The Bills entered the 2026 NFL Draft with the 26th overall selection, but they did not end up picking in the first round. General manager Brandon Beane made three separate trades to move down to No. 35. Beane revealed that he began wheeling and dealing after the Bills ran out of players with first-round grades (via Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN).
While it is unclear which prospects the Bills were considering at 26, it is worth noting that two edge defenders – Akheem Mesidor (Chargers) and Malachi Lawrence (Cowboys) – as well as receiver KC Concepcion (Browns) and safety Dillon Thieneman (Bears) came off the board in the four preceding picks. Any of them would have filled a need for the Bills, who eyed at least three of them before the draft. The team hosted Concepcion on a “30” visit, and it met with Lawrence and Thieneman at the Combine (via Bills Wire).
After going down nine spots, the Bills used their first pick on former Clemson edge defender T.J. Parker. They later addressed receiver in the fourth round (Skyler Bell, No. 125) and safety in the fifth (Jalon Kilgore, No. 167).
Beane’s lone pick on Day 2 was former Ohio State cornerback Davison Igbinosun, whom he moved up for in the second round. He sent a third-rounder (No. 66) and a sixth-rounder (No. 182) to the Broncos for the 62nd choice. Beane did it for two reasons (per Getzenberg): 1.) He saw outside corner as the Bills’ biggest need entering the draft. 2) He noticed a run on corners in the second round. Colton Hood (No. 37, Giants), Avieon Terrell (No. 48, Falcons), D’Angelo Ponds (No. 50, Jets) and Brandon Cisse (No. 52, Packers) were all taken before Igbinosun in Round 2.
Whether corner was the Bills’ most glaring pre-draft need is debatable, but it is clear they were light at the position. They went into the draft with little behind the starting duo of Christian Benford and 2025 first-rounder Maxwell Hairston. Dorian Strong, a 2025 sixth-rounder, may never play again after suffering a neck injury last year. Their only other options on the outside were M.J. Devonshire, Te’Cory Couch and Daryl Porter Jr.. Devonshire and Couch have zero regular-season appearances between them, while Porter has played in just one game (last year with Pittsburgh).
The Bills now have Igbinosun and seventh-round speedster Toriano Pride Jr. as depth behind Benford and Hairston, but they could still add to the position in free agency. Tre’Davious White, a starter for the Bills last year, is among the league’s unsigned veterans. Beane said before the draft that he had not ruled out re-signing White, though he may have changed his tune after the Igbinosun and Pride picks.
I like a lot of what the Bills did in this draft, but man, I have a hard time seeing Igbinosun not being a penalty magnet in the pros without really changing how he plays.
Beane should have traded back, but staying in the first round. Then traded a late 1st rounder for G Pickens w/ Jerry. Followed by pulling a Philly (AJ Brown deal), & have George sign a major deal on air! Perfect publicity for all.
You cannot trade with yourself. None of the 6 teams after them were looking to trade up. In fact a few also traded out of the first round