What's the first position the Bills draft in 2026?

[GunnerBill]

9 minutes ago, Doc Brown said:

Does that include the 1st we gave up for Diggs?

 

No that is purely players drafted. But obviously for the percentages that also means I don't count the pick used. So it would be 10/25 (40%); 7/25 (28%) and 2/25 (8%) for the categories respectively. 

 

But then you get into who else traded what and it all gets a bit involved.

[GoBills808]

11 minutes ago, Kirby Jackson said:

Every roster is full of drafted offensive weapons. That’s the point. It’s WHEN they were drafted. 3 RBs, 2 TEs, 1 WR in the first 3 rounds isn’t the spread that you want. WRs are WAY more important and harder to find. Prime assets should be allocated to prime positions (QB, WR, pass rush, OT, sometimes CB). 

yup a whopping seven 1-3rd round picks on the Dline alone since we drafted QB if my count is right, including one top10 pick in Oliver

 

pass catchers a total of 2, nothing higher than the pick#25

 

priorities priorities

[GunnerBill]

2 minutes ago, GoBills808 said:

yup a whopping seven 1-3rd round picks on the Dline alone since we drafted QB if my count is right, including one top10 pick in Oliver

 

pass catchers a total of 2, nothing higher than the pick#25

 

priorities priorities

 

EDIT: ignore. Miscounted. Yep. 7. 

Edited Tuesday at 08:35 PM by GunnerBill

[SoCal Deek]

24 minutes ago, Kirby Jackson said:

You’re the one that’s creating a story. I simply gave the numbers (and @GunnerBill did it with way more depth). The Bills have invested less at WR than other teams with elite QBs. If you think that a 5th round pick or a 7th round pick is comparable to a 1st round pick, we disagree. The success rates are massively different.
 

WR is now the 2nd most important position behind QB (according to AI). I tried to screenshot it and post it here but it’s too large so feel free to look it up yourself if you’re doubting that. TE and RB are not interchangeable with WR. The reason so many teams, and good teams like the world champs, are investing so heavily in WR early is because they are really expensive in FA and don’t change teams!! Please name me the top receivers that have changed teams over the last 5 years in FA? To get top WRs now, you need to draft them and sign them or trade an early pick for them and then sign them (like Metcalf or Brown). Here are the FA WR signings since 2021 (you need to change the year to see other signings) in FA: https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/free-agents/_/year/2021/position/wr.  
 

Here is a list from 70 NFL executives of the top 10 WRs in football: https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/45689023/top-10-nfl-wide-receivers-execs-scouts-2025-espn-jeremy-fowler-position-rankings. There are 26 players on that list that received votes. Only WRs 16 (who will be 33 years old during the season) and WR 24 moved in FA. 

Here is some data from the top 26 WRs in football:

- 13 drafted in round 1

- 7 drafted in round 2

- 3 drafted in round 3

- 1 drafted in round 4

- 2 drafted in round 5 (one of whom was arrested and charged with domestic assault battery for strangling his pregnant girlfriend or he would have went WAY earlier)

- The average draft pick of those 25 (excluding Tyreek) is 41.88!! I don’t have the energy to do this exercise for the other position groups from ESPN but I’d venture to say only QB (maybe OT & DL) would be lower numbers. 

- 23 of the 25 WRs in football (excluding Hill here b/c his draft position was not a function of talent) were picked in the 1st 3 rounds which is what we are using as “high end draft capital.”

- The Bills have picked 1 WR in the top 3 rounds since Josh was picked. It takes prime assets to secure the 2nd most important (based on cost) position in football. That is not a good use of asset allocation. It should be 1 RB and 3 WRs and not the other way around.

 

Creating a story? No…I’m simply stating the fact that the Bills starting offensive weapons roster is in reality made up of players they drafted in high rounds, and many they’ve chosen to already or about to extend this coming year. Coleman was essentially a First. Kincaid was a First. Cook was yet another high pick. So was Knox…a Third if I recall. Shakir is/was the lone pleasant surprise. So I guess the squabble is over whether they should’ve taken a WR in the First this year? Okay…I guess. But Who’s going to play cornerback and guard the superstars on the OTHER teams? 

