The playoffs are here for the Buffalo Bills, who will host the Denver Broncos this Sunday, January 12th at 1PM in Orchard Park. The Bills finished their regular season at 13-4 and are the second best team (standings wise) in the AFC only behind the Kansas City Chiefs.
This is their sixth consecutive season of making the playoffs, which is a goal for many teams that have failed to make it in recent memory. The only bad part of being one of the most successful teams in the NFL is that your first round draft pick is not high. Since 2020, the Bills have either not picked in the first round (trade for Stefon Diggs, trade back in 2024) or have picked in the 20s or 30s.
Buffalo (unless they trade up) won’t have a pick higher than the early 20s. In recent drafts, the Bills have hit on picks Greg Rousseau and Dalton Kincaid. They have also missed on cornerback Kaiir Elam, who could be going into his final year as a Bill if he isn’t gone before 2025.
There have been countless amounts of mock drafts posted and there will be even more leading up to the draft. We start to see prospects rise in draft boards, as well as drop. With a mixture of the combine, interviews, and pro days, we will have a better sense at who could live out their dream and get drafted whether it’s in the first round or as the last pick in the draft.
Bleacher Report latest mock draft has Bills drafting replacement for DaQuan Jones
With Week 18 officially in the books, it’s time to look at a recent mock draft published by the BR NFL Scouting Department, where at No. 29 overall, the Bills select Oregon defensive tackle Derrick Harmon. A transfer player from Michigan State to Oregon, Harmon recorded career highs in total tackles (45), pass deflections (2), sacks (5) and forced fumbles (2), per ESPN.
"The Buffalo Bills require a legitimate upgrade, too. Aside from Ed Oliver, the squad's rotation of defensive tackles has been replacement-level at best, with at least one veteran potentially walking in the near future."B/R NFL Scouting Department
At best, the Bills’ run-defense has been average and that’s on a great day. The presence of Ed Oliver wasn’t as big this year and even DaQuan Jones didn’t make a serious impact as a run stuffer. Oliver is in Buffalo for the long-haul after inking a four-year deal in the 2023 offseason. Jones on the other, more than likely not.
Jones is only in Buffalo contractually for one more season and it might be time for the Bills to move on. The Bills drafted DeWayne Carter in the third round this past NFL Draft but Brandon Beane feels that Carter isn’t the true replacement for Jones, then he has to go with a defensive lineman and Harmon is the perfect prospect late in the first round.