B/R Debate: What Should the Buffalo Bills Do with Pick No. 10 in 2012 NFL Draft?

The Buffalo Bills made their share of big splashes in free agency, and with the 2012 NFL draft right around the corner, there are a lot of options for the Bills with the 10th-overall selection. 
Which way should they go?

To debate the topic, we bring in B/R Bills featured columnist Eli Nachmany, who can also be found on Twitter. 

Per tradition, as you're the guest, I'll defer to the second half and let you receive the opening kickoff. 

Eli: After a whirlwind free agent period in which Buffalo re-signed wide receiver Stevie Johnson and brought in pass-rushers Mario Williams and Mark Anderson, there's just one glaring hole left on the roster—the left tackle spot.

Matt Kalil probably won't be around when the Bills pick at No. 10, but Iowa tackle Riley Reiff should still be on the board, and he's the most sensible choice for a franchise on the rise like Buffalo.

With Ryan Fitzpatrick's dropoff in production after the loss of left tackle Demetrius Bell to injury (the lineman is currently a free agent and probably won't return), I have to wonder whether or not his lack of success can be attributed to poor protection up front.

Bringing in a franchise player like Reiff, who comes with no personality risks or gaping holes in his game, would shore up the Bills front line and give Buffalo the upgrade in pass protection that they truly need.

If the season started today, Chan Gailey would be forced to trot out some combination of Chris Hairston and Ed Wang at left tackle, two players who are good in their own right but aren't ready to assume the starting role.

Without a player like Reiff, the Bills would be lost up front, and we could see them revert to their season-ending form in which they went 1-8 without a true starter at the left tackle position.

Erik: You raise a great point about the left tackle spot, one that I was inclined to bring up if you failed to mention it.

But with that, there are three ways the Bills could go with the No. 10 pick:

1. Offensive tackle
2. Wide receiver
3. Trade down

An offensive tackle works on both a "win-now" and "build for the future" level. Depth is needed at tackle, and that only holds more truth if Demetrius Bell leaves via free agency. The left tackle specifically is, in my opinion, the second-most valuable position on the roster behind quarterback.

Wide receiver, and namely Michael Floyd, is the "sexy" pick at 10. Chan Gailey and Ryan Fitzpatrick would both love to add firepower in the passing game, even despite handing Stevie Johnson a fat contract extension a few weeks ago.

But the 10 spot is hard to pick from because a lot of players are reaches at that point. The Bills have enough other needs, specifically at linebacker and in the secondary, to warrant moving down a bit in the first round to add another pick in the second round. Of course, it takes two to tango, so a trade can't happen unless they find a partner.

There are a number of ways to go, but one of those three would be the most logical.

Eli: I think we can agree that drafting a tackle, be it Reiff, as I assume he will be the best available, is the best option for Buffalo.

As for Floyd, I just can't see him fitting in with the rest of the Bills receiving corps. A tall David Nelson alleviates the need for Floyd to step in and be an imposing target, while the fact that Stevie Johnson is back on the team makes the Notre Dame receiver too much of a luxury pick for a team picking 10th.

As for trading down, I'm truly struggling to find how this could be beneficial for the Bills. The dropoff from Riley Reiff to the next best available tackle is huge. I can't see it being worth an extra second or third-round linebacker.

The Bills could be good enough to contend for the wild card next season, but in knowing that everything starts up front, it's difficult to project the Bills for more than seven wins (now or in the future) without a starting-caliber left tackle.

Erik: That's a good point about the dropoff between the two top-tier tackles and the next best ones, but that presumes their strategy revolves around getting a top-tier left tackle.

The need at linebacker, especially a young one, is great enough to warrant using a first-round pick on one, and the Bills could trade down a few spots in the first round to get Luke Kuechly. The reviews have been nothing but positive about him, and if you have the potential to get a leader for the defense while still finding value at tackle in the second or third round, that's a move you have to consider.

What's more, while the Bills could sorely use depth at tackle, Chris Hairston flashed starting potential last year despite getting beat off the edge a few times. At that point, it becomes a question of how much the Bills trust their offensive line coach to get the most out of the guys he's given to work with.

That being said, though, the Bills haven't exactly been masters of letting the board fall to them over the years, having opted not to trade down in the first round since at least 1998, so conventional wisdom is that they'll stay put with their pick, and if they do, I like the selection of a tackle.

Eli: Luke Kuechly is a great player, and the Bills do have a need in the secondary, but I can't see them going anywhere but left tackle with this pick. Back in January, Buffalo reporter Chris Brown noted that GM Buddy Nix was set on drafting an offensive tackle, and that was when the team still had Demetrius Bell on the roster.

If anything, look for Buffalo to realize that there are starting-caliber players at both the middle linebacker and cornerback spots, but as for the left tackle, I can't rely on a player who showed "flashes" of potential last year at such a pivotal position.

The Bills can find a good cornerback to fill a slot in Round 2 or 3, but after Reiff is off the board, look for any chance of finding a legitimate starter at the position to go too.

If Buffalo can't bring in this Iowa tackle, the team won't be able to competently pass protect for Ryan Fitzpatrick, which could handicap the Bills into a more horizontal passing attack when the team has the pieces in place for a full-fledged vertical attack.

Erik: There are several different ways the team could go with this pick, which speaks to the nature of the draft.

It looks like we'll have to agree to disagree on this one, and with that, it looks like our debate has drawn to a close.

I'd like to thank Eli once again for joining me in this spirited discussion and welcome you back anytime for a debate on Bills-related topics.

For the readers, be sure to check at the AFC East blog every day for a new debate over AFC East related topics.

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