As the Buffalo Bills well know, selecting in the late 20s of the first round in the NFL Draft is a bit of a catch-22. Sure, you earned a late pick by being a championship contender, but reloading your roster with talent who can contribute immediately becomes quite a challenge.
This year, the Bills seem to be in a bit of luck as some of their more apparent positions of need– wide receiver, edge and linebacker– are some of the deeper positions of an otherwise underwhelming class. Still, they won’t be afforded the chance to draft the top players at those positions, and they have many holes to fill across the roster without much draft capital to use.
That’s why it wouldn’t come as too big a surprise to Bills Mafia if general manager Brandon Beane trades out of the first round. Scooping up some Day 2 picks could allow him to reap the full benefits of the draft class being its deepest at his positions of need.
As the draft draws near, speculation on how active all 32 teams will be when it comes to draft day trades is only going to increase as each day passes. And with Buffalo being in a prime spot for a team that may want to trade back into the first round for a player like Ty Simpson, if it is an active draft for trades, Bills Mafia may want to get ready to watch Beane move around the board.
League-wide trade expectations could reshape Buffalo Bills' first-round strategy
To hear NFL Insider Jordan Schultz tell it, NFL fans on the whole should prepare for a game of musical chairs in the first round, especially early on.
"The expectation among many NFL teams is that the 2026 draft will be one of the more trade-heavy drafts in recent memory, according to multiple league sources,” Schultz wrote in a post on X Wednesday. “Several executives I’ve spoken with believe we’re likely to see a flurry of activity in the first half of Round 1.”
In his post, Schultz also pointed out the depth at the Bills’ positions of need, and added a caveat that should catch Bills Mafia’s attention.
“Additionally, because this specific draft lacks depth in the later rounds, many teams plan to pursue extra Day 2 and early Day 3 picks, per league sources,” Shultz wrote.
The expectation among many NFL teams is that the 2026 draft will be one of the more trade-heavy drafts in recent memory, according to multiple league sources.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) April 8, 2026
Specifically, on the defensive side of the ball — EDGE, CB and LB are all strong/deep — while WR is typically… pic.twitter.com/NhNQJiM91T
Heading into the draft, the Bills only carry two picks across the first three rounds. If they trade back from No. 26, they could bump that up to three, which would afford Beane the chance to swing at each position of need on Day 2.
That’s why a trade partner such as Arizona is so enticing. If Buffalo only has to move back a few spots, one of their potential targets at No. 26, such as Georgia’s CJ Allen or Texas A&M’s Cashius Howell, could still be on the board in the high 30s.
In the same vein, Beane could also shoot to use some of his late-round picks to move up in the fourth round. He has two late picks in the fifth round and an early pick in the sixth round to bargain with if a defender or a receiver is hanging around on the board that they’d like to add.
Of course, it remains to be seen just how active teams will be on the phones in this draft. Fans have heard this story before, only to watch the first 15 picks fly by without a trade. Still, the Bills have the sweet spot at No. 26, and if teams are willing to deal, there’s great incentive for the Bills to listen up.