During the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft, general manager Brandon Beane had a busy night, ultimately making two high profile trades. The second of which brings linebacker Tremaine Edmunds to the Buffalo Bills in what should be considered a fair market trade. Beane managed to get the Bills back up to pick 16 (from 22) by also agreeing to swap a third round selection (number 65) for a fifth round (pick 154) with the Baltimore Ravens.
Edmunds is widely considered to be a rare player with an astonishing combination of size and athleticism. Edmunds is also notable for his youth, showing the ability to be disruptive against more veteran peers despite being only 19 years-old at the time of the draft. He turns 20 today. (Happy Birthday Tremaine Edmunds.) An early run on quarterbacks is likely the only reason he made it as far as pick 16.
Bills fans might be interested to know just how close the team was to missing out on Edmunds. Per Kyle Posey of SB Nation’s Bolts from the Blue, the Los Angeles Chargers planned to take Edmunds with pick 17. Pop in and check out the draft analysis from Posey if you’re wondering how the Chargers approached the three-day event. Posey provides good insight on the patient approach of general manager Tom Telesco. Regarding Edmunds, Posey offers the following:
Sitting at pick 16, the Chargers were staring the uber-athletic Tremaine Edmunds in the face. Another player they had no clue would fall to them. I was told Edmunds was going to be the pick at 17 had he been there. As the team thought Edmunds would fall into their laps, Buffalo traded up for the second time in the 1st round. Like that, Edmunds was a figment of their imagination.
There you have it. If you really liked the Edmunds trade, now you know it comes with a sigh of relief.