They traded back three times.
That is an unusual sequence of events for any team in any draft, and ESPN Cleveland radio host Emmett Golden offered an explanation.
The Bills were eyeing a trade to move up in the draft to select Texas A&M wide receiver KC Concepcion, just before the Browns picked him at No. 24.
Once Concepcion was off the board, Buffalo had no obvious reason to stay put at 26 and began trading back to accumulate picks rather than settle for a player they were not targeting.
Who Concepcion Is and Why the Bills Wanted Him
Concepcion was one of the most physically impressive receiver prospects in the class, a big-bodied pass catcher with legitimate contested-catch ability and route-running polish that translated well to pre-draft evaluations.
Concepcion was born in Rochester, New York, and moved to North Carolina as a young child. It would have been a cool moment to see him return to his hometown to play his NFL career there, but the Bills had trouble finding a trade partner to draft the young receiver.
The Browns, who had already addressed their offensive line by selecting Utah left tackle Spencer Fano at No. 9, turned to their receiving corps at No. 24 and beat Buffalo to the pick.
The Bills had to know that the Browns would target a wide receiver at No. 24, especially after selecting a left tackle at No. 9. It was clear they were looking to address their receiving corps, since that position and tackle were the biggest weaknesses for Cleveland.
Whether Buffalo miscalculated how quickly Cleveland would move or simply could not find the right trade partner in time is unclear, but the result was the same.
Concepcion went to Cleveland and the Bills went into trade-back mode.
What Buffalo Did Instead
Rather than force a pick they were not excited about at No. 26, the Bills used the evening to stockpile Day 2 currency.
They ultimately traded back three times in the first round, ending the night without a selection but with additional capital to deploy on Friday and Saturday.
The strategy paid dividends on Day 2 when they traded up into the second round with the Denver Broncos to select Ohio State cornerback Davison Igbinosun, who is a lengthy and physical corner with 53 career starts and 31 total passes defended at Ohio State.
Buffalo added a receiver later in the draft and still figures to be active in the post-draft free agent market at the position as the offseason continues.
Photo Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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