Buffalo Bills: Wondering whether the team will trade up or not
Some Buffalo Bills fans are convinced the team is set to trade up in the draft to take a quarterback, but it doesn’t seem to be a sure thing.
It is easy for Buffalo Bills fans to get caught up in certain narratives being spread around social media. Perhaps the most notable one is the idea that the Bills are poised to trade up in the 2018 NFL Draft to select a quarterback.
The time is right and the Bills have the draft capital to make a trade, but it is still too early to declare it a sure thing.
Mike Rodak of ESPN.com published an article recently that featured some quotes that Brandon Beane gave in an interview with the Bills’ in-house radio show:
"“I’m excited at 21 and 22 because it showed we made the playoffs, and that was big for our city and our team and the culture that Sean and I are building. So I have no intent to move up or down. We’re focused right now on who we think we could get at that value.”"
My first interpretation of that quote is that Beane is obviously not going to tip his hand. He doesn’t want to expose any talks he has had with other teams about a trade, if there have been any, and isn’t going to let anyone in on the team’s plans. Nothing new here.
But what it does bring to light is the possibility that some fans may be ignoring. That is the possibility that there are no plans to trade up for a quarterback.
The Bills have two solid picks in No. 21 and No. 22 overall. Some quarterback talent will fall to those two picks, but the best way to take control of a team’s future is to make a move to take the player the team wants. The player who is evaluated as the next big thing in town.
That is easier said than done, and involves a cost. However, no cost is too high when it comes to getting the first franchise quarterback in Buffalo this century.
What holds up any major traction to the trade talks is the fact Tyrod Taylor remains on the roster. Keeping him and trading up may not be likely, but a trade could signal an imminent trade. That will all become more clear at the end of April.
Next: What the team could do with no salary cap restrictions
Bills fans, and fans of any team for that matter, have their opinions of what is going to happen and those won’t change. But it is still good to be aware that a trade isn’t a sure thing and the team may take a similar approach to what happened in 2017. It resulted in a playoff berth, but the loss in January may lead to Beane heeding the advice of those who want to move up.