Some insight on Bills first round and how it went down

[Alphadawg7]

What an exciting first 2 days of the draft, none more exciting than the first round!  Well here is how the first round went down for the Bills, some of this has come out publicly since our pick and some of this is inside info I have confirmed.  I don't often share inside info on here, but when I have as you know it's been always been correct, and I have a little here to share now as well. 

 

• Jordan Addison was their first and primary target in which they tried at least twice to trade up for him.  He was their highest graded WR in the draft.
  • I have a source that confirms to me that one of the teams were the Chargers but were rebuffed as they were all in on Quentin Johnston.
  • I don't know who the other team(s) was, but it was presumably after the Chargers because they said we "first tried to get him at the Chargers pick".
• Supposedly Bills did not have a first round grade on all of the WR's that went before our pick, and Addison was definitely the only one they tried to trade up for.  So not clear if Addison was the only first round grade or not, but they definitely didn't have one on all 4 guys.
• The only remaining player on the board after Addison went with a first round grade on Beanes board was Kincaid.  This is not inside info, Beane directly stated that.  
• From what I was told, the Jags had another team call with a similar offer for their pick but ours was slightly better.  (Maybe Cincy for Kincaid?) 
  • I would guess it was Cincy, not sure if it was for Kincaid or just to make sure they got Myles Murphy if they thought we might go EDGE with the top 4 WRs gone.
  • The reason I would guess Cincy is because they would have to be close enough to be offering the same 4th round pick since it was "similar" compensation, but also be behind us where our pick was a slightly better value.  Looking at the teams behind us, Cincy makes sense to me. 
• Beane stated he had a trade down in place if Kincaid was gone. 
  • I also was told this was true and it was with the Titans where we sent 27 and got back 41 and their 3rd.  
  • Once Giants took a CB, Beane obviously pulled the trigger with the Jags to get Kincaid instead of the trade down.

 

Nothing too ground breaking here, more just confirming what a lot of us suspected already or had already come out.  Addison being their top target was pretty known given how many times they met with him.  But it was interesting to see that we tried to get Addison though, makes me wonder if he was the only WR they had a first round grade on, or did they have on JSN too but just preferred Addison.  

 

What I love about Beane is that when he wasn't able to get Addison, he stayed aggressive in his pursuit for more weapons for Allen and pounced as soon as he had an opportunity to get one by not hesitating to jump the Cowboys to do it.  

 

I have no info on Hopkins, so don't ask 

 

Edited April 29, 2023 by Alphadawg7

[newcam2012]

What's the inside info on 3rd round pick LB Dorian Williams? 

 

I think that pick sucked big time. Wondering what in the world are the Bills doing? 

[freddyjj]

4 minutes ago, newcam2012 said:

What's the inside info on 3rd round pick LB Dorian Williams? 

 

I think that pick sucked big time. Wondering what in the world are the Bills doing? 

Per a little known clause in the Bills original charter, they must employ at least one Williams at all times or risk having to use the formal version of their Nickname, the Buffalo Williams.   2022 was a one year grace period before the change would have kicked in.  

[newcam2012]

33 minutes ago, freddyjj said:

Per a little known clause in the Bills original charter, they must employ at least one Williams at all times or risk having to use the formal version of their Nickname, the Buffalo Williams.   2022 was a one year grace period before the change would have kicked in.  

Now it makes sense. 

[BuffaloBillyG]

If we traded with the Titans that would have been 14 spots for them to come up and (presumably) take Levis, giving them a potential QB of the future with a 5th year option. A 3rd would have been poor value (in this draft especially) to give them that IMO. 

 

And if Kincaid is the weapon people are saying he can be, I think the Bills played it right. We needed the weapon and there weren't many options left high up that may have an impact this year. 

[KDIGGZ]

I keep seeing everyone saying Kincaid would have been gone like it's a fact. Based on what? Because Skip Bayless liked him? I've never seen one piece of evidence that Dallas was going to take him. Because Beane said he thought they might it isn't evidence. I think we lost a 4th round pick for no reason which I don't really care about because we don't need anymore 220lb LB's on this team

[BarleyNY]

I’d have preferred a more aggressive move up for JSN. If not that, then I’m good with what the Bills. 

[newcam2012]

1 hour ago, KDIGGZ said:

I keep seeing everyone saying Kincaid would have been gone like it's a fact. Based on what? Because Skip Bayless liked him? I've never seen one piece of evidence that Dallas was going to take him. Because Beane said he thought they might it isn't evidence. I think we lost a 4th round pick for no reason which I don't really care about because we don't need anymore 220lb LB's on this team

Look at last year's draft. The Chiefs jumped the Bills and drafted McDuffie and the Bills were left with Elam. 

 

McDuffie looked a lot better than Elam. Not that Elam didn't show signs of progressing. 

 

Point being sometimes you wait and get burned and sometime you don't. 

 

The fact that Dallas took a TE today certainly bodes well that Kincaid was probably their pick or at the very least on their radar. 

 

In short, I was fine with Beane giving up a 4th to get their TE. 

Edited April 29, 2023 by newcam2012

[KDIGGZ]

9 minutes ago, newcam2012 said:

Look at last year's draft. The Chiefs jumped the Bills and drafted McDuffie and the Bills were left with Elam. 

 

McDuffie looked a lot better than Elam. Not that Elam didn't show signs of progressing. 

 

Point being sometimes you wait and get burned and sometime you don't. 