Edited Tuesday at 08:39 PM by SoCal Deek

[GoBills808]

2 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

8 I think. Including Phillips two rounds later of that same Allen draft.

i mean leaguewide that's got to be the most lopsided ratio or close to

1 minute ago, SoCal Deek said:

Creating a story? No…I’m simply stating the fact that the Bills starting offensive weapons roster is in reality made up of players they drafted in high rounds, and many they’ve chosen to already or about to extend this coming year. Coleman was essentially a First. Kincaid was a First. Cook was yet another high pick. So was Knox. Shakir is/was the lone pleasant surprise. So I guess the squabble is over whether they should’ve taken a WR in the First this year? Okay…I guess. But Who’s going to play cornerback and guard the superstars on the OTHER teams? 

lol this is so drought mentality

 

why not grab a superstar and let other teams worry about guarding him? 

[SoCal Deek]

2 minutes ago, GoBills808 said:

i mean leaguewide that's got to be the most lopsided ratio or close to

lol this is so drought mentality

 

why not grab a superstar and let other teams worry about guarding him? 

The Bills are no longer in a drought. They’ve been the AFC Championship twice! They must be doing something right. It’s just unfortunate that they ended up in the same conference with a team that’s been to the championship game SEVEN years in a row. 
 

Nobody is a bigger critic of the McD era than me. But I don’t see anything having changed if they had another WR on the team. It still just comes down to players and coaches making the critical decisions/plays at crunch time. 

[GunnerBill]

1 minute ago, GoBills808 said:

i mean leaguewide that's got to be the most lopsided ratio or close to

 

Yep. And when you put it alongside Trent Murphy, Star, Addison, Jefferson, J Phillips, Butler, Daquan, Settle, Floyd, Bosa, Hoecht, Ogunjobi.... all getting good to very good FA deals... most of which at a time when FA dollars have been tight. 

 

Brandon Beane says he will never apologise for prioritising the defensive line. It was also the MO of the Panthers while he worked there. My contention is he should re-consider his strategy.

[GoBills808]

1 minute ago, SoCal Deek said:

The Bills are no longer in a drought. They’ve been the AFC Championship twice! They must be doing something right. It’s just unfortunate that they ended up in the same conference with a team that’s been to the championship game SEVEN years in a row. 
 

Nobody is a bigger critic of the McD era than me. But I don’t see anything having changed if they had another WR on the team. It still just comes down to players and coaches making the critical decisions/plays at crunch time. 

Look I don't want to derail this into a coaching thing but what is the point of having a HC w defense background and spending all your top picks on defense WHILE refusing to hire top offensive staff? How is that smart resource allocation?

[GunnerBill]

3 minutes ago, SoCal Deek said:

It still just comes down to players and coaches making the critical decisions/plays at crunch time. 

 

I think it comes down to the lack of elite talent in those big moments aside, obviously, from Joshua Patrick Allen.

[Doc Brown]

14 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

No that is purely players drafted. But obviously for the percentages that also means I don't count the pick used. So it would be 10/25 (40%); 7/25 (28%) and 2/25 (8%) for the categories respectively. 

 

But then you get into who else traded what and it all gets a bit involved.

Thought so.  I know this isn't what you're doing but I do find it a little disingenuous when people make the argument he's completely neglected WR they leave that trade out and just cite the number of picks at that position rather than the draft capital used to address that position.  He gave up a 3rd for Kelvin Benjamin too which worked out swimmingly. 

 

My take is that Beane was more worried about WR's in Josh's development than he was once he became elite.  Since then he's basically approached the entire roster construction like how Carolina built their team in 2015.

[SoCal Deek]

3 minutes ago, GoBills808 said:

Look I don't want to derail this into a coaching thing but what is the point of having a HC w defense background and spending all your top picks on defense WHILE refusing to hire top offensive staff? How is that smart resource allocation?

It isn’t. But you have to admit that the Bills have definitely NOT ignored offensive weapons in the Draft. Sure. We’d love to have more. Every team would. But it’s not been ignored. 

