Buffalo Bills draft implications of re-signing Matt Milano

Now that the Buffalo Bills have re-signed Matt Milano, we can all finally stop mock drafting linebackers to the Bills at 30th overall. Prior to this move, Bills fans were torn between addressing needs in the trenches or filling the void that Matt Milano left. That time has now come and gone, the Buffalo Bills can now turn the page and focus on other roster needs.

The focus certainly shifts now to both Jon Feliciano and Daryl Williams. Now that Milano is signed, the Buffalo Bills have a glaring need to address the right side of their offensive line. At the price that Milano was signed, it is unlikely that the Bills have the cap space to sign both Feliciano and Williams without cutting someone else, like Mario Addison.

Say the Bills decide to sign Williams, that would lead me to believe the Bills will be targeting a prospect at 30th overall to come in and plug-and-play at right guard. However, there is a chance that Williams will be too expensive considering the lack of appealing tackles in free agency. In that case, the Bills may elect to bring back Feliciano and target a right tackle at 30th overall.

As mentioned before, the Bills have met with former Oklahoma State Cowboy Teven Jenkins. Jenkins is a top prospect that is by no means guaranteed to remain on the board until the Bills first round pick. However, if he is still on the board and the Bills can’t re-sign Daryl Williams before the draft, Jenkins is the most likely option to step in for Williams at right tackle in that scenario.

In the scenario that the Bills do re-sign Williams and allow Feliciano to walk, I expect the Buffalo Bills first selection to be a prospect that can plug-and-play at right guard, as mentioned above. With that being said, interior offensive linemen aren’t the most valuable positions in the NFL and some of those prospects may slide a little in the draft. If the Bills are on the clock at 30th overall with 3 prospects on the board that they like to fill the void at right guard, they could try to get even more value in the draft by trading back a few picks. This way they can acquire more picks while still getting one of their hypothetical 3 guys that they like.

Regardless, the Buffalo Bills just made their offseason a whole lot easier by re-signing Milano. But furthermore, they just made some flexibility for themselves to draft the best player available on their board.