 

The fact that Dallas took a TE today certainly bodes well that Kincaid was probably their pick of at the very least on their radar. 

 

In short, I was fine with Beane giving up a 4th to get their TE. 

I have no problem that they gave up a 4th due to their drafting record. I'm just saying people are posting it as fact that Dallas would have taken Kincaid and nobody knows that and it was never reported as being the case. In fact, they specifically said they had no TE higher than Mazi Smith so either they are lying or that's the truth.

[LEBills]

I normally like trading back but Kincaid was too good to pass and I don’t think my blood pressure could handle another third round pick haha

[MasterStrategist]

Sounds very possible.  @HappyDays posted this "inside info" in @GunnerBill thread though. 

 

Maybe not as clearly stated about Jordan, but Bills were obviously interested and highly speculated by many "close reporters" of being a potential trade up option.

 

Albert Breer posted the potential Bills/Titans trade on twitter Friday night too, so that sounds legit.

 

All in all, I'd have been happy with either player.  Like I said, and others said too, in the Hopkins thread, this team needed a better underneath/slot option and improved OG play....seems like Beane nailed that.  I'd been hapoy with Kincaid or Addison, both should have very good careers.

 

[SCBills]

Coming out of the first with Addison, if all it would’ve taken is our 3rd (after seeing who we took) would’ve been my preference.  
 

However, it’s a 1A to Kincaid’s 1B situation.   Very happy with Kincaid as well. 

[John from Riverside]

1 hour ago, KDIGGZ said:

I keep seeing everyone saying Kincaid would have been gone like it's a fact. Based on what? Because Skip Bayless liked him? I've never seen one piece of evidence that Dallas was going to take him. Because Beane said he thought they might it isn't evidence. I think we lost a 4th round pick for no reason which I don't really care about because we don't need anymore 220lb LB's on this team

Yes, you obviously know more than Brandon Beane does

I didn’t want any of these first round receivers so I’m perfectly fine with it

[Dr. Who]

36 minutes ago, KDIGGZ said:

I have no problem that they gave up a 4th due to their drafting record. I'm just saying people are posting it as fact that Dallas would have taken Kincaid and nobody knows that and it was never reported as being the case. In fact, they specifically said they had no TE higher than Mazi Smith so either they are lying or that's the truth.

No one can prove a counterfactual. It's intrinsically a speculative act. I have already discussed with you the equivocal nature of after the fact narratives. You are taking the Cowboys' explanation straight as something that ought to be presumed factual without definitive proof otherwise. That kind of proof is unlikely to exist. I think a "hermeneutic of suspicion" ought to be employed with regards to the Jerry Jones' narrative. Folks saw the forlorn faces of the Jets' draft room when the Steelers jumped up and stole Broderick Jones from them. I think a similar result happened with the Bills swooping in and grabbing Kincaid ahead of the Cowboys. If that is what happened, you think the Cowboys are going to admit it? C'mon.

Edited April 29, 2023 by Dr. Who

[Beck Water]

4 hours ago, Alphadawg7 said:

• The only remaining player on the board after Addison went with a first round grade on Beanes board was Kincaid.  This is not inside info, Beane directly stated that.  

 

Thanks, good stuff.

 

Small stuff, but in terms of what was said in his presser, I heard what Beane said a little differently.  He said that Kincaid was the only player they had a 1st round grade on when they picked him, and if he hadn't been there (or they hadn't been able to make that trade up) they would have traded back.

 

But it's possible they had a 1st round grade on Banks, they just weren't gonna trade up to draft a CB.

[GunnerBill]

10 minutes ago, SCBills said:

Coming out of the first with Addison, if all it would’ve taken is our 3rd (after seeing who we took) would’ve been my preference.  
 

However, it’s a 1A to Kincaid’s 1B situation.   Very happy with Kincaid as well. 

 

This. Well said.

[Virgil]

So, because they couldn’t trade their third, they figured they should waste it out of spite.  
 

Solid 

[4merper4mer]

I have to believe that if the Bills had their TV on and spotted Addison with his pink suit and clown glasses, their board changed.

[KDIGGZ]

2 hours ago, Dr. Who said:

No one can prove a counterfactual. It's intrinsically a speculative act. I have already discussed with you the equivocal nature of after the fact narratives. You are taking the Cowboys' explanation straight as something that ought to be presumed factual without definitive proof otherwise. That kind of proof is unlikely to exist. I think a "hermeneutic of suspicion" ought to be employed with regards to the Jerry Jones' narrative. Folks saw the forlorn faces of the Jets' draft room when the Steelers jumped up and stole Broderick Jones from them. I think a similar result happened with the Bills swooping in and grabbing Kincaid ahead of the Cowboys. If that is what happened, you think the Cowboys are going to admit it? C'mon.

Show the tape of them looking mad when Kincaid was drafted. I've seen zero proof that is what happened except from Beane who is just trying to justify giving up a draft pick *again*, same thing every year

[Dr. Who]

6 minutes ago, KDIGGZ said:

Show the tape of them looking mad when Kincaid was drafted. I've seen zero proof that is what happened except from Beane who is just trying to justify giving up a draft pick *again*, same thing every year

You are dug in on your interpretation, partly because it confirms a particular view of Beane. I think mine is more plausible, but this is not the sort of issue that resolves ordinarily. Folks aren't argued out of fundamental convictions. Paradigm shifts require something more. You're welcome to your views, of course. I just disagree with them. (And it should go without saying, but in the big picture this an utterly trivial matter.)