Bills
Bills GM Brandon Beane said that they would not be against drafting a developmental type of player at No. 30 overall in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
“It’s going to depend on which position it is,” Beane, via Maddy Glab of the team’s official site. “I do think there are some positions if it worked out that way that maybe not definitely start, but you could say, ‘This guy’s got a shot.’ I think there’s some other guys we have on the board where we’re going, `This guy’s one heck of a player, but he’s not going to start Day 1, but we will count on him. Maybe in a year he’s going to be the starter.'”
Beane added that Buffalo will not shy away from trading up in the draft if there is a player they want within the distance of No. 30.
“Speaking hypothetically, it there’s a guy on our board where we go, ‘Man, there’s a guy 10 spots away at 20.’ And we’re going, ‘Man, this guy really fits us. He’s everything we want. He’s going to make a big impact now and long term.’ You’d have to talk about it and see what it costs. And then obviously, you’d have to have the team willing to make that move with you. We won’t be afraid to go up. We won’t be afraid to pick at 30,” said Beane.
Should the Bills not move up in the first round, Beane mentioned that waiting until the mid to later rounds to trade “makes more sense” for them.
“Maybe in some of the mid to later rounds, it makes more sense,” Beane said. “You’re not having to give up as much, especially if you’re looking at your board and you’re going, ‘Let’s look at the sixth round, how many of these guys based on what we’ve already taken and what we know have a legit shot to make the 53?'”
Dolphins
- Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer says one team told him they had a strong feeling the Dolphins had two players in mind when they traded down from No. 3 to No. 6 and were banking on quarterbacks going in the first four picks to push one of those guys to them.
- Breer thinks those two players were LSU WR Ja’Marr Chase and Florida TE Kyle Pitts, both of whom could go No. 4 and No. 5 right before Miami’s pick.
- If that happens, Breer isn’t sure what Miami will do. He thinks they could trade down again or go with an offensive tackle for the second straight year. He’s heard they like Alabama WR Jaylen Waddle but No. 6 might be a touch rich for him.
- Fansided’s Matt Lombardo said in conversations with league sources, he believes it’s clear Pitts was the No. 1 player on Miami’s board. However, he adds multiple league sources tell him the Falcons and owner Arthur Blank are zeroing in on Pitts if they stay at No. 4. Lombardo thinks the Dolphins could try to move up again to go get Pitts.
- Per Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, Dolphins GM Chris Grier said they released LB Kyle Van Noy in part to free up reps for players like Andrew Van Ginkel, less because of his performance: “But for us, we have some young players we’re developing that need to get on the field.”
- Grier said QB Tua Tagovailoa has fully recovered from his college hip injury and ready to “take the next step” with his NFL career: “He’s healthy now. He’s going to take the next step. The kid has been a winner everywhere he’s been. I’m really excited for him.” (Josh Tolentino)
- Grier called Tagovailoa a virtual “winner” throughout his football career: “He’s going to take the next step. He’s been a winner wherever he’s been.” (Adam Beasley)
- When asked about the Dolphins’ thought process when trading from No. 3 to No. 12 with the 49ers to No. 6 with the Eagles, Grier explained that they decided it was important to move back into the top-10: “We had a number of teams talking to us about No. 3. Obviously, San Francisco was very aggressive. As we worked through it, we decided it was important for us also to get back into the Top 10.” (Josh Tolentino)
- Grier added that he feels “very comfortable” selecting at No. 6 overall: “When we made our move we had targeted a number of players we like… We’re very comfortable where we are, but we’ll always evaluate it. We feel good where we are and we won’t have any regrets.” (Omar Kelly)
Jets
- Pro Football Network’s Tony Pauline says that while the Jets like Alabama RB Najee Harris a lot, he’s probably not an option for them with their second first-round pick at No. 23.
- Pauline adds the Jets really like North Carolina RB Michael Carter and Virginia Tech RB Khalil Herbert and views them as better scheme fits.
- Justin Melo reports San Diego State DB Darren Hall had a virtual meeting with the Jets.
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