Buffalo Bills go back-to-back defensive backs, select CB Rachad Wildgoose

With their second pick on a back-to-back in the sixth round, the Buffalo Bills went defensive back again, selecting cornerback, Rachad Wildgoose from Wisconsin.

Just one pick before, the Bills added depth to their safety position by selecting Pittsburgh’s Damar Hamlin. With the second, they finally addressed their cornerback position by adding Wildgoose. The cornerback played in two games for the Badgers due to a shoulder injury, recording six tackles and a defended pass in that time. Previously in 2019 and 2018, Wildgoose recorded back-to-back 20+ tackle seasons with seven defended passes in each and an interception in 2019.

Wildgoose is not the luxury pick at 30th overall that many thought the Buffalo Bills would use on one of the big-name cornerbacks that were available. Choosing to forego the immediate need for a corner and waiting till the sixth round to do so is an interesting choice by the Bills, but they got some holes filled in the process.

That said, a cornerback was selected nonetheless and will aid in the depth of the position if the injury bug strikes the position again. Wildgoose will not be a threat to current CB2, Levi Wallace, as Wallace will be the incumbent starter next season as Wildgoose will need time to develop.

Last season, the Bills struggled to get consistent productivity out of the CB2 position. When Levi Wallace went down with an injury, Josh Norman was thrust into the starting role. Being a shell of what he was with the Carolina Panthers and the Washington Football Team the position was targeted by opposing quarterbacks.

General manager Brandon Beane has gone a different direction in this draft to limit the opposition’s passing game. Rather than drafting cornerbacks who can break up and pick off passes in the secondary, Beane’s theory may be that the passes won’t get to the receiver if the defensive line gets pressure before that’s possible.