Trade Rumors: Buffalo Bills Tried for Number 1
By Dennis Amo
We have looked at the Buffalo Bills draft and also the trades that they made and whether it was worth it or not. We also heard that the Bills tried to move up back into the 2nd round to select Carlos Hyde to add to the offensive weapons they currently had on their roster and with the addition of Sammy Watkins.
We learned today that the Bills were trying to move up to the number 1 spot and for one reason only. This editor thought that if the Bills were going to move up to the number 1 spot that it would be for one person and one person only. I was right about that fact but the person I was thinking was wrong. It was not Jadeveon Clowney. Buffalo was looking at Sammy Watkins the entire time.
Buffalo contacted the Houston Texans and were set to pay more than what they did to get to the 4th spot. Houston was drafting Clowney and they were not interested in Buffalo’s offers.
"“We went with Houston right off the bat,” Monos said. “We tried to go to No. 1. They weren’t having it. They knew who they wanted, so we started working our way right down.” May 8, 2014; New York, NY, USA; Sammy Watkins (Clemson) walks to the stage after being selected as the number four overall pick in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft to the Buffalo Bills at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports"
The Rams were next. The Rams GM stated that an “unnamed team” did contact them and did eventually trade up but not with them. Buffalo seems to fit that Bill correctly (no pun intended). Cleveland called to confirm that if Watkins was still available at 4 they would be ready to trade. Jim Monos, director of player personnel for the Bills wasn’t sure where the Jaguars were going to do with their pick.
"“We really didn’t know,” Monos said. “Jacksonville never tipped it. We had just heard so much that they needed a receiver. We thought that this was going to be Sammy. We knew that if Jacksonville didn’t take him we had a shot.”"
Jacksonville took the first QB off the board with Blake Bortles which then sealed the fate of Sammy Watkins and the Buffalo Bills at pick number 4. Did Buffalo give up too much? In hind sight, knowing that they would have given up more for him, they may think that got a good deal. We really won’t know until preseason and the 2014-15 NFL Football Season.
All I know is I am ready to go. Let’s Go BILLS!