Buffalo Bills: This Senior Bowl offensive lineman is a dream draft pick

Over the next several weeks, we’re going to find out a lot about how the Buffalo Bills will navigate the 2023 NFL offseason.

Bills fans are certainly concerned about the play of the offensive line last year, and Josh Allen deserves better protection. General manager Brandon Beane acknowledged he would like to see his quarterback take less hits, and while some of that is on Allen, he’s also got to realize his offensive line did not do a good job.

Free-agent-to-be Rodger Saffold should be allowed to leave this spring, as the Bills try to get younger and, quite frankly, a whole lot better at guard. Saffold was horrific last season.

If you ask Pro Football Focus, they wouldn’t be able to tell you anything nice about the guy. Per PFF, Saffold had an overall grade of 43.7. He struggled big time in run blocking with a grade of 43.1, while also allowing Josh Allen to be pressured 36 times.

The Buffalo Bills could replace Rodger Saffold with 2023 Senior Bowl participant Andrew Vorhees out of USC

The 2023 Reese’s Senior Bowl kicks off on Saturday, where the top college seniors step out and show the world why they’re the cream of the draft crop this year.

One specific Senior Bowl participant had gotten the attention of Senior Bowl director Jim Nagy several months ago, and now looks to capitalize on his invite.

USC guard Andrew Vorhees enters the 2023 NFL Draft as one of the best interior linemen available, and could be there for the taking in the second round for Buffalo.

Vorhees stands a towering 6-foot-6, weighing in around 325 pounds and possessing a strong, rock-solid frame. He has a tremendous anchor and holds his own against even the most powerful of interior linemen.

With the Bills being such a strong running team, no matter who is carrying the ball, Vorhees will fit in perfectly. He is as much of an upgrade from Saffold as you could get in this draft, as that’s where he truly shines. He is a bulldozing run blocker that uses his power to take opposing defenders off balance.

Buffalo needs a guy like Vorhees, someone who establishes his dominance early and often. He isn’t often beaten, and instead forces his way into becoming one of the best players on the field. He has that nasty demeanor you look for in an NFL guard, something the Bills could desperately use up front.

Vorhees projects as a Round 2 lineman, so the Bills would have to spend up on him. However, he would be well-worth drafting. He’d help the offense take a big step from Day 1, and Beane would be able to worry less about this quarterback taking so many hits, along with the run game benefiting in a large way.