For many Buffalo Bills fans, the best course of action during the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft would be for the team to trade down, acquiring more draft choices in the process. According to John Wawrow of the Associated Press, that may not be what transpires on April 25.
“Here’s something to chew on. I can see a better chance of the Bills moving up for a player than moving back,” Wawrow tweeted.
While noting his hesitance to even tweet such a thing, as he was worried that it would be over-analyzed (which, of course, is exactly what we’re doing right now!), he also said that he wouldn’t merely throw something like that out into the ether if there weren’t any substance behind it.
“Those who know me, know I rarely have opinions about the draft,” Wawrow added.
Since 2017, which was head coach Sean McDermott’s first season with the Bills, the team has been very active in trading its draft picks. The Bills moved back in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft, trading the No. 10 selection to the Kansas City Chiefs for the Chiefs’ first-and-third round choices, 27 and 91, in the 2017 Draft, as well as the Chiefs’ first-round choice in 2018. The Bills used the 27th pick to select cornerback Tre’Davious White, and they used the 91st pick in a trade with the Los Angeles Rams, moving up in the second round of the 2017 Draft to select wide receiver Zay Jones.
In 2018, the Bills made a plethora of moves leading up to the draft. The Bills were slated to pick 21st and 22nd overall, but they traded up from both slots. They sent the 21st pick to the Cincinnati Bengals as part of a package to acquire the 12th overall selection. Then, they sent the 12th choice along with the 53rd and 56th overall picks in the draft to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who sent Buffalo picks Nos. 7 and 255. The Bills drafted quarterback Josh Allen with No. 7 pick. They traded the 22nd pick to the Baltimore Ravens, moving up to 16th overall to select linebacker Tremaine Edmunds.
General manager Brandon Beane has not been shy about using his draft assets to move up in order to secure a player he deems as being a perfect fit for the squad. The Bills have ten picks in the 2019 NFL Draft, but they may end up using some of those choices to move up if a particular player fits their needs.