The Buffalo Bills made three trade downs in the first round of the NFL Draft, which saw the Bills trade out of the opening round entirely.
Buffalo entered the first round with the 26th overall pick and traded down to 28. From 28, general manager Brandon Beane then traded down to 31. The New York Jets then traded up to 30 ahead of the Bills, as ESPN’s Rich Cimini revealed on the “Jets Collective” podcast that Buffalo’s interest in Cooper motivated the green and white.
“Well, the reason why they traded up is because they thought Buffalo was going to take Cooper at (pick No.) 31. So they anticipated that. That was their intel. It’s funny how, as soon as they traded up and took him, Buffalo traded out. Buffalo trades out with Tennessee, and so that’s why the Jets did the Cooper deal. They did it because I think he was rated very closely to (Kenyon) Sadiq on their draft board. Also, they wanted the fifth-year option,” Cimini said.
After the Jets traded up to select Cooper at 30, the Bills traded from 31 to 35. However, if Buffalo liked Cooper that much, as Cimini reports, the Bills could have selected him at 26 or 28, so how serious the interest was is uncertain.
Regardless, the Jets ended up with Cooper, who will be an impact receiver for the team in the AFC East. Buffalo, meanwhile, took T.J. Parker at 35th overall to bolster the pass rush.
Cooper recorded 69 receptions for 937 yards and 13 touchdowns last season.
Bills Reporter Shoots Down Cooper’s Interest
After the report came out that the Jets jumped Buffalo to select Cooper, Bills reporter Sal Capaccio doesn’t think that’s true.
Instead, Capaccio posted on X that he doesn’t believe the Bills’ interest in Cooper was that serious.
“If the Bills wanted Cooper that badly, they could’ve drafted him TWICE before they made that deal. 26 and 28. Traded out both times,” Capaccio wrote. “Maybe they would’ve taken him at 31, but to suggest some sort of screw job for a guy they loved can be easily, factually dismissed. …
“As I wrote, maybe they wouldn’t taken him at 31 because value was there. I don’t think so, though. I love Rich. He’s my guy and fellow ‘Cuse man. I’m saying the way it’s being framed as some “hahaha, they screwed the Bills” because they loved him is bizarre.”
Capaccio thinks the Bills were focused on defensive players, and that is what they took with their first two picks.
Brandon Beane Details Reason for Trade Down
Buffalo opted not to make a pick in the first round of the NFL Draft as the Bills traded out.
Beane said the Bills didn’t have many first-round grades, so trading down and eventually out made sense.
“It was just really following our board. We had enough guys with a similar value on the board that we felt confident going to (pick) 35,” Beane said. … Yesterday was huge how it worked out for us. We knew when we left here last night, looking at the board, that we’re going to be able to get a pass rusher.”
The Bills selected Parker and cornerback Davison Igbinosun on Day 2.
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