Bills Trade Down, Target Defense in Draft

0:00It's April 24. You're listening to NFL News today, AI-powered NFL coverage. The Buffalo Bills made waves on the first night of the 2026 NFL Draft by trading out of Round 1 three times. They started at pick number 26, slid back to 28, then 31, and finally bailed completely on the opening round. General manager Brandon Bean orchestrated it all, betting on value deeper in the draft. Bean talked up the depth in this class, especially at inside linebacker and safety. He figures there are solid options starting in Round 1, and spilling it to later rounds, so they're playing the waiting game to snag the right fits. Fans weren't thrilled though. Bean's history trading out of Round 1 hasn't panned out great before, and Bill supporters griped about passing on guys like Omar Cooper Jr. and Peter Woods who filled real needs. That frustration hung heavy as the night wrapped. Now Buffalo's up at pick number 35 in Round 2, and number 66 in Round 3.

1:01Their eyeing prospects like Georgia's CJ Allen at linebacker, Texas's Anthony Hill Jr., or safety such as Toledo's Emanuel McNeil Warren and LSU's AJ Halsey to bolster the defense. The Bills already stacked the secondary this off season with signings like CJ Gardner Johnson and Geno Stone, plus Cole Bishop stepping up. Two defensive coordinator Jim Leon Hartz pushing for more back-end help, so expect Bean to keep loading up as Round 2 and 3 unfold.