By Nick Wojton / Billswire.usatoday.com
The Buffalo Bills are slated to pick at the ninth-overall slot at the 2019 NFL Draft. The team could use that selection in a variety of ways.
But there are eight teams who will directly have a say in who the Bills land, the eight teams selecting between picks one and eight.
Could teams ahead of the Bills take their potential target? Or could they select a position like quarterback, causing Buffalo’s target, or perhaps your favorite target for the Bills, to slide down to nine?
With that, here’s the latest rumors surrounding the Arizona Cardinals, who hold the first-overall pick at the draft:
Will the Bills be in the market to trade up to the first-overall pick at the draft? While they do have 10 picks, likely not. But the latest rumors surrounding the Cardinals indicate that it could be moved, or if they do stand-pat, Arizona could make a move that most aren’t expecting.
According to CardsWire, the Cardinals are getting calls about what it would take for them to move out of the first-overall pick. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport first reported on those calls.
“My understanding is general manager Steve Keim has in fact received trade feelers from teams potentially trying to come up to No. 1 or at least seeing what would the price be if someone did decide to trade and swap picks with the Arizona Cardinals,” he said.
However, Keim previously said the Cards would have to be “blown away” to move back.
But the rumors don’t stop there. For months the Cardinals have been linked to undersized but big-time playmaking quarterback Kyler Murray from Oklahoma. Two outlets have reported that Murray might not be the pick for Arizona in recent days.
Per CBS Sports‘ Pete Prisco, it seems “unlikely” Murray will be the pick.
“From what I’ve been told, they are going to go in a different direction. They are not going to draft Kyler Murray,” Prisco said.
Add Cardinals beat reporter Bob McManaman from AZCentral Sports to that list, too. In his final mock draft, he has Alabama defensive tackle Quinnen Williams at his No. 1 pick, and he explains that reasoning.
“Three Mocks, three different picks. I’ve gone from Nick Bosa to Kyler Murray and now to Williams, although the Cardinals could very well trade out of the No. 1 spot entirely or end up picking any one of the three aforementioned prospects. Murray might remain the front runner, which would be fine, but all of my “spidey senses” (and gathered intelligence) tells me it just might be Williams, who can be Arizona’s version of the Rams’ Aaron Donald, the NFL’s reigning two-time Defensive Player of the Year,” he wrote.
In some draft years, it seems like we already have known for some time who’s going first-overall. This year we don’t. So, this could mean a lot for Buffalo.
Selecting Murray can do a few things. First, he’s a QB. Buffalo doesn’t need one, it pushes potential targets they could want closer to them. Plus, if Murray goes No. 1, could teams eyeing quarterbacks get “trigger happy” and trade up themselves? That could mean a team moves up between pick two to eight to take one, or that they could even move up to Buffalo’s No. 9 spot ahead of the Broncos at 10, who are also reportedly interested in a QB.
Finally, if Williams is actually their target, that wouldn’t be good for Buffalo. That could mean defensive tackle Ed Oliver comes off the board before them and perhaps QB-needy teams don’t feel the heat to move up.
Plus, let’s not forget about Josh Rosen. If Murray is the pick, then Rosen could be dealt only moments later. If he’s moved to a team like the Giants who pick No. 6, that will mean New York will not select a QB themselves at that pick, potentially taking a defensive lineman or pass-rusher the Bills have their eye on off the board.
Smokescreen season in full-go.