New Buscaglia mock has Bills trading up to 7 for Malik Nabers

[foreboding]

1 hour ago, Logic said:

For those who don't want to pay the totally-worth-it $1.99 per month to subscribe to the Athletic (can you even get a pack of gum for that any more?), here's Joe Buscaglia's latest 7 round Bills mock draft. I gotta say, if this happened, I might cry tears of joy.

https://theathletic.com/5391796/2024/04/05/buffalo-bills-mock-draft-stefon-diggs-trade/

 

TRADE!

Tennessee Titans trade Nos. 7, 182 to Bills for Nos. 28, 60, 133 and 2025 1st

The pick at No. 7: Bills – Malik Nabers, WR, LSU

I continue to believe that anything, including a move like this one on draft day, is a real possibility for the Bills. Beane has long been an aggressive draft-day trader when he’s excited about a prospect and how he’d fit their system. Now, with a gaping hole for a top target at wide receiver and where the Bills are in their build, this is the type of move Beane could rationalize as one that puts them over the top for the foreseeable future.

The cost of doing business might be high for some, which is understandable. I’m sure it will evoke memories of the Bills’ move up the board to take Sammy Watkins in 2014. But this is an entirely different situation from 2014 — almost comically so. Back then, it was the desperate move of a franchise hoping Watkins would help EJ Manuel become the franchise quarterback while blatantly ignoring several warning signs he was not that player. Now, there’s nothing for their quarterback to prove. The Bills have one of the best quarterbacks in the league in Josh Allen, a still-talented roster around him, and a pretty good idea that they’ll be pushing for the playoffs at the very least in 2024.

By arming him with a young receiver with elite potential on a rookie deal for the next four years, it gives the Bills a lot of flexibility for how they spend through the duration of the receiver’s rookie deal. I’d liken this move more to the one the Atlanta Falcons made in 2011 to fly up the board and select Julio Jones, already with a top quarterback in Matt Ryan in place. They certainly didn’t regret that trade for a second.

 

The recent trade of Diggs, and acquiring the Vikings’ 2025 2nd from the Texans, could empower Beane to make a stark move up the board like this one, too. With an extremely unsettled quarterback room — either starting journeyman backup Sam Darnold or a rookie — that pick has a good chance of turning into an early second-round selection. If that does happen, the Bills could easily get themselves back at the end of the first round next year, or just view their early second-round pick as their first-round pick replacement for dealing it away to get a potential game-changing receiver. For the right player, Beane will move a first-round pick.

 

Is Nabers worth this type of move? In a more standard draft year, Nabers would easily be the best receiver prospect by a wide margin and likely one of the first players selected. He is outrageously talented and smooth, with the explosiveness to win however the Bills ask him to. The separation is effortless whether he’s at X, Z or slot and he gets the defender to bite at his breakdown constantly. He can win with physicality or speed and will eat cushion from off-defenders alive. Nabers has excellent, crisp footwork, and his contested catch concentration is simply outstanding. On top of it all, he can be a monster with yards after the catch, either using physicality to drag defenders or his 4.35 speed to blow up a play.

Nabers has all the potential to be a star in the NFL, and with one of the league’s best quarterbacks in Allen, it increases that likelihood by a large margin. Nabers is worth the hype. But would he make everyone forget about the price tag? It certainly looks like he has all the potential to do so. And with the Bills looking like they’ll have cap space to work with in 2025, it could be the catalyst to another push toward the top of the AFC.


Rest of draft:

 

I like this kid alot. He can rip and make stuff happen with the ball in his hands.

[CaptnCoke11]

1 hour ago, gonzo1105 said:

No way Cole Bishop falls to the end of the 4th 

You have no idea where he will drifted 

[gonzo1105]

Just now, CaptnCoke11 said:

You have no idea where he will drifted 

Thanks Capt wanna bet me that he goes before 128? 6’2 safeties with coverage skills that run 4.4 and jump 39 inches don’t last until the beginning of round 5 

[NORWOODS FOOT]

1 hour ago, Logic said:

Me too. I'd even throw in a handy.

 

Here’s the owner… make it happen, Logic! 

[RyanC883]

that would be fantastic to land Nabers.  Also, as the article indicates, trading our 2025 1st isn't a huge deal if we get a guy like Nabers and do well, it's basically like our second from Minn, which should be a high pick.  

[SoonerBillsFan]

I'm not so great with this.  I feel it's too much.  Move up to the teens and take someone falling like Thomas Jr. Or AD Mitchell that Greg Cossell said can become thar X guy for you in the next year. 

