There has been widespread speculation that the Bills are making concerted efforts to move up the draft board in round one from their current perch at ninth overall. Bills GM Doug Whaley, didn't directly address the validity of those reports, but in an interview with Buffalobills.com indicated that he and key members of his personnel department are busy talking with other NFL clubs.
In the last 24 to 48 hours alone Buffalo's talks with other NFL clubs has increased considerably.
"It has definitely intensified," Whaley told Buffalobills.com.
Reports over the past few weeks have Buffalo interested in moving up the board anywhere between the top pick and the sixth pick overall. While the intended destination is not specifically known outside the walls of One Bills Drive, Whaley did provide some indication that at this point, just hours before the draft, a general manager usually has a specific draft slot in mind if a deal can be struck.
"What happens is you'll narrow down your focus to some teams that you feel have the right compensation that works for what you're thinking of doing, or what they're thinking about doing, and you then put that singular focus on those teams and that's why (the talk) intensifies," he said.
Whaley said most of the trade talk going on regarding picks at the top of the board is largely between teams only at the top of the board.
"Right now I would say just from our conversations that there's more competition moving inside the top 10 than teams trying to get in the top 10," said Whaley.
Based on the dialogue he's had with other teams it doesn't sound like too many teams holding top 10 draft choices want to move outside that coveted territory in round one.
"That's because you're going to get a really good player in the top 10 and you don't want to take yourself away from a really good player," Whaley said. "It's all relative. It depends on what your needs are and what you're really trying to accomplish in this draft."
For Buffalo it appears that they feel the team is very close to playoff contention and perhaps one premier player could be the difference.
Consummating deals with such high stakes however, can often prove difficult. Whaley shed some light on the two main elements that can stand in the way of a trade coming to fruition.
"If I had to put a percentage on it I would say it's 70 percent compensation and then 30 percent competition," he said.
Try as the Bills might it's difficult to ascertain the chances that Buffalo will be able to move to a more advantageous position up the board as has been reported. But the Bills personnel boss doesn't seem bothered at all should they remain at nine overall for the first round of the 2014 draft this evening. He's confident Buffalo will still be able to land a quality impact player.
"I'll have a bigger smile on my face than I do now," said Whaley.
Round one begins at 8 pm. Stay tuned to Buffalobills.com for wall to wall coverage of the 2014 NFL draft.
