There has been widespread chatter that the Bills are making efforts to move up the draft board for a coveted player. Buffalo's personnel boss Buddy Nix maintains such talk is misguided.
"What I'd like to know is where it came from," said Nix of reports that Buffalo is interested in moving up the draft board. "I don't have any idea how that could be (reported) because there's no validity to it. We haven't expressed any interest to move either way. Our answer every time has been that we'll listen to whatever and if it's beneficial to us, and if we think it is we'd consider doing it."
In no way does that definitively close the door on a trade of some kind, but Nix did confirm to Buffalobills.com that if the Bills do move out of the number 10 spot in round one it's more likely to be down the draft board, not up.
"I would say that's accurate yes," said Nix. "You think about giving up a third-round pick this year… we know what we need. We've got nine positions that we would like to fill as far as depth and starters even, but if you give up a third-round pick you're going to give up one of those guys. Is the guy you're moving up to get better than two you might get?"
Nix sounds as though he doesn't believe that to be the case. Buffalo's roster is certainly improved since Nix took over as GM, but it does lack depth at some positions, and could stand to add a couple of starting caliber prospects as well. The Bills have 10 picks at their disposal with six in the top 150.
Buffalo's general manager does admit that the dialogue with other NFL clubs has been heavier than in past years. Nix spoke with a couple of other teams last week, and that number has since increased.
"I think that's the way this draft is," he said. "I think it's a draft where you think if you move up three or four spots the guy you get is not going to be that much better than the one you get at 10. If you move back you might have a chance to get the same caliber of guy. It is a risk and it backfires a lot of times, but again I think that's why you have (the conversations) at this time."
What seems certain is the Bills are more than happy to stay where they are and make their pick at 10 with Nix fully confident they'll get a player they like.
"Unless they give somebody two picks at one time we're going to get him," said Nix. "We have 10 guys we like. They can't get them all."
