Bills 2024 Free Agency and Draft Needs

2024 DRAFT NEEDS (Players who saw the most Bills scouting are in bold):

WR 1B RECEIVER, slot or out wide, with elite separation, jukes, YAC, and very good downfield speed. Size a plus, downfield blocking a must. Smart, quick on the uptake, great personality but not a diva. 
TradeUp=Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers, Rome Odunze, Keon Coleman
RD1=Brian Thomas Jr., Troy Franklin, Adonai Mitchell
Day2=Xavier Leggette, Malachi Corley, Devontez Walker, Ladd McConkey, Ricky Pearsall, Johnny Wilson
Day3=Brenden Rice, Jacob Cowing, Jamari Thrash, Roman Wilson, Jalen McMillan, J.Michael Sturdivant, Tyler Harrell, Ainias Smith
Comments: Besides Harrison, it was Keon Coleman, Ladd McConkey, and Roman Wilson who got plenty of attention this season. However, McConkey was underwhelming in scouted game vs Auburn (4 catches-38 yards-9.5 avg.-Long 17) , Coleman’s the most physical and aced in the scouted games. Against Clemson, Keon was a TD machine (5 for 86-17.2-2TD), as he was in Wake Forest (7 for 66-9.4-2 TD). Roman Wilson’s the fastest of the slot receivers (4.29 speed). Says Wilson: “I really like watching Stefon Diggs…people who are very sudden with their releases.” The most-scouted, fast ‘X’ receiver was Johnny Wilson, at 6-7, 235, 4.42. You know Brandon Beane lusted after D.K. Metcalf (6-4 , 235) in the 2019 draft. Just sayin’.

A DT1T to take over once DaQuan Jones hangs ’em up. Linval Joseph, a UFA, is already age 35 and didn’t deliver in Jones’s absence. You want a space-eater who usually occupies two blockers. Like DaQuan, Beane seeks a nasty streak but low penalties. Your DT1T must be strong –both bench strength as well as lower body. The Bills have been unafraid to take a NT from a 3-4 team (Ed Oliver, Harrison Phillips) who were just strong, out-of-position DT3Ts. Pressures are a plus, but ability to keep LBs behind him clean is a necessity.
TradeUp=Not Necessary
RD1=T’Vondre Sweat (The Best DT3T-EDGE here is Leonard Taylor (see EDGE below)
Day2=None Available, Lots of DT3T, though, notably Byron Murphy
Day3=Evan Anderson, Zykeivous Walker, Justin Rogers, plus DT3T Gabe Hall
Comments: I just don’t see a difference-making alternative at 1-tech to DaQuan. Re-sign the guy. However, a Bills scout watched Sweat, Byron Murphy, and Gabe Hall all in the Baylor vs Texas game, so it’s possible any one of them is in play. Sweat is the 1T available in RD1. Gabe Hall is the versatile DT3T with length and production as well as Baylor connection. The Longhorns’ Byron Murphy is currently ascending the draft boards, looking more and more like a RD2. On the Feldman Freaks List, the incredibly-strong Murphy mainly played DT3T, and has come in on offense to block –or to carry the ball, or to catch the TD pass— on goal-to-go or fourth-and-one situations (think about the Bills’ reputation in red zone and 4th and one). Byron has a blocked punt recovery for TD, as well. Some teams will have Murphy above Leonard Taylor.

SAFETY/CORNER (1 or 2): Heir to the Poyer and Hyde duo, because both are 33 by next season. Smart, quick on the uptake, Strong interpersonal skills, can chameleon themselves back there. One, likely a SS in college, should have good blitz success and high wrap-up solo tackles per game. The other ought to be a combination CB-FS with speed and high Passes Defended who can play zone, can also tackle well, and is smart. Film rat a plus.
TradeUp=CB FS Kool-Aid McKinstry
RD1=CB SS FS KR Cooper DeJean, FS CB Kamren Kinchens, SS FS Tyler Nubin, CB Nate Wiggins, CB FS SS Terrion Arnold, CB Kalen King, CB Kamari Lassiter
Day2=SS FS Cole Bishop, SS OLB James Williams, SS FS CB Beau Brade, CB NCB Mike Sainristil, CB ST Max Melton, CB D.J. James, NCB Caelen Carson
Day3=SS FS Josh Proctor, CB FS Johnny Dixon, CB FS SS Kamal Hadden, SS ST Demani Richardson, SS FS Jaylon Carlies, CB FS Zamari Walton, SS Evan Williams, SS FS Mark Perry, CB NCB KR Nehemiah Pritchett
Comments: The sheer number of Bills-scouted Safeties who can play CB (and vice-versa) makees me think one or two versatile DBs is a high priority, even in RD1, but especially as a RD2 and/or RD3 pick. It’s more than just DeJean and Kinchens in play here. Several of these guys –Arnold, Sainristil, King, Dixon, Melton– were scouted in 3 different games.

