The Buffalo Bills head into Day 2 of the 2024 NFL Draft in the same position as they were when the annual event got going on Thursday evening.
At the very least, from a roster standpoint. Buffalo increased its draft capital by moving completely out of the first round. It now has the first pick in the second round (33rd overall) and a total of five picks out of the next 125 selections.
This gives general manager Brandon Beane ample opportunity to address needs on both sides of the ball. He could also opt to trade up for a specific target or add a veteran to the mix.
We’re now hearing some concrete reporting on this courtesy of the Boston Sports Journal’s Mike Giardi. He notes that Buffalo has joined the New England Patriots as two teams who are interested in San Francisco 49ers All-Pro wide receiver Deebo Samuel.
This is some interesting stuff in that Samuel’s name had not been bandied about a bunch until leading directly up to Thursday’s NFL Draft. Most of the talk had surrounded San Francisco trading Brandon Aiyuk. But after they added fellow receiver Ricky Pearsall to the mix Thursday night, focus turned to Samuel being moved.
Related: Buffalo Bills draft tracker with grades
Will the Buffalo Bills pull off a Deebo Samuel trade?
There are a lot of complexities when it comes to this. First off, an acquiring team would be on the hook for his $20.97 million base salary next season. Buffalo is not in a position to take that on, meaning an extension/restructure would have to be in the cads.
Secondly, compensation heading to San Francisco could be an issue. Technically, Buffalo is in the best position in that it holds the first pick Friday night. The team could offer that selection up with, say, a fifth-round pick and call it a day.
What we do know is that Buffalo is in desperate need of a wide receiver after trading away Stefon Diggs earlier in the offseason. Whether the team uses the 33rd pick on a receiver or adds Samuel to the mix, something seems to be afoot.
