The Buffalo Bills were tabbed as the favorite to win the Super Bowl for most of the 2022 season. At times, the Bills were dominant and certainly looked the part. However, the season ended with a disappointing 27-10 loss against the Cincinnati Bengals in the Divisional Round. After failing to reach the AFC Championship Game in back-to-back seasons, the pressure is mounting in Buffalo.
The Bills could lose several key contributors on defense in free agency. Plus, Buffalo has glaring needs that must be addressed. With little cap space to work with, the Bills must have a great 2023 NFL Draft to address most of their needs. Here are a few prospects that could be good fits in Buffalo.
Let’s check the latest NFL news, stats, injury reports, and NFL picks. We’ve got plenty of NFL lines for the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft Preview Games.
2022 Season Record: 13-3
Status of Coach: Sean McDermott – Safe
Positions needed by the Bills
- Offensive line
- Safety
- Wide receiver
- Running back
- Defensive line
Notable Draft Picks
- Round 1, Pick 27
- Round 2, Pick 59
Potential First-Round Targets
The Bills have overlooked their weak offensive line for a number of seasons. Quarterback Josh Allen has made up for the weakness, consistently avoiding sacks with his large 6-foot-5 frame. In fact, Buffalo was within the top 10 of the fewest allowed sacks in the 2022 season. However, the O-line consistently allowed pressures and the Bills ranked in the bottom third of ESPN’s run block win rate. Buffalo can no longer ignore the obvious weakness, especially if it wants to contend with the Kansas City Chiefs and Bengals.
Florida offensive guard O’Cyrus Torrence could be atop the Bills’ wishlist. Torrence would bring immediate improvement to Buffalo’s run blocking. The Florida product has great strength and a mean streak in the run game. While he does well against bull rushes, Torrence could have trouble with quick pass rushers at the next level. Regardless, he would be an excellent replacement for guard Rodger Saffold, who is a free agent after a poor season.
O’Cyrus Torrence vs DJ Dale
Florida vs AlabamaTorrence won this rep, gave a 1-0 lead for the Offense to close out Senior Bowl practice pic.twitter.com/HmgFQSieRN
— Cam Mellor (@CamMellor) January 31, 2023
If Torrence is not available, the Bills could grab a right tackle. Ohio State offensive tackle Dawand Jones is steadily rising and could become a fringe first-round prospect. He has unreal size at 6-foot-8, 375 pounds, and his 89.5-inch wingspan set a Senior Bowl record. The former Buckeye was a big winner on day one of Senior Bowl practice, as he consistently buried pass rushers in one-on-one drills. Jones also exclusively started at right tackle in college. He could be an instant starter in Buffalo with his immense strength in the run game and impressive mobility in pass protection.
Potential Second-Round Targets
In the second round, the Bills could address several needs. Finding another safety looks like the defense’s biggest hole. Veteran-free safety Jordan Poyer enters free agency and could command too much money. Plus, his injury history makes a long-term deal unappealing. Alabama safety Jordan Battle and Illinois safety Sydney Brown are two potential targets.
Battle has a lot of experience as a three-year starter at Alabama. He is an all-around safety that brings good physicality in run support and has enough range to excel in zone coverages. Brown has elite speed and versatility. The Illinois product is solid in run support, can guard tight ends in man coverage, and makes plays on the ball thanks to his impressive closing speed.
Buffalo will have some difficult decisions to make in the draft. Do the Bills focus on upgrading skill positions on offense, like a wide receiver and running back? Or will Buffalo focus on the lines of scrimmage and defense? The Bills must make the correct decisions to finally appear in a Super Bowl in the 2023 season. For exclusive offers on betting on Super Bowl 57, click here.
The odds and predictions in the article are based on the time of writing and publication. They may differ as to when the actual event takes place.
