General manager Brandon Beane opted to accumulate draft capital rather than make a first-round selection, completing three trades Thursday night that moved the Buffalo Bills entirely out of the opening round of the NFL Draft.
Buffalo entered the night with the No. 26 pick but will now make its first selection at No. 35 overall. In the process, the Bills added multiple picks and significantly improved their positioning in the middle rounds. Most notably, Buffalo climbed 25 spots in the third round — from No. 91 to No. 66 — while also securing the first pick of the fourth round at No. 101.
The flurry of moves came after Buffalo had already dealt its second-round pick last month to acquire wide receiver DJ Moore from the Chicago Bears. With the added selections, the Bills now hold nine total picks, including four within the top 125, after beginning the draft with just seven selections and two in that range.
It marks the second time in three years Beane has traded back in the first round to build depth. In 2024, Buffalo moved back twice before selecting receiver Keon Coleman early in the second round.
Buffalo opened its series of trades by moving down to No. 28 in a deal with the Houston Texans, also sending pick No. 91 in exchange for selections No. 69 and 167. The Bills then dropped to No. 31 through a trade with the New England Patriots, adding a fourth-round pick (No. 125), before finalizing the night by dealing picks No. 69 and 165 to the Tennessee Titans for Nos. 66 and 101.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].