Bills' NFL Draft Mailbag: Top Questions Amongst Mafia Include WR Strategy

It's the next phase of the offseason for the Buffalo Bills, who have already kicked off Organized Team Activities (OTAs) under first-year head coach Joe Brady.

After adding multiple pieces during the main wave of free agency, the Bills now turn to the 2026 NFL Draft as they freshen up their 90-man roster.

As for the Bills' plans once the three-day event kicks off in Pittsburgh on April 23, there are tens of questions being tossed around amongst the fan base.

Here are four important draft questions from the Bills On SI mailbag.

How many picks do the Bills have and where are they on the board?

Even after trading their Round 2 pick (No. 60 overall) for wide receiver DJ Moore, the Bills still have seven selections in the 2026 NFL Draft after also receiving a fifth-rounder in the deal with the Chicago Bears.

Buffalo's first-round pick is at No. 26 overall with their next selection not coming until Round 3 at No. 91 overall. The Bills also have their own selections in Round 4 (No. 126 overall) and Round 5 (No. 168 overall) in addition to the fifth-rounder (No. 165 overall) from Chicago.

The Bills' sixth-rounder (No. 182) is from the Las Vegas Raiders as compensation for nickel cornerback Taron Johnson. The Round 7 pick (No. 220 overall) in Buffalo's possession came from the New York Jets as part of the 2024 cutdown day trade for return specialist Brandon Codrington.

Feb 24, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

What are Bills top draft priorities and positions of need?

While there are specific holes to fill, the Bills are essentially in a position where they can primarily choose the best player available when they're on the clock. The focus, however, will presumably be on the defensive side of the ball.

In addition to filling out the roster, Buffalo's main objectives likely include drafting players who fit new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard's vision.

Off-ball linebacker and edge rushers are the positions the Bills seem most likely to address with draft capital.

Dorian Williams, Terrel Bernard and Joe Andreessen are the lone returning players from last year's 53-man roster who profile as inside linebackers. We've written about Georgia's CJ Allen as a potential target for Buffalo, if it chooses to fill the ILB hole early.

As for the edge rushing outside linebackers, the Bills appear set with Greg Rousseau and Bradley Chubb as the starters, but it's get thin after that. Texas A&M edge rusher Cashius Howell has been a popular name for Buffalo amongst mock drafters.

Interior defensive line depth and a third cornerback are also needs heading into the three-day draft in Pittsburgh.

Nov 28, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs linebacker CJ Allen (3) in action against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the fourth quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Will the Bills address WR early, or will they wait for late-round depth?

Although Moore's arrival is expected to fill Buffalo's WR1 need, it doesn't preclude using first-round draft capital to further upgrade the receiving corps.

"If there's a dynamic player that can help us, starter or not, at receiver, we would take him at 26," said Bills' general manager Brandon Beane at the NFL meetings in Phoenix.

Whether it's Washington's Denzel Boston or Texas A&M's KC Concepcion, there are multiple scenarios where it may be Buffalo's best value to take a wide receiver with the No. 26 overall selection. We recently wrote about the possibility of Jordan Tyson falling to the Bills in Round 1.

As for Buffalo's approach to using draft picks on the WR position, it looks like it'll be one or the other as opposed to early and late. If Bills don't go receiver early, then they could use a fifth-round pick to try to find the next Khalil Shakir, who was the No. 148 overall selection in 2022. If they do, however, use a first-rounder on a wide receiver, then they're unlikely to add meaningful depth on Day 3.

Does offensive line fit into the Bills' draft plans?

While the Bills don't need a plug-and-play starter, there is certainly room to add depth at both guard and tackle.

We wrote about Buffalo's specific hole at swing tackle thanks to the departure of restricted free agent Ryan Van Demark. Florida's Austin Barber, a projected early Day 3 selection, is a name on the Biils' radar.

"We do feel like a Tylan Grable, Chase Lundt in his second year. Who knows what happens in the draft, but we'll still try to add depth," said Beane.

As for the starting opportunity at left guard, the Bills already have two capable candidates to replace David Edwards with Alec Anderson returning and Austin Corbett signing a one-year contract. Still, a mid-round selection to solidify depth on the interior isn't a terrible idea.

Mar 1, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Florida offensive lineman Austin Barber (OL02) during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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