Buffalo Bills: Grabbing a top receiver for a top quarterback

FOXBORO, MA - DECEMBER 24: Zay Jones #11 of the Buffalo Bills warms up before the game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on December 24, 2017 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Tim Bradbury/Getty Images)
FOXBORO, MA - DECEMBER 24: Zay Jones #11 of the Buffalo Bills warms up before the game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on December 24, 2017 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Tim Bradbury/Getty Images) /
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If the Buffalo Bills decide to trade up and draft a top quarterback, it would also be wise to try to grab one of the top receivers in the draft as well.

The big news today surrounding the Buffalo Bills has to do with the surprise retirement of Richie Incognito. At first it seemed like nothing was official, but it looks like the Bills will be without yet another veteran lineman in 2018.

That could change the team’s draft plans, but I’m not sure that Incognito’s retirement would make Brandon Beane rule out trading up to draft a quarterback. Such a trade means giving up some picks, but if his mind is set then this shouldn’t change things in such a deep class of talent.

Before all of today’s news, I thought about what else Beane should do in the draft besides take a QB. One thing that stands out to me is going after one of the top receivers in the class.

If the Bills do make a trade up, that likely means the team will only have one pick in the first round. However, it doesn’t rule out taking a receiver in the second round.

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The top two receivers currently on the roster are still Kelvin Benjamin and Zay Jones. Benjamin is a free agent after the season and no one is really sure what Jones’ status is with the team after his incident this offseason.

If the Bills do plan on taking a top quarterback, pairing him with a rookie receiver makes sense. Both players know they will be working together for several years and can learn together as rookies.

A lot of fans think the Bills are a QB away from being a real contender out of the AFC. But if the team doesn’t have a true No. 1 receiver, it is hard to establish a consistent rhythm on offense for an entire year.

The rookie will have to look to different targets each week, hoping one player stands out above the rest for 16 games.

I don’t have a specific receiver in mind due to the news with the offensive line and the team’s new draft needs, but the idea stood out in my head as something that could ease a rookie QB’s transition to the NFL.

Next: 2018 NFL Mock Draft 5.0

What do you think about this idea of pairing up a top rookie quarterback with a top rookie receiver?