The Buffalo Bills traded back out of the No. 26 overall pick in the NFL draft, moving back three separate times after a top projected target went off the board.
The Bills traded back with the Houston Texans, giving them the No. 28 pick. They then moved back again, swapping with the New England Patriots to land with the No. 31 pick. The Bills then jumped out of the first round entirely, swapping their last pick with the Tennessee Titans.
The moves gave the Bills a significant amount of draft capital — third- and fifth-round picks from the Texans, a fourth-round pick from the Patriots.
The trade with the Titans was more complicated, with the Bills receiving the No. 35 overall pick of the second round, along with a third-round pick (No. 66) and fourth-round pick (No. 101). The Bills sent their third-round pick (No. 69) and a fifth-round pick (No. 165) to the Titans.
The trades came after wide receiver KC Concepcion, seen as a top potential target for the Bills, landed with the Cleveland Browns. The Texas A&M pass-catcher had been projected as a top pick for the Bills, but general manager Brandon Beane didn’t make a move up the draft board, instead moving back twice in the opening round.
Bills No Stranger to NFL Draft Trades
Beane frequently makes first-round draft trades, moving up in recent years to land cornerback Kaiir Elam and tight end Dalton Kincaid and moving back two years ago to land wide receiver Keon Coleman with the first pick of the second round.
They made this year’s move after Concepcion was taken by the Browns, which was seen as a good fit for the former Aggies star.
“Concepcion was ranked as the No. 4 wide receiver by The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, and he ends up being the fourth wide receiver selected in the first round,” noted Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon Journal. “There are concerns about drops, which he has addressed head-on during the pre-draft process whenever he’s been asked. However, the ability Concepcion has to make plays makes him someone who has a chance to thrive with an offensive coach like Todd Monken. There’s also his ability in the punt return game, something the Browns have lacked for years.”
Bills Had Several Needs Heading Into Draft
The Bills had some roster holes to fill through the NFL draft, especially with the ouster of former head coach Sean McDermott in favor of Joe Brady. The team overhauled several positions, especially on defense as the team adjusted to the scheme of new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard.
The Bills got rid of several players in their secondary, cutting ties with safety Tayor Rapp and cornerback Dane Jackson, while trading nickel cornerback Taron Johnson.
The Bills were expected to address their secondary at the draft, though this was not expected until later rounds. The edge rushing position was seen as a priority, especially after the team allowed Joey Bosa to hit free agency.
The team was also expected to address the wide receiver position, which had already undergone some major changes with the departure of Curtis Samuel and a trade that brought DJ Moore to Buffalo. They also face a decision on Keon Coleman, who was benched twice for disciplinary reasons last season.
The Bills were able to add more draft capital with their two moves in the first round, which they can use to fill holes or package together to land another veteran player.
Bills Trade Draft Pick After Top WR Target Goes Off Board