The Buffalo Bills currently have the 27th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft but if recent reports are true, general manager Brandon Beane may not want to wait that long. According to ESPN’s Matt Miller, the Buffalo Bills ‘very possibly’ could trade up for either an offensive skill player or an interior offensive line.
Brandon Beane has not been afraid of trading up in the first round during his time with the Buffalo Bills. However, with only six draft picks this year the Bills are unlikely to move up very far but these are three teams that could make sense.
3 teams the Buffalo Bills could trade with in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft
New York Giants
The first team is pretty obvious and would likely be an easy deal to get done. The Buffalo Bills know New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen well as he was with the Buffalo Bills for five years as assistant general manager.
The biggest challenge in any trade negotiations is building a relationship and having an understanding of what the other person values. The working relationship between Beane and Schoen should help clear that hurdle.
The Giants currently have the 25th overall pick and certainly could be looking to add a few more picks as they continue to try and rebuild after a promising playoff season last year. Based on draft pick values, a trade that would make sense would be the Bills sending their fourth round pick (42 points) along with their first round pick (680 points) for the 25th overall pick (720 points)
It wouldn’t be a huge jump in the first round but it could make sense if the Bills are concerned the Dallas Cowboys could be drafting the player they want. The Giants would also probably be interested in a trade if it blocked a division rival from getting that player as well.
Baltimore Ravens
The next team that the Buffalo Bills may look to call is the Baltimore Ravens if they want to move further up in the first round. The Ravens have plenty of questions this offseason about whether or not they lose Lamar Jackson.
The Ravens used the non-exclusive franchise tag on their franchise quarterback but it is far from a guarantee that he returns. If Lamar Jackson is not their starting quarterback in 2023, they could be looking to go into a full rebuild, which means they would want additional draft picks.
This year though they don’t have many of those draft picks with only five total and no second round picks. Based on the draft pick value chart by Jimmy Johnson, if the Buffalo Bills trade their second round pick along with the 27th overall for the 22nd overall with the Ravens sending their third round pick (86th overall) the values are pretty close.
It wouldn’t give the Ravens more picks but would allow them to have two picks in the Top 60 and address two key needs on their roster.
Washington Commanders
If the Buffalo Bills don’t want to trade any 2024 draft picks and don’t want to trade away all their draft picks this year, then 16th is probably the highest they realistically can trade up this year.
Based on those draft pick values, if the Buffalo Bills trade their first round and second round pick (990 points) they could move all the way up to 16th (1000 points) and swing a trade with the Washington Commanders.
The Washington Commanders already have eight draft picks in the 2023 NFL Draft but could be looking for more as they try to build a roster and hopefully move up in a very competitive NFC East with the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, and New York Giants.
Similar to the Giants, there is a relationship already established with head coach Ron Rivera and general manager Brandon Beane and Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott from their time with the Carolina Panthers.