NFL Rumors: Bills Eyeing Trade Up from No. 27 Pick in 2023 NFL Draft

The Buffalo Bills are reportedly expressing interest in moving up from the No. 27 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft.

According to ESPN's Matt Miller, it is "very possible" Bills general manager Brandon Beane will move up if the board falls properly so he can target an interior offensive lineman or offensive skill player.

Miller noted that moving up could prove difficult, though, since the Bills own only six picks in this draft and would perhaps have to part with future picks in order to make a significant leap up the board.

With quarterback Josh Allen leading the way, the Bills have reached the playoffs in four consecutive seasons and won three straight AFC East titles.

That is a significant accomplishment for a franchise that went 17 straight seasons without a playoff appearance before ending the drought in 2017.

The Bills have been knocking on the door of a Super Bowl appearance, but they have been unable to get past the Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals during the postseason.

Buffalo fell to Kansas City in the AFC Championship Game in 2020 and the AFC Divisional Round in 2021, with the latter defeat coming in overtime. The Bills were eliminated in the divisional round again last season in a fairly noncompetitive game against Cincy.

While the Bills lost Pro Bowl linebacker Tremaine Edmunds in free agency this offseason, they have made some quality moves on a budget as well.

Perhaps most importantly, Buffalo managed to retain Pro Bowl safety Jordan Poyer. The Bills also signed guards Connor McGovern and David Edwards, wide receivers Trent Sherfield and Deonte Harty, running back Damien Harris and safety Taylor Rapp.

Defensively, the Bills still need to replace Edmunds, plus they could benefit from more pass-rushing punch, especially since star pass-rusher Von Miller may not be ready for the start of the 2023 season after tearing his ACL.

On offense, the No. 1 priority is better protecting Allen, plus the Bills would be wise to add another wide receiver capable of competing with Gabriel Davis for the No. 2 spot behind top target Stefon Diggs.

Miller suggested that the Bills could trade up for a guard or tackle, although a right tackle would make more sense for the Bills than a guard or center at this point.

Pro Bowl center Mitch Morse is back in the fold for 2023, plus the Bills boast some solid guard depth with McGovern, Edwards and Ryan Bates. Dion Dawkins is locked in at left tackle, but Buffalo should bring in some competition for Spencer Brown at right tackle.

Tennessee's Darnell Wright, Ohio State's Paris Johnson Jr. and Dawand Jones, Oklahoma's Anton Harrison and Georgia's Broderick Jones are all potential targets who the Bills could either trade up for or hope for them to fall to No. 27.

In terms of wide receiver, there is seemingly no elite option, but there are several who could potentially step in and contribute right away.

TCU's Quentin Johnston, Boston College's Zay Flowers, Ohio State's Jaxon Smith-Njigba, USC's Jordan Addison, Tennessee's Jalin Hyatt and North Carolina's Josh Downs are among the possible first-round picks at wide receiver, and any of them would give Allen another talented target and make an already-explosive Buffalo offense even more dangerous.