 

We need picks to put some guys on D who can seal the deal against KC and Cincinnati,as well as WR. Grab McCaffrey in round 4 to add another weapon as well.

[RyanC883]

although, I'm not sure I'd take Nabers over Odunze, who is 6'3", has a better contested catch percentage, and was a state champ in the 200m.  Nabers contested catch % is in the 50s.  

[Warriorspikes51]

4 minutes ago, SoonerBillsFan said:

I'm not so great with this.  I feel it's too much.  Move up to the teens and take someone falling like Thomas Jr. Or AD Mitchell that Greg Cossell said can become thar X guy for you in the next year. 

 

We need picks to put some guys on D who can seal the deal against KC and Cincinnati,as well as WR. Grab McCaffrey in round 4 to add another weapon as well.

 

Forget the Defense.  We've had top 3 D's and been shredded when it matters by KC / CIN
 

Get players on O who can't be stopped 

[Logic]

7 minutes ago, NORWOODS FOOT said:

 

Here’s the owner… make it happen, Logic! 

 

[Warriorspikes51]

Just now, RyanC883 said:

although, I'm not sure I'd take Nabers over Odunze, who is 6'3", has a better contested catch percentage, and was a state champ in the 200m.  Nabers contested catch % is in the 50s.  

 

Counter: Nabers rarely has to make contested catches because he separates with his insane stop start acceleration and 4.35 speed that looks more like 4.27 on highlights

[Turbo44]

6 minutes ago, SoonerBillsFan said:

I'm not so great with this.  I feel it's too much.  Move up to the teens and take someone falling like Thomas Jr. Or AD Mitchell that Greg Cossell said can become thar X guy for you in the next year. 

 

We need picks to put some guys on D who can seal the deal against KC and Cincinnati,as well as WR. Grab McCaffrey in round 4 to add another weapon as well.

You definitely don't trade up to take AD and I probably wouldn't trade up to take Thomas either.  Nabers is as close as a sure thing in the draft, while AD and Thomas are not even close 

[dave mcbride]

2 hours ago, Logic said:

For those who don't want to pay the totally-worth-it $1.99 per month to subscribe to the Athletic (can you even get a pack of gum for that any more?), here's Joe Buscaglia's latest 7 round Bills mock draft. I gotta say, if this happened, I might cry tears of joy.

https://theathletic.com/5391796/2024/04/05/buffalo-bills-mock-draft-stefon-diggs-trade/

 

TRADE!

Tennessee Titans trade Nos. 7, 182 to Bills for Nos. 28, 60, 133 and 2025 1st

The pick at No. 7: Bills – Malik Nabers, WR, LSU

I continue to believe that anything, including a move like this one on draft day, is a real possibility for the Bills. Beane has long been an aggressive draft-day trader when he’s excited about a prospect and how he’d fit their system. Now, with a gaping hole for a top target at wide receiver and where the Bills are in their build, this is the type of move Beane could rationalize as one that puts them over the top for the foreseeable future.

The cost of doing business might be high for some, which is understandable. I’m sure it will evoke memories of the Bills’ move up the board to take Sammy Watkins in 2014. But this is an entirely different situation from 2014 — almost comically so. Back then, it was the desperate move of a franchise hoping Watkins would help EJ Manuel become the franchise quarterback while blatantly ignoring several warning signs he was not that player. Now, there’s nothing for their quarterback to prove. The Bills have one of the best quarterbacks in the league in Josh Allen, a still-talented roster around him, and a pretty good idea that they’ll be pushing for the playoffs at the very least in 2024.

By arming him with a young receiver with elite potential on a rookie deal for the next four years, it gives the Bills a lot of flexibility for how they spend through the duration of the receiver’s rookie deal. I’d liken this move more to the one the Atlanta Falcons made in 2011 to fly up the board and select Julio Jones, already with a top quarterback in Matt Ryan in place. They certainly didn’t regret that trade for a second.

 

The recent trade of Diggs, and acquiring the Vikings’ 2025 2nd from the Texans, could empower Beane to make a stark move up the board like this one, too. With an extremely unsettled quarterback room — either starting journeyman backup Sam Darnold or a rookie — that pick has a good chance of turning into an early second-round selection. If that does happen, the Bills could easily get themselves back at the end of the first round next year, or just view their early second-round pick as their first-round pick replacement for dealing it away to get a potential game-changing receiver. For the right player, Beane will move a first-round pick.