[GunnerBill]

Just now, Doc Brown said:

Since then he's basically approached the entire roster construction like how Carolina built their team in 2015.

 

This is the point for me. The resource allocation (at least in the draft) is scarily reminiscent of the Cam era Panthers.

[GoBills808]

1 minute ago, Doc Brown said:

Thought so.  I know this isn't what you're doing but I do find it a little disingenuous when people make the argument he's completely neglected WR they leave that trade out and just cite the number of picks at that position rather than the draft capital used to address that position.  He gave up a 3rd for Kelvin Benjamin too which worked out swimmingly. 

 

My take is that Beane was more worried about WR's in Josh's development than he was once he became elite.  Since then he's basically approached the entire roster construction like how Carolina built their team in 2015.

no. what's disingenuous is when people try to equate trading a first round pick for a player and drafting a player w a first round pick. cap issues aside (not insignificant), the diggs trade is a perfect example of what im talking about- using your most valuable draft asset in a given year on a good-not-great up and coming wideout instead of taking a chance on drafting a rookie...it's the safe play instead of taking a swing. those two strategies aren't equivalent 

[Doc Brown]

1 minute ago, GunnerBill said:

 

This is the point for me. The resource allocation (at least in the draft) is scarily reminiscent of the Cam era Panthers.

Anytime he refers to something he's learned from David Gettleman my optimism about the future of this team lessens.  

[GoBills808]

5 minutes ago, SoCal Deek said:

It isn’t. But you have to admit that the Bills have definitely NOT ignored offensive weapons in the Draft. Sure. We’d love to have more. Every team would. But it’s not been ignored. 

if your threshold for ignored is spent zero picks on offense then again yes, it hasn't been ignored. im saying that's a patently ridiculous premise and comparing league averages is very clearly the correct way to analyze their investments

[Buffalo716]

29 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

Yep. And when you put it alongside Trent Murphy, Star, Addison, Jefferson, J Phillips, Butler, Daquan, Settle, Floyd, Bosa, Hoecht, Ogunjobi.... all getting good to very good FA deals... most of which at a time when FA dollars have been tight. 

 

Brandon Beane says he will never apologise for prioritising the defensive line. It was also the MO of the Panthers while he worked there. My contention is he should re-consider his strategy.

I will never fault him for throwing everything at the D line 

 

The game is one in the trenches period.. if you are strong on the offensive and defensive line you will be in the vast majority of every single game 

 

It all starts up front... The Ravens and Steelers have been building teams around their front seven for 25 years , it's a good way to start .. Bill belichick prioritized his front seven for 20 years.. all of his top defenses with top run stopping built around the front seven..

 

You could throw any name out there and say well they didn't live up to it.. well guess what 90% of the NFL doesn't live up to people's expectations lol I'm still throwing my biggest resources at disrupting other teams quarterbacks 

 

Tremendous cornerbacks have never made defensive lines look better consistently.. they don't because even deion Sanders can't run around and cover an NFL player for 5 seconds.. Jalen Ramsey can't run around and cover an NFL wide receiver for 5 seconds... but a good defensive line always makes secondaries look better when you only have to cover for 2.5

 

 the eagles completely ran roughshod on the Chiefs because their front seven dominated.. I don't care if they have some good wide receivers it starts with that defense and front seven and o line...

 

 as I've always said it takes as much luck as skill to win a super bowl.. there are so many factors.. and the Buffalo Bills are right there.. we are not two pegs down, we do not have to grow substantially... With the right combination of talent luck and timing the Buffalo Bills will get it done sooner than later... Could be this year...History says you're not keeping a quarterback like Josh Allen down for 18 years

 

He's going to get the monkey off his back eventually

Edited Tuesday at 09:14 PM by Buffalo716

[GoBills808]

7 minutes ago, Buffalo716 said:

I will never fault him for throwing everything at the D line 

 

The game is one in the trenches period.. if you are strong on the offensive and defensive line you will be in the vast majority of every single game 

 

It all starts up front... The Ravens and Steelers have been building teams around their front seven for 25 years , it's a good way to start 

 

