Glaring evidence Buffalo Bills will make early-round draft trade for desired prospect

The Buffalo Bills have six draft picks from Rounds 4 through 6, and they seem likely to parlay those into a better selection on Day 1 or 2.

Apr 28, 2022; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Florida defensive back Kaiir Elam is announced as the twenty-third overall pick to the Buffalo Bills during the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft at the NFL Draft Theater. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

It's unlikely the Buffalo Bills use all 10 of their picks to select players at the NFL Draft. When push comes to shove, there is simply not enough room for 10 rookies on the 53-man roster.

It's actually a good problem to have as it shows general manager Brandon Beane has built a deep, competitive collection of talent with the core pieces settled into place.

While the Bills are likely favorites to win the AFC East for the sixth time in a row in 2025, they still have a couple of holes, particularly at defensive tackle and cornerback, to fill. It appears that Beane will attempt to address those needs in the upcoming NFL Draft, and he'll likely target high-quality prospects in the early rounds.

Under Beane's watch, the Bills have never been hesitant to trade up in the draft order to guarantee a certain prospect will be available to them. In 2018, they jumped up to No. 7 overall and drafted quarterback Josh Allen. More recently, they improved their position to acquire cornerback Kaiir Elam in 2022 and moved up two spots again the following year to draft tight end Dalton Kincaid.

Combining Beane's history and Buffalo's current situation, it's almost a guarantee that the Bills will use some of their mid-round draft capital to acquire a better pick in either Rounds 1 or 2. If a defensive tackle like Michigan's Kenneth Grant, or a similarly-viewed prospect, is still available 20 picks in, look for Beane to move up from No. 30 overall and secure the desired player.

Apr 27, 2023; Kansas City, MO, USA; Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid after being selected by the Buffalo Bills twenty fifth overall in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft at Union Station | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

It may not happen, however, until Round 2. With Buffalo set to pick at No. 56 and 62 overall, they may need to flip one of their two fourth-rounders to move higher in the second-round order, especially if a zone cornerback prospect like Ole Miss's Trey Amos is hanging around.

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Not only has he done it before, but it makes sense for Beane to condense his picks into a couple of high-level prospects selected in the early rounds.

Instead of wasting a Day 3 selection on a rookie with an uphill battle to make the roster (for example, sixth-round CB Daequan Hardy spent all of 2024 on the practice squad), use that pick to move up a few slots and secure a plug-and-play starter.

If the Bills elect not to trade up, and, instead use all 10 draft picks, it would be very un-Beane-like.

The NFL Draft is set for April 24-26 in Green Bay.

Feb 25, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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