The Buffalo Bills enter an offseason facing a tough reality. Their roster is one of the most top-heavy in terms of the salary cap.
The very top of their roster takes up nearly half of their overall cap for 2023, including guys like Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs, Von Miller, Tre’Davious White, Dion Dawkins and Dawson Knox. Yet, the Bills go into this offseason with some clear needs.
They have to add multiple starters across the offensive line. Buffalo also needs a legitimate playmaker at wide receiver and an impact edge rusher to help ease the pressure of losing Miller for much of the upcoming season. Ideally, they do that all in the draft. But, to do so, they’ll need additional draft capital.
The Bills currently own three picks in the first three rounds: a first-round pick (no. 27), second-round pick (no. 59) and third-round pick (no. 91). But, an opportunity to move back just a bit an acquire an additional selection would be huge for general manager Brandon Beane.
The Buffalo Bills have multiple options to move back with their late second-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft
There are a few scenarios that make sense for the Bills to acquire more capital in the first few rounds. Multiple teams have more than one third-round pick, and with the Bills’ second rounder being so late, that could turn into a nice haul.
Let’s start with a team like the Arizona Cardinals.
In this scenario, the Bills ship their second rounder off to Arizona in exchange for moving back seven spots to pick 66 in the third round, leaving them without a second-round pick. However, they also get another third rounder at no. 96 overall, giving them an extra pick in the top 100.
With their first third rounder, Buffalo could select one of a few prospects such as: Tennessee wide receiver Jaylin Hyatt, edge rusher Derick Hall out of Auburn, or Syracuse offensive tackle Matthew Bergeron. Any one of those players would fill immediate needs for the Bills.
Another scenario in which the Bills score a second valuable selection is via the Houston Texans.
In this instance, Buffalo gets a similar return, this time netting pick no. 65 in the third round and no. 105 early in the fourth. Again, they could be looking at the same players above at pick no. 65.
But, at no. 105, the Bills could come away with one of a few options such as: interior offensive lineman Luke Wypler out of Ohio State, Nebraska wide receiver Trey Palmer or Baylor offensive tackle Connor Galvin.
Either one of these deals should spark elation among Bills Mafia, as Beane would surely be adding two starting-caliber players instead of the one he’d get at no. 59.