 

Is Nabers worth this type of move? In a more standard draft year, Nabers would easily be the best receiver prospect by a wide margin and likely one of the first players selected. He is outrageously talented and smooth, with the explosiveness to win however the Bills ask him to. The separation is effortless whether he’s at X, Z or slot and he gets the defender to bite at his breakdown constantly. He can win with physicality or speed and will eat cushion from off-defenders alive. Nabers has excellent, crisp footwork, and his contested catch concentration is simply outstanding. On top of it all, he can be a monster with yards after the catch, either using physicality to drag defenders or his 4.35 speed to blow up a play.

Nabers has all the potential to be a star in the NFL, and with one of the league’s best quarterbacks in Allen, it increases that likelihood by a large margin. Nabers is worth the hype. But would he make everyone forget about the price tag? It certainly looks like he has all the potential to do so. And with the Bills looking like they’ll have cap space to work with in 2025, it could be the catalyst to another push toward the top of the AFC.


Rest of draft:

 

The problem with this scenario is that he has the Chargers taking on offensive lineman while their elite qb has no receivers to throw to. It strikes me as completely implausible as a consequence.

[NickelCity]

MHJ nabers and odunze are the only players for whom a trade-up makes sense. Even so, if we do so and they are not perennial elite NFL WRs and quickly, we've mortgaged some serious draft capital with implications. It's a real risk.

[Warriorspikes51]

IMO the biggest takeaway here might be that Joe B is usually pretty informed when it comes to players the Bills are really high on / targeting 

 

He must know/believe a trade into the Top 10 is being seriously considered.  

 

He really never makes bold predictions in mocks/signings/roster moves unless he knows something 

Edited April 5 by Warriorspikes51

[78thealltimegreat]

2 hours ago, Logic said:

For those who don't want to pay the totally-worth-it $1.99 per month to subscribe to the Athletic (can you even get a pack of gum for that any more?), here's Joe Buscaglia's latest 7 round Bills mock draft. I gotta say, if this happened, I might cry tears of joy.

https://theathletic.com/5391796/2024/04/05/buffalo-bills-mock-draft-stefon-diggs-trade/

 

TRADE!

Tennessee Titans trade Nos. 7, 182 to Bills for Nos. 28, 60, 133 and 2025 1st

The pick at No. 7: Bills – Malik Nabers, WR, LSU

I continue to believe that anything, including a move like this one on draft day, is a real possibility for the Bills. Beane has long been an aggressive draft-day trader when he’s excited about a prospect and how he’d fit their system. Now, with a gaping hole for a top target at wide receiver and where the Bills are in their build, this is the type of move Beane could rationalize as one that puts them over the top for the foreseeable future.

The cost of doing business might be high for some, which is understandable. I’m sure it will evoke memories of the Bills’ move up the board to take Sammy Watkins in 2014. But this is an entirely different situation from 2014 — almost comically so. Back then, it was the desperate move of a franchise hoping Watkins would help EJ Manuel become the franchise quarterback while blatantly ignoring several warning signs he was not that player. Now, there’s nothing for their quarterback to prove. The Bills have one of the best quarterbacks in the league in Josh Allen, a still-talented roster around him, and a pretty good idea that they’ll be pushing for the playoffs at the very least in 2024.

By arming him with a young receiver with elite potential on a rookie deal for the next four years, it gives the Bills a lot of flexibility for how they spend through the duration of the receiver’s rookie deal. I’d liken this move more to the one the Atlanta Falcons made in 2011 to fly up the board and select Julio Jones, already with a top quarterback in Matt Ryan in place. They certainly didn’t regret that trade for a second.

 

The recent trade of Diggs, and acquiring the Vikings’ 2025 2nd from the Texans, could empower Beane to make a stark move up the board like this one, too. With an extremely unsettled quarterback room — either starting journeyman backup Sam Darnold or a rookie — that pick has a good chance of turning into an early second-round selection. If that does happen, the Bills could easily get themselves back at the end of the first round next year, or just view their early second-round pick as their first-round pick replacement for dealing it away to get a potential game-changing receiver. For the right player, Beane will move a first-round pick.

 

Is Nabers worth this type of move? In a more standard draft year, Nabers would easily be the best receiver prospect by a wide margin and likely one of the first players selected. He is outrageously talented and smooth, with the explosiveness to win however the Bills ask him to. The separation is effortless whether he’s at X, Z or slot and he gets the defender to bite at his breakdown constantly. He can win with physicality or speed and will eat cushion from off-defenders alive. Nabers has excellent, crisp footwork, and his contested catch concentration is simply outstanding. On top of it all, he can be a monster with yards after the catch, either using physicality to drag defenders or his 4.35 speed to blow up a play.