You could throw any name out there and say well they didn't live up to it.. well guess what 90% of the NFL doesn't live up to people's expectations lol I'm still throwing my biggest resources at disrupting other teams quarterbacks 

 

Tremendous cornerbacks have never made defensive lines look better consistently.. they don't because even deion Sanders can't run around and cover an NFL player for 5 seconds.. Jalen Ramsey can't run around and cover an NFL wide receiver for 5 seconds... but a good defensive line always makes secondaries look better when you only have to cover for 2.5

 

 

id argue recent history is not the clear picture you make it out to be, esp considering SB winners

 

i mean the browns and colts have had great olines the past what like 5+years

 

and sherman along w help from earl thomas and kam chancellor absolutely made their dline look better than they were

[Kirby Jackson]

35 minutes ago, SoCal Deek said:

Creating a story? No…I’m simply stating the fact that the Bills starting offensive weapons roster is in reality made up of players they drafted in high rounds, and many they’ve chosen to already or about to extend this coming year. Coleman was essentially a First. Kincaid was a First. Cook was yet another high pick. So was Knox…a Third if I recall. Shakir is/was the lone pleasant surprise. So I guess the squabble is over whether they should’ve taken a WR in the First this year? Okay…I guess. But Who’s going to play cornerback and guard the superstars on the OTHER teams? 

We shouldn’t have 3 RBs, 2 TEs and only 1 WR picked in the first 3 rounds. We shouldnt have 7 DL in that same period!! That’s not good roster building. 4 or 5 DL and MAYBE 1 RB & 1 TE, sure. The reason that the Bills roster consistently lacks top end talent is because they don’t draft well early. They had 1 guy outside of Josh on the NFL 100 last year (Dawkins at like 96). So far, it has just been Cook at 89 (they are up to number 57). So MAYBE Dawkins or, less likely, Benford makes the list? Another year of the Bills having Josh Allen, and one (or 2) other guy(s) in the top 100 players in the NFL. You get those guys in the top 100 picks. 

[Buffalo716]

12 minutes ago, GoBills808 said:

id argue recent history is not the clear picture you make it out to be, esp considering SB winners

 

i mean the browns and colts have had great olines the past what like 5+years

 

and sherman along w help from earl thomas and kam chancellor absolutely made their dline look better than they were

O line and front seven ... That builds any competent NFL team... U want to rebuild a team that is where you start 

 

The colts  don't have a great front seven.. the browns have a good one, but  they have plenty of other ineptitude holding them back.. dude they gave hundreds of millions of dollars to a  guy who flashes masseuses... 

 

Besides getting a bonafide star QB which is also luck..  building your defensive front seven is the quickest way to stay in NFL games and having a offensive line that keeps your quarterback upright

 

And the Seahawks had Bobby Wagner KJ wright and Bruce Irvin at LBr 

 

Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril on the defensive line.. Chris Clemons , red Bryant , Brandon mebane 

 

That is a very good front seven especially back in 2013.. they had very good sack production and guys like red Bryant were run stuffing machines .. Bruce Irvin coming off the edge as an outside linebacker with Bobby Wagner and KJ wright 

 

That is far from even just average, that's SB quality

 

Edited Tuesday at 09:30 PM by Buffalo716

[GunnerBill]

4 minutes ago, Buffalo716 said:

O line and front seven ... That builds any competent NFL team... U want to rebuild a team that is where you start 

 

The colts and the browns do not have a great front seven.. the browns have miles Garrett

 

Besides getting a bonafide star QB which is also luck..  building your defensive front seven is the quickest way to stay in NFL games and having a offensive line that keeps your quarterback upright

 

And the Seahawks had Bobby Wagner KJ wright and Bruce Irvin at LBr 

 

Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril on the defensive line.. Chris Clemons , red Bryant , Brandon mebane 

 

That is a very good front seven especially back in 2013.. they had very good sack production and guys like red Bryant were run stuffing machines .. Bruce Irvin coming off the edge as an outside linebacker with Bobby Wagner and KJ wright 

 

That is far from even just average, that's SB quality

 

 

The stars on that D were Wagner, Sherman and the safeties. Their front 7 aside from that was decent but the stars were the MLB and the DBs.