2012 NFL Draft: Buffalo Bills Have the Picks to Make a Push in 2012
April ammunition.
That’s what the Buffalo Bills are going to be packing in the 2012 NFL draft.
Officially, Buffalo will enter the draft with nine picks:
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The Bills may also receive a compensatory pick after losing Paul Posluszny and Donte Whitner last offseason, though that will remain uncertain until March.
Regardless, for someone like GM Buddy Nix who has a track record of not trading picks and whose philosophy is to build through the draft, there is a lot to work with here.
In January, I wrote a B/R article about the top-five needs for the Buffalo Bills in 2012. At least one of these needs could legitimately be filled in free agency. That means the Bills will have a lot of flexibility in the draft for plugging holes with the right players.
Looking at Buffalo’s 2011 draft class, there were many, many positives. The team received quality contributions from several rookies, including Marcell Dareus, Aaron Williams, Kelvin Sheppard, Da’Norris Searcy, Chris Hairston and Justin Rogers.
In 2012, I expect Buddy Nix and Co. to continue hitting the right targets, especially considering they have so many quality picks to aim with.
Here are a few quick positives about Buffalo’s draft situation.
Leverage with 10th Overall Pick
Picking 10th overall puts Buffalo in a unique situation.
On the one hand, they should be able to grab an immediate playmaker there who would also fill a need. Whether it’s a wide receiver, a pass-rusher, a cornerback or even an offensive tackle, Buffalo will have a quality player at pick 10 for the taking.
On the other hand, someone like Alabama running back Trent Richardson will possibly be available at that spot. Richardson is arguably the most complete back to come out of college football since Adrian Peterson, and he’s probably more durable. Considering his talent, it’s an unusual situation that he may be available when the Bills are on the clock.
This means that a team may be interested in grabbing a potential Top Five talent before he falls out of the Top 10.
Sitting at pick 10 also means that if Buffalo isn’t in love with any player with their own pick, they could try to move back and still fill a need. This year’s draft features a lot of quality pass-rushers and corners along with some intriguing wide receivers early on. Depending on how they view the first-round prospects, the Bills could feasibly still draft their player of choice and also acquire an extra pick.
The 10th pick, then, gives Buffalo some leverage should they choose to move out. If they decide to stay put (which is most likely, considering Buffalo’s draft history), they should be in a good position to add an instant upgrade to their roster.
Using the Middle Rounds for a Future QB
In my opinion, quarterback isn’t a huge need for the Bills right now.
Many people aren’t sold on Ryan Fitzpatrick, but I am.
At least for now.
I’m a firm believer in the "Amish Rifle," and I think that with a healthy supporting cast for the entire 2011 season, Fitz could have made a case for the Pro Bowl. He’s beginning to thrive in Chan Gailey’s offense, and next year he should be able to make yet another jump as the pieces continue to fall into place.
The Bills also have a capable backup in Tyler Thigpen, with whom Chan Gailey is comfortable and confident.
With that said, it never hurts to draft a developmental quarterback and let him learn the game and the system for a few years. And fortunately, Buffalo will be in a good position to do just that if they choose to.
Mid-round prospects like Arizona’s Nick Foles, Arizona State’s Brock Osweiler, Michigan State’s Kirk Cousins, Arkansas’ Tyler Wilson, Houston’s Case Keenum and Wisconsin’s Russell Wilson are all intriguing quarterbacks. But I wouldn’t want Buffalo taking any one of them earlier than the third round.
Because the Bills already have a strong starter in Fitz, they can afford to establish depth at other positions first. So, unlike quarterback-needy teams, they won’t have to compromise their own draft board to take a quarterback.
Sure, like last year’s draft, some of these quarterbacks may come off the board earlier than we expect. Foles and Osweiler, in particular, should be names to monitor. But teams who might potentially reach to take one of these quarterbacks are most likely going to be teams that need them to contribute sooner rather than later.
This is Gailey’s third year as the head coach of the Bills, a team that hasn’t made the playoffs since 1999. For new head coaches, year three is usually the pivotal make-it-or-break-it year. For a Bills head coach, there is even more pressure to produce results and demonstrate progress, since the fanbase is starving for success.
For this reason, fans can be assured that Gailey is going to do everything he can to make a push in 2012 rather than take a chance on a player that he may or may not be around for to coach.
With that said, the Bills could still take a quarterback. Gailey might like what he sees in some of the mid-to-late-round prospects.
But he’s going to make sure he has all the necessary holes filled before he does so.
Mega Depth
Last year, Buffalo found some terrific players in the middle of the draft. Their second and third rounders (Aaron Williams and Kelvin Sheppard, respectively) will be starters in 2012, and fourth rounders S Da’Norris Searcy and OT Chris Hairston should see even bigger roles than they already had last season.
This year the draft offers some quality depth at positions of need, including linebacker, cornerback and offensive line. The Bills should be able to stock up on multiple positions of need.
According to the National Football Post, cornerback is the deepest position in the 2012 NFL draft with 15 prospects projected to be picked in the first 100 picks. Quarterback is the fourth deepest, and wide receiver is the fifth deepest.
Buffalo has four draft picks in the first 105 selections and seven picks in the first 140. Not only will they be able to grab quality players at positions of need when they’re on the clock, but they will also have the firepower to trade up into the Top 100 if they want to.
With so much depth at those positions, Buffalo is also in a position to possibly target an athletic tight end to complement Scott Chandler, should he be re-signed. Someone like Georgia’s Orson Charles could be available in the third round. He’s exceptionally fast for a tight end and would pose matchup problems to linebackers and defensive backs.
There is a lot of excitement that comes from pre-draft speculation. But that’s all it is: speculation.
We don’t know what’s going to happen or how the pieces are going to fall once the clock starts.
But we do know this: The Buffalo Bills are in a great position to capitalize on their draft picks and make a big push in 2012.
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