Much is being made about the fact that Buffalo Bills GM Buddy Nix dined Auburn quarterback Cam Newton and his agents on Monday night. Here's why that fact is merely noteworthy, and not indicative of any conspiracy theory you may be weaving either toward, or away, from the idea of the Bills ultimately selecting Newton in the 2011 NFL Draft.
- Last year, Jim Kelly dined with Tim Tebow pre-draft, and then told Vic Carucci that he'd recommend Tebow to Bills management.
- Last year, the Bills hosted the likes of Jimmy Clausen, Colt McCoy, John Skelton, Jarrett Brown, Montario Hardesty, Russell Okung, Anthony Davis, Erik Cook, Jason Worilds, Jason Pierre-Paul, and Everson Griffen in a pre-draft capacity. (Those are just the ones we know of. And yes, they also met with C.J. Spiller, Torell Troup and Levi Brown.) No word on whether dinner was involved in these visits, but workouts and physicals were.
Between now and the first week of April, the Bills will make more pro day visits, and likely speak with - and sure, possibly dine with - several more prospects. Just store the Nix/Newton dinner in the back of your mind, and apply it relevancy once April 28, 2011 is in the history books.