffalo Bills