If there is one team that needs to have a big draft, it’s Sean McDermott and his Buffalo Bills. A season after making the playoffs, the team is looking more like a rebuild rather than reload. Different controversies over positions and many draft picks, two that are 21st and 22nd overall.
For the past decade, the Bills have always had a higher draft pick so this process will be brand new to them. Last year they had the number 10th pick overall before trading that pick to the Kansas City Chiefs who jumped up 17 spots from #27. The Bills own the Chiefs first round pick this draft season.
There are plenty of options that the Bills could go with:
Keep The Picks
If the team does not feel comfortable with any prospect enough that is projected to go high in the draft, the Bills can keep their back-to-back picks and see who falls to them. With the help that the team is looking for, it’ll be difficult to watch players go early that could benefit the Bills.
There is more talent in this draft than most think, but that talent can easily go early and leave the Bills hanging. Unless McDermott and Brandon Beane have their eyes set on a certain player that’s projected to go high, expect the Bills to keep their draft picks.
Trade Up
The Bills could pull off a blockbuster trade with a team to get into the top 10 or even top 5, depending on who the prospect is and what he will be worth giving up for. There have been rumors about the Bills getting the #2 pick from the New York Giants that could include left tackle Cordy Glenn in the trade.
If the Bills were to trade up, it would most likely be for a quarterback like Josh Rosen or Sam Darnold. Both projected to go top 5, the Bills could sneak their way in potentially choose one of these two. To get up into this position, the Bills will have to give up a chunk, but is McDermott and Beane up for that? Or do they stay conservative?
Trade Down
This sounds like a crazy idea, or does it? They already have lower first round draft picks but there may be some team that wants to move up so the Bills could easily snag more draft picks for this years’ draft and next seasons. Assuming that they don’t trade both their first round picks this draft, they would either have 21st or 22nd still, as well gain more draft picks later in the draft.
The Bills have had a successful history in drafting in later round. Players that they have drafted after the first round in recent years include Matt Milano, Dion Dawkins, and Nick O’Leary. All three of these players have provided an impact on the team in some way.
Even players like running back Karlos Williams and linebacker Kiko Alonso, both who were drafted the Bills made a splash with the team in their rookie seasons. Obviously, Williams did not work out for the Bills for being suspended for violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy and underperforming. With Alonso, he had an excellent rookie season then he suffered a torn ACL the following offseason. Following a potential return, he was then traded to the Philadelphia Eagles for LeSean McCoy.
The Bills organization has many options for the first day of the draft. McDermott and Beane will have to think long and hard before going through on a plan. This draft can easily be dominated by the Bills if they make the right choices.
Brandon Ray is a Managing Editor for Full Press Coverage and covers the Buffalo Bills. Follow him on Twitter at @brandon_ray79 and @FPC_Bills for Buffalo Bills coverage.