Nabers has all the potential to be a star in the NFL, and with one of the league’s best quarterbacks in Allen, it increases that likelihood by a large margin. Nabers is worth the hype. But would he make everyone forget about the price tag? It certainly looks like he has all the potential to do so. And with the Bills looking like they’ll have cap space to work with in 2025, it could be the catalyst to another push toward the top of the AFC.


Rest of draft:

 

Don’t like it no Michigan olinemen in the middle rounds for Kromer to develop 

[RyanC883]

2 hours ago, Logic said:

I understand your point of view.

Personally, I think we've seen what it's like to have a bunch of good to above average players and not enough GREAT players on the roster. It gets us to the Divisional round, and then we lose to a team with more GREAT players.

Me? I want more GREAT players around Josh Allen, and Nabers has the potential for greatness.

Give me one elite, blue chip playmaker with the potential for GREATNESS over a handful of potentially GOOD players, all day long and twice on Sundays.

 

Agree with wanting great players over good.  I think Nabers or Odunze will be elite, and would love one of them.  On the other hand, if we can't do it, Mitchell is also great.  He has 4 TDs in the CBF for 2 different teams (Texas and Georgia), so he shows up when you really need him, unlike Diggs.  Double dipping Mitchell and Franklin or Legette could net two great WRs.  Although I'd love a Nabers/Odunze and Washington (WR-VA) combo as well.  

1 minute ago, Warriorspikes51 said:

IMO the biggest takeaway here might be that Joe B is usually pretty informed when it comes to players the Bills are really high on / targeting 

 

He must know/believe a trade into the Top 10 is being seriously considered.  

 

He really never makes bold predictions in mocks/signings/roster moves unless he knows something 

 

dude, getting our hopes up! 

[Warriorspikes51]

Just now, RyanC883 said:

 

Agree with wanting great players over good.  I think Nabers or Odunze will be elite, and would love one of them.  On the other hand, if we can't do it, Mitchell is also great.  He has 4 TDs in the CBF for 2 different teams (Texas and Georgia), so he shows up when you really need him, unlike Diggs.  Double dipping Mitchell and Franklin or Legette could net two great WRs.  Although I'd love a Nabers/Odunze and Washington (WR-VA) combo as well.  

 

dude, getting our hopes up! 

 

 

it's true though, he always leans on the conservative side with these types of things...so this is noteworthy 

[LLCoolCy]

6 minutes ago, dave mcbride said:

The problem with this scenario is that he has the Chargers taking on offensive lineman while their elite qb has no receivers to throw to. It strikes me as completely implausible as a consequence.

Even with no WR I believe Vegas betting odds have LAC taking the top Tackle available so definitely plausible. That is a big need too especially with Harbaugh/Roman bringing their ball control offense to So. Cal. 

Regardless I was very against using next years 1st to move up into the top 10. Getting a likely high 2nd from Min via Houston paying the price for MH/Nabers/Odunze, and also freeing up 27 million next year to spend in FA allowing to fill the 25 1rd pick does make it a much more viable option. The price JB purposed in his mock seems fair and I would be good with it.  

Edited April 5 by LLCoolCy

[NORWOODS FOOT]

15 minutes ago, NickelCity said:

MHJ nabers and odunze are the only players for whom a trade-up makes sense. Even so, if we do so and they are not perennial elite NFL WRs and quickly, we've mortgaged some serious draft capital with implications. It's a real risk.

It is a risk indeed. I love the draft and have never felt strongly about trading up but for a QB. That said, the path we have been on hasn’t resulted in a SB win. I’ve found myself wishing the Bills would jump up and get one of these top guys. Obviously it would take a lot more than one more player to win a SB, but I guess I’m ready for the team to try something new and drastic and see what happens. 
 

PS Praying for MHJ… pipe dream, but damn… what a dream…

 

ALLEN TO HARRISON FOR THE TOUCHDOWN!!

Edited April 5 by NORWOODS FOOT

[Logic]

14 minutes ago, dave mcbride said:

The problem with this scenario is that he has the Chargers taking on offensive lineman while their elite qb has no receivers to throw to. It strikes me as completely implausible as a consequence.

I hear you, but also...

Jim Harbaugh. Greg Roman.

It wouldn't surprise me to see them take a top tackle and get a receiver later. The coach and OC both strike me as old school "trenches before weapons" guys.