Buffalo Bills Mock Draft: A subtle trade lands tremendous value
By Ryan Heckman
It’s almost that time, Bills Mafia. General manager Brandon Beane and the Buffalo Bills are four weeks away from one of the biggest weekends in football.
The 2023 NFL Draft will see the Bills enter in with a total of six picks, with their first selection hanging at no. 27 overall. Beane has not been the most active during free agency thus far, mostly due to the Bills’ financial situation, but there are still significant moves to be made whether it be via the draft or trade.
Buffalo could opt to trade for DeAndre Hopkins, taking away a big need from draft weekend. But, assuming that doesn’t happen, these six picks are very valuable for the Bills.
If Beane wanted to operate with the utmost capital, trading down from pick 27 could be an option. And, in our latest mock draft here, that’s exactly what he does. The Bills elect to make a deal with the Kansas City Chiefs, netting some extra picks in this year’s draft.
After trading back in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills select Ohio State offensive tackle Dawand Jones
Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. OT. 1. 812. Ohio State. Dawand Jones. player
If you ask most Bills fans, they would tell you that both the right guard and right tackle position aren’t necessarily set in stone for future success. If Buffalo has the opportunity to select a first-round caliber lineman with the pick they received in this trade, Beane has to make the move.
Dawand Jones would come in and give Spencer Brown a tough time in keeping his starting spot, and if all goes according to how it should, it would be Jones taking over.
At 6-foot-8 and 360 pounds, Jones is an absolute mammoth of a man. His biggest strength is in the run game, where he obliterates most of his opposing defensive linemen. His only real issue is with his footwork, just due to his weight. If he dropped a little weight, he’d be the perfect right tackle prospect.
Giving the Bills one more top-end starter across the line would not only help in keeping the Bills one of the better running teams in the league, but also help Josh Allen out quite a bit in protection.