NFL Draft: Can Buffalo Bills realistically trade up for a quarterback?
The Buffalo Bills franchise quarterback isn’t on their roster, but can they afford to move up in the NFL Draft?
Not since the days of Jim Kelly have the Buffalo Bills had a true franchise quarterback. As bad as the Cleveland Browns have been in their search for a quarterback the Bills have been just as horrendous.
Since Kelly was drafted with the 14th overall pick in 1983 the Bills have drafted 10 quarterbacks. Between those 10 quarterbacks zero made the Pro Bowl, seven threw more interceptions than touchdowns, none won more than 14 games in their career, and seven started 20 games or fewer in their career.
Buffalo is desperate for not just a quarterback, but a win in the playoffs, something they haven’t seen since 1995 against the Miami Dolphins in the Wild Card round, 37-22.
Certain pieces of the Bills franchise do appear on the right track under Sean McDermott after the team’s first playoff appearance since 1999. Rookie Tre’Davious White excelled as a starter and was one of the best corners in the NFL last year. But Nathan Peterman crumbled under pressure and Taylor was average at best.
Finding a franchise quarterback is extremely tough, and you can not fault a team for failing to find one, but you can fault teams that have failed over multiple decades.
When looking at the teams picking at the top of the 2018 NFL Draft, nearly every single one needs a quarterback.
- Cleveland
- New York Giants
- Indianapolis
- Cleveland
- Denver Broncos
- New York Jets
Of the top six picks, at least half are likely to be quarterbacks with Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen, and either Baker Mayfield or Josh Allen. Cleveland will take a quarterback, the Giants will consider it, then Broncos will take one, and the Jets will take one if available.
Even if the Giants, Colts, or one of the Browns picks isn’t a quarterback these teams desperately need blue-chip talent. I will be shocked if Penn State running back Saquon Barkley falls out of the top four picks considering the three teams picking there all need a running back.
The Colts and Giants have too many needs to trade back to the late first round, especially with Barkley, Minkah Fitzpatrick, Quenton Nelson, and Bradley Chubb available.
You can go through a million scenarios with this draft, and all the premier quarterbacks will be off the board early, and the best players in the draft are a ways ahead of them.
Two picks late in the first round of the draft won’t push the Giants or Colts to pass on a generational player like Saquon Barkley or the next Zach Martin, Quenton Nelson. There will be exceptional players late in the first round, but few fill the needs and have the talent those at the top possess.
John Dorsey isn’t going to trade back from the fourth overall pick unless Barkley and Fitzpatrick are gone, which is possible but unlikely. Even then he won’t move back 17 picks just for the Bills two picks.
More from NFL Draft
- NFL Draft: Ranking the top signal callers of the 2024 NFL QB Class
- Packers’ Lukas Van Ness will make a Lambeau leap into the NFL in 2023
- 2024 NFL Draft: Hunter Haas’ Top 50 Big Board
- NFL preseason Week 3: Notre Dame’s Mayer, Foskey with something to prove
- NFL Draft Notebook: Bo Nix is the third-best quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft
What would Buffalo have to give up for the Browns pick? Considering everyone knows what the Bills will be targeting the price will be extremely high. If Rosen is still there the Bills would probably have to give up their two first round picks this year and their first next year, at least. It’s a hefty jump to begin with, and considering it’s a quarterback they’re targeting the price will be astronomical.
Unless they pull off consecutive trade like the Eagles did to get Carson Wentz second overall after originally holding the 13th pick. Philadelphia went from the 13th pick up to 8 then up to 2, costing them Byron Maxwell, Kiko Alonso, two first round picks, a third, and a fourth round pick. Whatever value you wish to assign Maxwell and Alonso is up to you and the Miami Dolphins.
If that’s what it cost Philadelphia to move up 11 spots for a franchise quarterback, it will surely cost the Bills that much, then some.
A franchise quarterback is important, but the Bills need to build their depth chart across the board. They need receivers, another running back, a center, a tackle, two guards, a defensive tackle, at least two linebackers, a safety, and a cornerback. Those are just the starters they need to be a competitive team next year.
Next: AJ McCarron the next Mike Glennon?
A quarterback may very well fall into their laps, but the price to trade up will likely be too steep. Buffalo is better off waiting to see how the board falls on draft night in Dallas. Should Mayfield or Allen slip into the teens then they could pull off the trade. If not, Buffalo is best suited to hold off and take the best players available to grow the franchise.