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ESPN predicts Buffalo Bills to do something in the 2025 NFL Draft that they haven't done since selecting Josh Allen

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Jon Helmkamp | Last updated Feb 11, 2025 11:29 PM ET

From now until the 2025 NFL Draft kicks off on April 24th, the entire NFL will be focused on building their rosters for next season through free agency, trades, and with the slew of draft picks that they have.

That means that for two and a half months, every talking head in the industry is going to float ideas out there for what they think NFL front offices should do. ESPN's staff takes a swing around the league, discussing priorities and logging one big offseason prediction for all 32 NFL teams, and his prediction for the Bills is certainly a big one.

Solak's prediction for the Bills? That they make a big move in the 2025 NFL Draft. It would be their big trade up in a draft since they moved up from 12th to 7th in the 2018 NFL Draft to select one Mr. Josh Allen.

"With plenty of in-house players deserving big extensions, the Bills might not have much cap room for big free agent additions in 2025. But they need more splash players along the defensive line, especially with the likely release of Miller. I predict the Bills will trade way up in the 2025 draft, which is loaded at defensive line. Looking at you, Mykel Williams (Georgia)," Solak wrote.

What Solak said is completely accurate. The Bills have decisions to make with James Cook, Khalil Shakir, and Christian Benford, to name a few. You can also add center Connor McGovern to that list. Finding free agency funds might be hard to come by, which is one of the reasons I think the Bills are a prime candidate to make a swing for a "splash player" along the defensive line, which, as Solak pointed out, they desperately need.

But if Myles Garrett, Maxx Crosby, or Micah Parsons are out of reach, and the free agency funds aren't there for a top defensive lineman, then the final option is through the draft.

Picking at 30, there will certainly be good options available, but there's a couple guys set to go earlier in the first round that are a tier or two above. Mykel Williams, as Solak suggested, is one of them. James Pearce, edge from Tennessee, is another.

In light of Myles Garrett’s trade request, this quote from Bills GM Brandon Beane comes to mind:

"I don't know many teams that are going to hand you a Chris Jones or a 'game-wrecker,' they're probably sewn up. ... Would I love to add one of those guys? *Heck yeah* I would." pic.twitter.com/4Jn548DcDo
— Nick Veronica (@NickVeronica) February 3, 2025

Back in his end-of-season press conference, Beane was asked about finding a difference-maker, and he spoke about how difficult it is to find those type of players.

"I don't know many teams that are going to hand you Chris Jones, or a game-wrecker, they're probably sewn up," Beane said. "There's not a lot of players that make 28 to 30 some million dollars a year, which I think is kind of what those high end defensive players are making. We're not ever picking in the top 5-10, like not to say you can never get those guys. Jones actually fell to the second round, and we'll turn over every stone we can to find them. But would I love to have one of those guys? Heck yeah I would, but we have a cap, we pick where we pick, you kind of got to make the best of what you got, and we would love to do that if that player is out there."

Now, suddenly, Garrett has requested a trade, and Beane will have plenty of ammo to work with if he wants to make an aggressive move up in the draft. The Bills currently hold 10 picks this year, including two second-round picks. If Beane "would love to do that if that player is out there," then let's see something happen.

I'm not of the thought, at this point, that it's necessary for Beane to make a huge trade up into the top-10 range. If he does, I'd like it, but if he doesn't, there's plenty of assets and depth of defensive players available in this class for the Bills to choose from. How it happens doesn't matter. What matters is that Beane finds a true hit, a player with all-pro upside, and soon. This team needs game-wreckers.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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