In preparation for the 2024 NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills had some work to do this offseason. A great deal of it. Buffalo invested more in its season than any other team did. At the start of this offseason, they were well behind on the salary cap, which forced them to make some difficult choices. After trading Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans, the Bills ended up dismissing veteran mainstays like Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer.
Though they signed veterans like Curtis Samuel and Mike Edwards and were able to recuperate a second-round pick for Diggs, there was a significant loss of talent. In the 2024 NFL Draft, Buffalo had to make up for that. Almost every position on the team was addressed by the Bills in the draft, with the exception of quarterback. They got a ton of elite talent, but Buffalo also contributed a ton of depth. This was particularly evident in the choices they made regarding Edefuan Ulofoshio, Cole Bishop, and Sedrick Van Pran-Granger.
Cole Bishop is drafted
Poyer and Hyde were maybe the best safety tandem in the NFL for a considerable amount of time. But now that they’re both gone, the Bills need someone to step into at least one of their positions. That should be within Cole Bishop’s capability. During his time at Utah, Bishop donned numerous hats. He filled in a ton of duties for the Utes defense, lining up everywhere. The Bills need him to be versatile in addition to having him fill a comparable role.
The Bills lost Hyde and Poyer to free agency in addition to having to waive linebacker Tyrel Dodson, slot corner Dane Jackson, and former All-Pro cornerback Tre’Davious White. Bishop is able to play anywhere. He is a dynamic player when it comes to stopping the run and can hold his own in coverage. After losing so many important players to injury this offseason, the Bills desperately needed an infusion of talent and versatility in their secondary. Bishop answers both questions.
Creating Drafts Granger, Sedrick Van Pran
The Bills’ offensive line suffered a significant loss during the offseason. Mitch Morse, their starting center, joined the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency. As things stand right now, Connor McGovern will start in lieu of Morse. However, a year ago, he was a journeyman with experience who played guard for Buffalo. Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, a rookie selected in the fifth round, has a good chance of challenging for the starting center position before the season begins or possibly winning it.
During the draft, Van Pran-Granger most certainly slid far longer than he should have. Throughout the past few years, he has been the cornerstone of Georgia’s offensive line. During the previous four years, he was one of four centers with at least 1,000 pass-block snaps who allowed one sack or fewer. One of the top offensive lineman to return to college following the 2022 season, according to many, is Van Pran-Granger. The Bills had to go through this year’s draft class in search of hidden gems. With Van Pran-Granger, perhaps. If he is a rookie at first, it shouldn’t come as a surprise.
Edefuan Ulofoshio’s draft
Tyrel Dodson, a linebacker for Buffalo, was one of the losses, as was previously noted. After adding Deion Jones, the Bills still have good depth at that position. Matt Milano and Terrel Bernard, the starters, are back as well. However, Milano’s injury a year ago caused the Bills’ defense to start to falter. Perhaps this year, after selecting Edefuan Ulofoshio in the fifth round, they will be more equipped to handle such hardship.
Ulofoshio will be a huge asset to the Bills pass defense. A year ago, according to PFF, he had the best pass coverage grade of any linebacker. That ability will undoubtedly be helpful for a squad that has had years of trouble stopping Travis Kelce. Finding depth and versatility for the Bills was a top priority for this year’s draft class. All of their selections, including Ulofoshio, a fifth-round pick, contributed to that. He can immediately assist Buffalo.
