Should the Buffalo Bills Take Eric Ebron In NFL Draft?
By Erik Lambert
Nov 30, 2013; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels tight end Eric Ebron (85) is knocked out of bounds by Duke Blue Devils cornerback Bryon Fields (14) in the third quarter. The Duke Blue Devils defeated the North Carolina Tar Heels 27-25 at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
A primary responsibility of the Buffalo Bills is to arm their quarterback as much as possible. Is Eric Ebron their next target?
Mike Williams trade gives Doug Marrone chance to fortify offense
Buffalo went into the off-season with clear objectives in mind for both the offense and defense. However, after a rollercoaster year with quarterback E.J. Manuel, it’s become clear to head coach Doug Marrone that stabilizing things on the offensive side must take priority first. One of the most pressing matters was attempting to add more playmakers at wide receiver to compliment Robert Woods and Stevie Johnson. Their solution was certainly a surprise. The Bills sent a sixth-round pick to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for Mike Williams, a talented pass catcher who has a troubled history that Marrone is actually quite familiar with. After all, Williams was coached by him at Syracuse in college. Things reached a certain point of no return for the young wide out and he quit the team before the 2009 season was complete. Clearly Marrone believes in second chances and if Williams can be brought under control then the Buffalo Bills got their quarterback another proven weapon at a bargain price.
Ebron or Taylor Lewan are the primary picks
The question at this point is whether they should follow up that acquistion with yet another offensive weapon for E.J. Manuel. Buffalo after all is considered a prime landing spot for uber-athletic tight end Eric Ebron who is widely considered the most talented at his position in the 2014 NFL draft. Some scouts have compared his skill set to All-Pro Vernon Davis. If that is even partially true then adding Ebron to the fold with Woods, Johnson, Williams and Scott Chandler could give the Buffalo Bills a multi-dimensional attack that will be very difficult for defenses to stop. By the same token, Marrone has to consider the fact that sometimes the sexy picks don’t always work out. One thing to remember is that Manuel was under a lot of pressure in 2013. While Ebron would present a great target, keeping the quarterback protected can help just as much. Michigan tackle Taylor Lewan is expected to be available around when the Bills pick at #9. He has the athleticism, strength and nasty streak to become a bookend across from Cordy Glenn. Extra time to throw could have even greater value.
Eric Ebron would be hard to pass on in the NFL draft. Much will depend on how the Buffalo Bills evaluate their offensive line situation.