Answering Buffalo Bills' Fans Most Pressing Questions After the Draft

When asked to present their most pressing questions following the NFL Draft, Buffalo Bills fans’ inquiries centered around a few topics in particular.

From offense to defense to special teams, the Bills bolstered a number of positions over the past several months, and now fans want to know if the team’s additions are worth it and what to expect from the group moving forward.

Here are four of the questions I received most frequently throughout the past few weeks:

Why didn’t the Bills draft potential starters early in the draft?

This is what I was left asking myself. Entering the draft, it was clear—Buffalo needed to improve several important positions up and down the roster. However, rather than do so with their first-round pick, they decided to trade down, which left me a bit confounded with the strategy they employed.

Second-round picks, edge rusher T.J. Parker and cornerback Davison Igbinosun are likely rotational players at best, whilethe team’s first fourth-round selection, offensive lineman Jude Bowry, could transform into the Bills’ swing tackle, but I just don’t see it.

The first potential starter the team picked was fourth-round wide receiver Skyler Bell, while fourth-rounder Kaleb Elarms-Orr could also factor into the conversation for a potential starting role at linebacker. However, only those two players, along with seventh-round punter Tommy Doman Jr., have a realistic opportunity to crack the team’s starting lineup at some point this year.

What is the plan at nose tackle?

That’s a good question. Deone Walker is back for his second professional season and is expected to be the team’s first option at the center of its defensive line. However, he was most effective as a pass rusher a season ago, and it remains to be seen how the team will fill things out beneath him on the depth chart.

DeWayne Carter will return from his season-ending Achilles injury that he sustained a year ago, but he is undergoing a position shift, and it’s unclear what to expect from him at this stage of his career. The Bills drafted DT Zane Durant in the fifth round, but he is an undersized, pass-rush first player.

Two options that haven’t been discussed much are Zion Logue and Phidarian Mathis, each of whom played meaningful snaps for the Bills last season. There’s also the possibility the team is still perusing the free-agent market. One option could be Greg Gaines, as I wrote previously.

Will the Bills have a fullback?

It certainly looks that way, as I mentioned in a recent article for Bills OnSI. The Bills have welcomed three potential options into the fold, including two who were at the team’s recent rookie minicamp.

My best guess here is they will keep veteran Ben VanSumeren, and whether they use him as a fullback remains to be seen. However, he will be used plenty on special teams if he indeed earns a spot on the team's 53-man roster.

What is your early record/season prediction for the Bills?

My early prediction for the Bills is 11-6. I think it’s going to take them a while to get going under new head coach Joe Brady, whom I am not all that high on. Additionally, they have so many moving parts defensively that they may struggle a bit to find themselves on that side of the ball.

I have faith Josh Allen will be able to guide them through what I expect to be an early-season rough patch en route to the playoffs. But what happens in the postseason is anybody’s guess with this year’s new-look squad.

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