Five Biggest Buffalo Bills' Draft Busts in Brandon Beane Era

The Buffalo Bills have had some excellent drafts in the Brandon Beane era, but there have been some big busts since 2018 that have been blemishes on the team's quest for a Super Bowl.

Beane got off to a great start in 2018, but his draft classes have arguably lost luster every year since. With the Bills' 2025 class performing at a subpar level in its first year, Bills Mafia is hoping more busts don't flood the team's facilities.

Here are the five biggest draft busts during Beane's tenure. These were calculated considering when these players were drafted and production expected at their respective picks.

5. WR Keon Coleman (2024, pick No. 33, second round)

This is less of an indictment on Coleman, who still has the faith of new head coach Joe Brady, but rather what could've been. Ladd McConkey, who was selected with the next pick, topped 1,000 yards in his rookie season and Ricky Pearsall could've reached that mark in 2025 if it wasn't for injury issues.

Coleman has been the subject of underperformance and off-field issues in his first two seasons, and while he has worked hard in the offseason, the trade for DJ Moore has diminished his value.

4. RB Zack Moss (2020, pick No. 86, third round)

The Bills already had a young running back on the rise in Devin Singletary at the time of this selection, but the thinking was that Moss would be a solid complement to Singletary and quarterback Josh Allen's powerful running.

Moss lasted less than three seasons in Buffalo, rushing for just 917 yards and eight touchdowns. He was traded to the Indianapolis Colts in the middle of the 2022 season for another running back, Nyheim Hines, who returned two kickoffs for touchdowns in the game following Damar Hamlin's cardiac arrest in one of the most emotional moments in recent Bills history.

3. P Matt Araiza (2022, pick No. 180, sixth round)

Araiza's situation was one that any team would have trouble with. The August after the "Punt God" was drafted, a civil lawsuit was filed alleging him of rape. Two days later, the Bills released him. However, no criminal charges were filed against Araiza and he was dismissed from the lawsuit in December 2023.

Araiza signed with the Kansas City Chiefs before the 2024 season, and he has ranked in the upper half of NFL punters in terms of gross yards per punt in each of his first two years in Kansas City.

2. EDGE Boogie Basham (2021, pick No. 61, second round)

In a deep Buffalo defensive line, Basham lasted only two seasons with the Bills, tallying only 4.5 sacks and four tackles for loss in that time. He didn't make the game-day roster more often than he did in his rookie season, and he couldn't improve his play when given more opportunities in his second year.

Basham was traded to the New York Giants in a late-round pick swap in 2023 and he has only played 20 NFL games since then. Bills fans should be thankful that Basham not meeting expectations was not as bad as the Von Miller contract.

1. CB Kaiir Elam (2022, pick No. 23, first round)

Elam was selected to be Tre'Davious White's running mate at cornerback, but sixth-round pick Christian Benford beat him out in Week 1 for a starting job. Elam struggled while Benford became one of the league's most underrated corners. One of the worst parts of recent Bills history was Elam being torched by the Chiefs in the 2025 AFC Championship after Benford left with a concussion.

Elam was traded to the Dallas Cowboys for two late-round draft picks in March 2025 and spent the season with the Cowboys and the Tennessee Titans before being signed by the Chiefs to a one-year contract on April 2.

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