EDGE rusher with high pressures per game from a P3 conference (BIG10/SEC/ACC). Ability to run stunts, and slide inside when need be. Looks like the Bills scouted a ton of DT3T<->EDGE types, so we’ll include them.
TradeUp=Jared Verse (Edge only), Jer’Zhan Newton, Demeioun ‘Chop’ Robinson (Edge only), Dallas Turner (Edge only)
RD1=Leonard Taylor, Kris Jenkins, Ruke Orhorhoro
Day2= Keith Randolph Jr., Adisa Isaac (Edge only)
Day3=Marcus Harris, Justin Eboigbe, Gabe Hall
Comments: I think the D-Line is going to get younger in 2024, mainly via the draft. Leonard Floyd is a UFA at 31, Jordan Phillips is a UFA at 31, Shaq Lawson is a UFA who’s 30 on June 17, and A.J. Epenesa wants his money. Von is the oldest EDGE, occupying 9.81% of the entire cap. Let’s follow the scouts, because this gets really interesting. The Bills went to 8 Michigan games, more than any other school. The Wolverines’ DT3T/EDGE Kris Jenkins is a likely second-rounder, and this front office drafted his father. They also saw versatile EDGE OLB SS Jaylen Harrell, who in one scouted game had 2 solo tackles, 2 TFL-sacks, and 2 run stops in 29 snaps. Scouts also went to 5 Penn State games, where friend Manny Diaz is the DC. That’s EDGE Demioun ‘Chop’ Robinson and EDGE Adisa Isaac in RD2. Scouts also saw 4 games each of Alabama (EDGE SLBDallas Turner, EDGE OLB Chris Braswell, DT3T EDGE Justin Eboigbe), Florida State (EDGE Jared Verse, and DT3T EDGE Braden Fiske) and Illinois (DT3T EDGE Jer’Zhan Newton, DT3T EDGE Keith Randolph Jr.).

THUNDER RB that brings the thunder that complements James Cook’s lightning, and replaces Latavius Murray (Age: 34) and Leonard Fournette (Free Agent). Contact balance, high Missed Tackles Forced, A proven playmaker (high YPC and YPR vs AP-ranked teams), and high number of explosive plays.
TradeUp=Not Necessary
RD1=None
Day2=Braelon Allen, Trey Benson
Day3=Phil Mafah, Miyan Williams, Kendall Milton, Montrell Johnson
Comments: The last I checked, which was 2 weeks ago, only 1 NFL team analyst named RB as a top-three need at DraftTek, and NFLMockDraftDatabase.com corroborates that number. Add this lack of interest to the number of pro RBs who are free agents this year, and there will be some value at thunderback to complement James Cook. Latavius and Leonard were placeholders for some excellent guesses in the draft. It pays to get younger; Nyheim Hines actually requires four times more cap allocation this year than Cook. Of the running backs scouted more than 3 times, Braelon Allen most closely resembles Leonard Fournette (6-0, 240, 4.51), with Trey Benson (6-0 223 4.48) close behind.

CENTER to compete with Bates there when Morse is done. A+++ personality/charisma, former captain, interpersonal skills, smart. Versatility a major plus. In fact, the Bills scouted a lot of LG<->Center players, so they’re included.
TradeUp=Not Necessary
RD1=None
Day2=Sedrick Van Pran, Jackson Powers-Johnson
Day3=Drake Nugent, Andrew Raym, Will Putnam, Matt Lee, Willie Lampkin, Bryan Hudson

BACKUP QB Developmental, accurate, savvy; mobility a plus
TradeUp=Not Likely
RD1=J.J. McCarthy
Day2=Jordan Travis
Day3=c, Carter Bradley, Haynes King
Comments: If you’re doing as well as the Bills, you probably will just let the feeding frenzy happen, as the sharks mindlessly devour all the quarterback chum and wait for the most-appetizing morsels at WR or S. Later on, though, with 10 picks at Beane’s disposal, all bets are off, and all positions are fair game.

OPTIONAL:

Left Tackle to compete with VanDemark and/or LG to compete with MCGovern with good pass-run protection skills. Kromer Archetype size. Smart, quick on the uptake. Great personality. Developmental with high ceiling.
TradeUp=Olumuyiwa Fashanu, J.C. Latham
RD1=Troy Fautanu, Jordan Morgan (may both be gone)
Day2=Kiran Amegadjie (not scouted yet), Matt Goncalves, Javon Foster, Anthony Belton
Day3=Julian Pearl, Andrew Coker, Walter Rouse, LaDarius Henderson, Karsen Barnhart

Rangy LB who’s a great wrap-up tackler, has good quickness to compete with Dorian Williams (6-1, 228, 4.49). High solo tackles per game (Dorian’s was 3.94). Smart, quick on the uptake. Special Teams experience a plus.
TradeUp=
RD1=
Day2=Tommy Eichenberg (6-2 239 4.73 with 4.07 solos per game, poor interview), Edgerrin Cooper (6-2 230 4.54 with 2.18), Jeremiah Trotter Jr. (6-4 250 4.67 with 2.15), Cedric Gray (6-2 230 4.74 with 3.44), Tatum Bethune (6-0 230 4.71 with 3.17)
Day3=Junior Colson (6-2 235 4.58 with 2.5), Power Echols (5-11 225 4.64 with 3.19), Steele Chambers (6-1 232 4.59 with 2.11), Curtis Jacobs (6-1 235 4.54 with 2.31).

Editor’s babble: It’s time to move on to the Draft and no one knows it better than our guru Dean Kindig. We are grateful for his contributions to our blog. You can also find Dean on Xwitter @TCBILLS_Astro.