Latavius Murray signing proves Buffalo Bills had smart draft strategy

Heading into the 2023 NFL Draft, there were a lot of Buffalo Bills fans who would have been both surprised and happy to see them draft a player like Bijan Robinson or Jahmyr Gibbs.

In fact, Gibbs was linked to the Bills as a second-round target just prior to the draft. However, both Robinson and Gibbs went top-15 and the Bills went a different route with their picks.

Buffalo still wanted to add more running back depth, though, and now that the draft is over, they have done so.

The Bills signed veteran running back Latavius Murray to a 1-year deal on Monday, giving them some depth in the back field.

The Latavius Murray signing proves the Buffalo Bills had a smart plan for the 2023 NFL Draft

If the Bills were going to take any running back, they would have taken Gibbs, it seemed. Brandon Beane wanted to get the offense another playmaker, high in the draft, and that’s what the team did with Dalton Kincaid in the first round.

Gibbs would have been fun, but with him off the board, Beane pivoted and didn’t reach on another back. With just six picks to work with in the draft, Buffalo had to be smart, and if the value wasn’t there, then Beane wasn’t going to take a running back just to take a running back.

Latavius Murray is still a good football player and has been a capable backup for a few years now. He’s a true pro, and gives Buffalo another leader in the locker room.

Most importantly, their running back depth is set with James Cook, Damien Harris, Nyheim Hines and Murray.

Additionally, Beane not reaching on another running back likely allowed the Bills to get two more starters after drafting Kincaid. Between second-round pick O’Cyrus Torrence and third-round pick Dorian Williams, the Bills have two capable players to fill some needs.

Had the team gone with a running back, while already having a couple of solid players in the back field, then they wouldn’t have been able to come away with both of those guys.

Murray made a lot of sense, and completes the Bills’ back field going forward.