Bills keen on Alabama RB Najee Harris, per NBC Sports and Tony Pauline

[Logic]

https://www.nbcsports.com/edge/college-football/cfb/player-news/headlines/10038711?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Pro Football Network's Tony Pauline hears that the Pittsburgh Steelers, Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills are all high on Alabama RB Najee Harris.

Pauline initially forwarded the Steelers and Dolphins as players for Harris back during the Senior Bowl. And that, the analyst writes in this week's mailbag, has not changed in the interim. He is now hearing that the Bills could be in on the 6-foot-2, 230-pound Alabama standout, too. The Steelers and Bills (pick Nos. 24 and 30, respectively) are right in range for Harris near the end of the first round. Miami's spot is slightly trickier for a running back -- they hold two Day 1 picks, No. 3 and No. 18 -- simply because they're picking higher. A trade down by the Dolphins from that No. 18 selection, if Harris is their target come the draft, would make sense.

 

[DJB]

Edited March 26, 2021 by DJB

[StHustle]

Believe half of what you read and none of what your hear!

[17islongenough]

Everytime the Bills are interested or keen on a player it never seems to happen.  Take it with a grain of salt. 

 

 

[glazeduck]

3 minutes ago, DJB said:

Yep, tis the season...

[DJB]

9 minutes ago, 17islongenough said:

Everytime the Bills are interested or keen on a player it never seems to happen.  Take it with a grain of salt. 

 

 

 

[Canadian Bills Fan]

ok this now solidifies that the Bills wont be drafting Harris

[Logic]

In before 43 more people say "it's a smokescreen". I'm not saying it's NOT a smokescreen, by the way.

For what it's worth, Benjamin Albright, who is right about the Bills more often than he's wrong about them come draft time, has also heard that the Bills are looking running back at 30. 

Don't shoot the messenger. I don't have a horse in this race either way.

Edited March 26, 2021 by Logic

[Canadian Bills Fan]

2 minutes ago, Logic said:

In before 43 more people say "it's a smokescreen".

For what it's worth, Benjamin Albright, who is right about the Bills more often than he's wrong about them come draft time, has also heard that the Bills are looking running back at 30.

Don't shoot the messenger.

[glazeduck]

3 minutes ago, Logic said:

In before 43 more people say "it's a smokescreen". I'm not saying it's NOT a smokescreen, by the way.

For what it's worth, Benjamin Albright, who is right about the Bills more often than he's wrong about them come draft time, has also heard that the Bills are looking running back at 30. 

Don't shoot the messenger. I don't have a horse in this race either way.

That's what's so funny about this particular timing... It really could be both.

 

Between now and when we're on the clock, it's all a chess match, and I truly believe that Beane & co. play the market and make decisions more on value than on specific players or needs. Harris 100% fits exactly what we would need, so this could be both completely true and, if it serves to drive his stock way up, a smokescreen at the same time. He signed Breida for a reason, he loves and thrives in situations where he can be extremely flexible -- I'll bet we see similar rumors about being high on a DE and a CB in the coming weeks too. All of which could be completely true and designed as smoke at the same time...

[SCBills]

Najee Harris looks to be there at 30 in most mock drafts.  Etienne is gone before then in most.  
 

Id absolutely be in favor of this.  Najee Harris not only gives us a stud RB, but he’s a beast in the passing game. 
 

Have to imagine Singletary would be getting moved if we draft a RB early.  

[Canadian Bills Fan]

2 minutes ago, SCBills said:

Najee Harris looks to be there at 30 in most mock drafts.  Etienne is gone before then in most.  
 

Id absolutely be in favor of this.  Najee Harris not only gives us a stud RB, but he’s a beast in the passing game. 
 

Have to imagine Singletary would be getting moved if we draft a RB early.  

 

Think anyone would do a 4th for Singletary?

[SCBills]

1 minute ago, Canadian Bills Fan said:

 

Think anyone would do a 4th for Singletary?

Doubt it.  5th or 6th maybe.  
 

Decent rookie year.  Terrible sophomore year.  Teams will see the promise he showed as a rookie, but only 2 years left on his rookie deal.  

[Canadian Bills Fan]

2 minutes ago, SCBills said:

Doubt it.  5th or 6th maybe.  
 

Decent rookie year.  Terrible sophomore year.  Teams will see the promise he showed as a rookie, but only 2 years left on his rookie deal.  

 

 

Ya I'd take a 5th and then package 2 of them to move into the 4th

[LEBills]

This would be great, Harris is a great all around back. When it got down to it, we couldn’t run the ball when we needed to last year and Harris’s physicality can help with that. He is also a step up over what we had last year in the passing game. If we want to upgrade our offense, a running back like Harris is probably where we have the most room for improvement. Buuut, don’t really think he will be there at 30 and I’d be surprised if Beane traded up in the first round for a running back

[Figster]

22 minutes ago, 17islongenough said:

Everytime the Bills are interested or keen on a player it never seems to happen.  Take it with a grain of salt. 

 

 

Bills expressed interest in Josh Allen. 

 

For what its worth I feel almost as strongly about Harris fitting the Bill as I did before the 2018 draft and Josh Allen.

 

Not many liked the idea, hardly anybody seen it coming.

 

Yet here we are...

[Logic]

1 minute ago, Figster said:

Bills expressed interest in Josh Allen. 

 

For what its worth I feel almost as strongly about Harris fitting the Bill as I did before the 2018 draft and Josh Allen.

 

Not many liked the idea, hardly anybody seen it coming.

 

Yet here we are...

Funny thing is, one of the few people who DID see it coming was Benjamin Albright, who just so happens to be the same guy saying the Bills are looking RB at 30.

Also, I agree that Harris is the perfect fit for the Bills. Power backs go much better with spread offenses than speed backs. Come out in 10 or 11 personnel and the defense comes out in nickel or dime. Then you have a guy like Najee Harris back there and, well....the opposing defenders are gonna have to make some business decisions.

[RichRiderBills]

Love it. I prefer Etienne or Toney as gadget guy, but would love Hariss.

[Big Blitz]

So we want Etienne..got it.  

[DaggersEOD]

I know most have a very negative opinion on investing in the RB position, but IMO, the running game is having a bit of a resurgence.

 

As D's get lighter and faster to stop the pass, they grow more susceptible to the run. I'm sure it's just me, but I think there is a lot more value in having a legit weapon at RB than some of the other positions discussed here.

 

For those who want to focus on D (legitimately), having a stud RB who can be relied on to keep drives going, will shorten the games and keep the D more fresh. As mentioned many times, our D was MUCH improved down the stretch, so with better ToP, the D could possibly improve significantly over last year and get back to 2019 form when we had a better ground game.

 

Additionally, I think RBs have much more impact on the O than TEs and WRs.  On every play, the RB has an important role. Obviously a rushing play is their main contribution, but on pass plays, he's blocking, taking a play action fake to hold safeties/LBs, running a route or blocking for the QB.  I contend that the RB is second only to the QB on % of plays with a critical role.

 

Looking at how the 2021 Bills are currently staffed, Bean has done a great job creating a solid roster from top to bottom. IMO there is no position that can significantly improve this team more than a game changing rookie RB.