The St. Louis Rams have been open and honest about their willingness to part with the number two overall draft pick in this year's draft. A handful of NFL clubs in the top 10 have reportedly expressed interest already, but one of those teams will not be the Bills.
Bills GM Buddy Nix told Buffalobills.com that moving up from the 10th overall pick to the second overall selection is a trade they won't be making.
"It is absolute. It's a no," said Nix. "You've got to give up the farm. We're not in that business."
The Rams are certainly dealing from a position of strength knowing that one of the top two quarterback prospects will be available at their pick in the 2012 NFL draft. As a result there have already been reports as to what it might take to pry the pick away from St. Louis.
Most have indicated that it would require two first-round picks, along with third and fifth-round selections to get a deal done. That would be the exact terms of the 2004 draft day trade between the Giants and the Chargers for the rights to Eli Manning, who went first overall. Nix was a direct witness to that trade serving as San Diego's Assistant GM at the time.
Picking 10th this spring, Nix feels the Bills have an excellent opportunity to address one of their main needs.
"I think in my mind I can probably give you three areas that I think will be there at our pick," he said. "I wouldn't identify those because that would limit us against everybody else."
Now entering year three of rebuilding the team, Buffalo's GM feels the squad is closer to being a playoff contender. The Bills currently have nine picks with a pair in round four and a pair in round five, but Nix isn't ready to push all his chips to the middle of the table for just one pick.
"Maybe if we felt we were in a situation like Atlanta was last year," said Nix in reference to their bold move up the board to secure receiver Julio Jones. "They felt with one guy they could contend for the big dance and I can see that, but numbers are too important. Draft picks are too important to us."
