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[editor's note, by Brian G] Be sure to submit your answer to the new poll, located directly to the right of this story. What's the best way for the Bills to approach this draft? Your responses are appreciated.[end note]
Over the last two days, we have examined in-depth Buffalo's options should they decide to trade up or trade down in the first round of Saturday's NFL Draft. Today - based on stories that broke yesterday - we'll discuss a third option; trading out of the first round.
Reports broke Tuesday morning that the Bills were one of five teams that have contacted the Chicago Bears in reference to holdout linebacker Lance Briggs. A dominant force in the Cover-2 defense, Briggs was drafted by current Bills coach Dick Jauron and could continue his dominant ways as an outside linebacker in Perry Fewell's scheme.
Adam Schefter is reporting that the Buccaneers are the leading candidate to land Briggs, with the Chicago Tribune including the Bills, Giants, Redskins and Broncos in the discussions. Any move for Briggs (on any team's part) will almost assuredly require first-round compensation in Saturday's draft. To read more on the Briggs situation, check out jri111's Diary on the subject that he posted two weeks ago.
ESPN is now reporting that an interview of Bears GM Jerry Angelo revealed that no recent discussions regarding Briggs have taken place. However, with Briggs being the elite player that he is, it is very likely that any team that loses out on Patrick Willis in the first round will make a quick call to Chicago to see if Briggs is still on the block.
Another trade-out option for the Bills that has been well documented here at Buffalo Rumblings is a trade for Chargers RB Michael Turner. GM A.J. Smith has remained steadfast that it will require at least a first-round pick to obtain Turner, which seems to have put the Tennessee Titans and Green Bay Packers ahead of the Bills in the Turner Sweepstakes. Despite the seeming lack of progress on this front (which Marv Levy attested to a few days ago), a trade for Turner still seems just as viable an option as a trade for Briggs at this point.
Trading out of the first round is obviously something that the Bills do not want to do. However, with these two prominent players linked to the Bills by various media sources, how illogical do these trades actually seem? Acquiring each of these players will very likely have more immediate impact than any rookie the Bills could draft in the first round, and while the price tag is obviously much more expensive, the return on investment could be worth it.
OK. These topics have sort of been beaten to death by me. So now let's hear it - is trading out of the first round to get either of these players a viable option for the Bills? Or do we continue our philosophy of building through the draft?