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With the 2015 NFL Draft officially beginning this evening, fans will soon know who the newest members of the Buffalo Bills will be. Even though the draft will lack the buzz and excitement a first round pick brings, since the Bills don't have one, the team can still add players in the second and third rounds that can be expected to contribute during the upcoming season.
When it comes to my expectations for the draft, the premise is fairly simple: I would like to see the Bills select an offensive tackle and a guard with the first two selections. While these are not the types of selections that will excite the fan base, we can be honest in saying that there has been plenty of excitement already for Bills fans over the past four months. By taking an offensive tackle, the Bills can add some insurance should Cordy Glenn test the free agent market at the end of the season. You could also argue that the Bills are desperate to add depth at tackle with only three currently on the roster (Glenn, Seantrel Henderson, and Cyrus Kouandjio). Should the Bills select a tackle at No. 50, you could also restart the conversation around Glenn making a move to guard. By drafting a starting-caliber offensive tackle in the second round, the Bills could effectively solve two problems with one selection.
The previous statement could leave you saying that the Bills don't need to draft a guard in the third round, but I still see it as a strong area of need, even if Glenn makes the move inside. Based on past performance, it is hard to make a case that Cyril Richardson, Chris Williams or Kraig Urbik is capable of starting this season. And while the team added Richie Incognito, it will be tough to project what his return will look like after missing the entire 2014 season. A third-round pick is not guaranteed to be a contributor, but the Bills are in need of a talent upgrade at guard for the 2015 season.
After the first two picks, I would just look for Doug Whaley to select players that can add to the competition in training camp. I would love to see Whaley trade his late-round selections for additional picks in 2016, and would not be surprised if he makes additional trades involving current players on the Bills roster. Considering that he made three trades during the 2014 NFL Draft last spring, I would expect him to stay active on the phones this upcoming weekend.
Despite my own thoughts on the weekend, I am curious to hear the expectations from the Buffalo Rumblings community. Please share your expectations (and any predictions you may have) below.
2015 NFL Draft - Round 1
- Thursday, April 30, 8:00 p.m. ET
- ESPN, NFL Network
- SiriusXM NFL Radio, ESPN Radio
- NFL Mobile, NFL.com/Watch, WatchESPN.com
- Bills picks: N/A
2015 NFL Draft - Rounds 2-3
- Friday, May 1, 7:00 p.m. ET
- ESPN, NFL Network
- SiriusXM NFL Radio, ESPN Radio
- NFL Mobile, NFL.com/Watch, WatchESPN.com
- Bills picks: Nos. 50 (Round 2) and 81 (Round 3)
2015 NFL Draft - Rounds 4-7
- Saturday, May 2, 12:00 p.m. ET
- ESPN, NFL Network
- SiriusXM NFL Radio, ESPN Radio
- NFL Mobile, NFL.com/Watch, WatchESPN.com
- Bills picks: Nos. 155 (Round 5), 188 (Round 6), 194 (Round 6), and 234 (Round 7)