Well today, the biggest news in the football world was the Buffalo Bills breaking the bank, for All-Pro defensive end, Mario Williams formerly of the Houston Texans. Buffalo gave "Super Mario" a six-year deal, worth $100 million with $50 million guaranteed. Many Bills fans are excited to have one of the premier pass rushers on their team, and to be honest, I am happy for them as well. Not only because I am a Bills fan, but because today the Buffalo Bills made an impact in free agency the way the fans have been expecting them to do over the past 12 years. Buffalo has been called cheap, lost, and many other miscellaneous things for several years, but how could this move impact their draft? Did their strategy change? I really don't think it did too much.
How much did signing Mario Williams change the Bills draft board?
Over the past few weeks, Buddy Nix the GM of the Buffalo Bills has been brutally honest with his fans, on radio interviews, on the Buffalo Bills website, and throughout the media. He has said that when free agency comes, the Bills plan to be aggressive and active. He also stated that he wanted to be in and out of free agency by Friday. Well today is Thursday and they have landed one of the biggest names in free agency with Mario Williams.
Many draftniks around the web have had Buffalo drafting a pass rusher at pick No. 10, but Buddy Nix has already stated; that he was not going to reach for a defensive end if they didn’t think one was worth it. Nix has also stated that when you pick in the first round, you have to pick the best player available. That is how you build your team, by taking the best players available, regardless of team need. So while drafniks have guys like Quinton Coples, and Melvin Ingram going at 10, it might not change. If Buffalo envisions the BPA as a defensive end they will take him.
Do you remember a few years back, Buffalo drafted C.J. Spiller, who at the time to them was the best player available, and that turned out pretty well, even though Buffalo was stacked at the running back position. Buffalo needs depth, because no matter what they always run into the injury bug. Over the past couple years, Buffalo has been hurt more than any team, putting tons of talent on the Injured reserve. This year, if they have injuries again, they will need quality back-ups, just like the New England Patriots. So just because the Bills signed Williams, it doesn’t mean that they will not take a defensive end in the first couple rounds. If the best person available is a DE, then I would not be surprised to see Nix add another stud to that killer rotation.
So Bills fans, and drafniks, be prepared for the Buffalo Bills this year, on paper they have one of the best looking front sevens, I have seen in a long time. Why not keep adding to that front, and shoot for the stars?
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