Bills would preferably be on receiving side of NFL Draft after dealing Diggs to Houston

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Brandon Beane once joked that the Buffalo Bills were going to select a receiver in each of the seven rounds of the NFL draft.

The next, the Bills general manager said there was no lock and he was drafting a receiver in the first round.

Don’t be fooled.

Even though Beane worked hard to try to keep everyone guessing following the Stefon Diggs trade to Houston, it would be hard to imagine the Bills neglecting to address what is their biggest need – and in a draft class that should be deep. to the receiver.

While Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. will almost certainly be absent from Buffalo’s projected pick at No. 28, the Texas junior tandem of Adonai Mitchell and Xavier Worthy, or perhaps Georgia’s Ladd McConkey, could be available .

Let Beane hedge his bets.

“If all of our first-round receivers are gone and the next guy is well into the second round, but we have other positions, we’re going to take the other position,” Beane said. “You always have to take good football players. And even if we don’t get the player everyone is looking for in April, that doesn’t mean there aren’t other ways to do it.

The receiver was already needed before Diggs left, with Buffalo losing Gabe Davis to free agency. Minus Diggs, who topped 1,000 yards and 100 catches in each of his four seasons in Buffalo, the Bills find themselves facing Khalil Shakir, who is coming off a promising sophomore season, and free agent additions Curtis Samuel and Mack Hollins.

And don’t forget tight end Dalton Kincaid, the rookie who finished second on the team with 73 catches and third with 673 receiving yards.

A large payroll left Beane with no choice but to hit the reset button on the four-time defending AFC East champions. The salary cap purge included cutting Buffalo center Mitch Morse and disbanding a veteran secondary that had been together since 2017. Cornerback Tre’Davious White and safety Jordan Poyer were cut, and safety Micah Hyde plans to retire.

While safety is an unlikely first-round target, adding a passer is always an option — UCLA’s Laiatu Latu or Missouri’s Darius Robinson are potential candidates — especially with Von Miller turning 35 .

Beane’s expectations are not diminishing.

“This organization and our fans have to have confidence that we’re going to be a damn good team in September,” Beane said.

MOVE UP?

Beane wasn’t afraid to make his move on draft day. Buffalo currently has 10 selections, but only two (28 and 60) in the first three rounds. Buffalo, however, landed a 2025 second-round pick in the trade with Houston, which could be put into play if Beane deemed it necessary.

ON THE RECEIVING SIDE

Buffalo hasn’t selected a receiver in the first round since Beane’s predecessor, Doug Whaley, made the unfortunate decision to move up five spots to select Sammy Watkins 4th overall in 2014. Watkins has only gone over 1,000 yards only once in 2014. three seasons before Beane traded him to the LA Rams in 2017. The Bills have only selected a WR seven times in the draft, and three times in the last 40 years (Watkins , Eric Molds ranked 24th in 1996 and Lee Evans ranked 13th in 1996). 2004).

MORE SAVINGS ON THE SALARY CAP

The Bills will have $6 million in cap space to play with by designating White as a cut after June 1, which is why Beane hasn’t ruled out adding an experienced receiver via trade or free agency before the opening of the season.

NEEDS

Wide receiver, defensive back, edge rusher, defensive line, offensive line and linebacker.

NO NEED

QB, running back or tight end.

CHOOSE THEM

Barring an upside trade, the Bills will be selecting outside the top 20 for a fifth straight year.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

John Wawrow, Associated Press