Bills on the clock at 33: Best options available

After a surprising set of trades that pushed Buffalo out of the first round of the 2024 NFL draft, the Bills are in pole position to start round 2, selecting first when the draft starts again at 7 p.m. ET Friday. Here are the best options for them at that spot.

Author:
Neal Coolong
Apr 26, 2024

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2024 NFL Draft

Buffalo Bills

Adonai Mitchell

Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane was in a trading mood Thursday in round 1 of the 2024 NFL draft, dropping back twice to move out of round 1, moving No. 28 overall as well as 133 and 248 for 32 overall and 95 overall with the Chiefs, followed by sending No. 32 and No. 200 to Carolina for No. 33 and 141.

Adding some capital might be more of a decision made by a GM who doesn't see there being much difference between No. 28 overall and No. 33 overall. While the mid-round stash the Bills have built up so far won't be realized mostly until Saturday, they are sitting with a boatload of time until having to make that pick.

That means there's plenty of time to hyper-analyze all of their options. Naturally, that's what we intend to do. We're laying out the best options the Bills have, considering their position and what they needed to come away with from this draft.

Draft a Wide Receiver

If this seems repetitive, it's because it is the same thing all Bills fans were saying Thursday, entering round 1. And it's a close variation to what they've been saying since Stefon Diggs was traded in March. It hasn't changed.

Adonai Mitchell

undefined — Jan 1, 2024; New Orleans, LA, USA; Texas Longhorns wide receiver Adonai Mitchell (5) catches a

John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Adonai Mitchell out of Texas has the size and vertical speed to be a consistent playmaker in the NFL. In fact, he probably shouldn't be on the board at 33, and likely will be called soon after 33 if the Bills don't pull the trigger.

Ladd McConkey

Georgia's Ladd McConkey is deceptively athletic, as Touchdown Wire's Doug Farrar points out. Whether he could be the sort of X-iso receiver Diggs was in Buffalo remains to be seen, but he has the all-around ability to win at various depths and on different routes in the NFL.

Draft a cornerback

While teeth will gnash all over Bills Nation, no one can argue the depth that currently exists among cornerbacks still available in this draft. In a league that sees several veterans perform under par and still ink contracts (hello, Levi Wallace), cornerback depth is a premium for any team, and is always an issue.

Cooper DeJean

DeJean likely fell out of the first round for two reasons: One, teams went crazy on drafting quarterbacks (and no defensive player was taken until Laiatu Latu went at 15), and two, he's a unique fit. He's capable of playing outside or at safety, and odds are good opinions vary among NFL teams on what his true position should be. That kind of conflict will push a player out of the money round, but doesn't lessen the impact the player could have.

Kool-Aid McKinstry

Perhaps 2023 wasn't McKinstry's best season. Health might have been a part of that, but he says he's ok now. Knocked for an inconsistent year overall, his traits are undeniable. Good size and athleticism for the position, He competes at the point of attack, and has plenty of athleticism for the position. He could be a plus punt returner as well.

Acquire a veteran

Hey, maybe they just really love the guys they have slated for mid-round picks. There's also something to be said about stacking a few more picks for next year, when the COVID Class finally runs out of eligibility. Still, this isn't likely, but as we suggested earlier, looking to acquire a veteran like Deebo Samuel might not be the worst way to spend some of the extra capital the Bills have picked up.