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ON THE CLOCK - INSIDE THE BILLS' DRAFT ROOM


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ON THE CLOCK - INSIDE THE DRAFT ROOM - HOW VALUE AND NEED ALIGNED FOR THE BILLS

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Buffalo’s personnel department was under the gun on draft weekend. With salary cap constraints limiting their acquisitions in free agency, the Bills had to find starters with their first three draft choices. In an atypical draft GM Doug Whaley and company capitalized on opportunity and went three-for-three on day one and two of the 2016 NFL draft. Buffalobills.com was given exclusive access to the Bills draft room to provide details on how Buffalo acquired what could be a franchise altering draft class.

 

Bills Focus: Inside Buffalo's Draft Room (7:53)

Go inside Buffalo's draft room and see exactly how things played out for the Bills during the 2016 NFL Draft.

 

Bills tried to get a 3rd player with a 1st round grade

As we profiled in our final On the Clock feature – Inside the Draft Room, Buffalo made the trade with Chicago while the Giants were on the clock at pick 40. The reason they felt comfortable consummating the trade with the Bears before the Giants picked was because they had two players with first round grades they were ready to take there. So either way they were sure to get one of the two. In the end both wound up being there.

After taking Ragland however, their option ‘B’ was still sliding.

“The two guys that were there were Ragland and Jarran Reed,” Bills GM Doug Whaley told Buffalobills.com. “When Reed started falling we thought, ‘Hey, wait a minute. We’ve got a chance to get three first rounders with our first three picks.’ That would’ve put us over the edge.”

The problem was it was a long shot. Having already parted with a fourth-round pick along with another four in 2017 in the move up to get Ragland, Buffalo didn’t have a whole lot to work with, but the Bills thought they should at least attempt to find a way back into round two and land yet another player for whom they had a first round grade.
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I'd like to hear why they didn't like Myles Jack at the beginning of round 2. If they moved all the way up and took Ragland instead of Jack I think a lot of people would have been shocked

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Before the Bills turn their card in with Shaq Lawson, Buffalo’s phone rings. It’s Dallas Director of Player Personnel Stephen Jones calling. He wants the Bills pick at 19. Senior Vice President of Football Administration Jim Overdorf takes the call, but Jones is only offering their second and third-round pick to move all the way up from pick 34 in round two. Overdorf declines the offer and hangs up the phone.

 

“We looked at it and for us to trade away from a player of Shaq’s caliber teams would have to start with a one next year,” said Whaley. “No one was willing to pay that price, so in the end I think we won. Yes, it would’ve been great to have two ones next year, but for our team this year the greatest benefit was us picking Shaq Lawson.”

 

Stick it Cowboys!

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Folks can say what they want, but I don't get the impression Whaley is doing Rex's bidding...this seems to be a genuinely focused organization whose owners, GM, and coach are all working together and in the same direction.

 

It's about time.

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Bills tried to get a 3rd player with a 1st round grade

As we profiled in our final On the Clock feature – Inside the Draft Room, Buffalo made the trade with Chicago while the Giants were on the clock at pick 40. The reason they felt comfortable consummating the trade with the Bears before the Giants picked was because they had two players with first round grades they were ready to take there. So either way they were sure to get one of the two. In the end both wound up being there.

 

After taking Ragland however, their option ‘B’ was still sliding.

 

“The two guys that were there were Ragland and Jarran Reed,” Bills GM Doug Whaley told Buffalobills.com. “When Reed started falling we thought, ‘Hey, wait a minute. We’ve got a chance to get three first rounders with our first three picks.’ That would’ve put us over the edge.”

 

The problem was it was a long shot. Having already parted with a fourth-round pick along with another four in 2017 in the move up to get Ragland, Buffalo didn’t have a whole lot to work with, but the Bills thought they should at least attempt to find a way back into round two and land yet another player for whom they had a first round grade.

 

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It's pretty cool to hear that Washington was John Blake's (D-Line coach) number 1 rated player. He might not be the best at playing the run, but the rest of the front 7 plays pretty well against the run, including the first two picks.

 

Obviously Washington has to put in the work and develop, but I love his potential. I can't remember the last time they drafted an interior D-lineman who's main strength is rushing the passer.

 

Well that's not true, Dareus is good at everything, but besides him.

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I'm surprised they're talking about Washington as a immediate starter. I have him pegged as a rotational player, DE in 3-4 packages.


I guess, whether it's 3-4, 4-3 under, or even 5-2, Rex always wants a 3-4 personnel group out there.


But, even then, I figured Washington's status would depend on a close camp battle between him and Bryant.

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You're quite welcome. Pretty good look at how things went down. :thumbsup:

 

I haven't watched this yet, but I know that in my heart of hearts that it was Russ Brandon pulling the strings on all of our draft picks!

 

Am I close? :D:beer:

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I wonder who the 2nd player they had pegged in the second is?

Pretty sure it was Jarran Reed.

IIRC, Whaley said that it was in the post draft presser.

 

Yep, it was Reed. They were looking to trade back into the 2nd for him but the cost was too high.

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Thanks 2-6. Hope they also post a video version as in past years.

 

 

I'm sure they will eventually. Likely editing everything they captured during the process.

 

Bills Focus: Inside Buffalo's Draft Room (7:53)
Go inside Buffalo's draft room and see exactly how things played out for the Bills during the 2016 NFL Draft.
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