Every team in the NFL has a choice, to an extent, at the 2023 NFL draft: Make a pick or trade it, either up or down.
Regarding the Buffalo Bills, ESPN suggests moving down is the right choice in Round 1. Entering the draft, Buffalo holds the No. 27 overall selection in the first round.
Here’s how ESPN’s Bill Barnwell came to the conclusion that the Bills could move down:
What they should do: Trade down.
Bills fans might love the idea of moving up for one amazing player to try to put their team over the top in its chase for a Super Bowl, but the Von Miller signing from a year ago shows how that can go wrong if that player isn’t available.
With the Bills paying for Miller, quarterback Josh Allen and several other stars around their roster, this is a team that needs to add multiple players to supplement its core. Teams at the top of the second round are usually looking to move up into this range, and the Bills should be listening.
More recently, general manager Brandon Beane provided some insight into what he might decide in regard to trading the No. 27 pick. As suggested, moving down is more in his mind.
Beane explained that phone calls will start happening when the 20th selection is made. Prior to that, he wants to see how the draft board falls because there’s still a chance he might want to trade up.
Even so, ESPN’s idea of adding more quantity over one quality piece is a smarter move.
Entering the draft, the Bills only hold six selections instead of the usual seven. Plus, moving back in the first round doesn’t mean Buffalo can’t pick up extra selections to trade up again later on in the draft, even in the second round.
And going back a few selections to grab an extra pick or two still would put Buffalo in the range of grabbing the all-important linebacker the team needs with Tremaine Edmunds departing for the Chicago Bears.
A trade back isn’t as exciting, but it’s an idea to keep in mind for the Bills.
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