
What can we learn about Buffalo’s Round 1 trade history under GM Brandon Beane — and what might potential scenarios look like in this year’s draft?
The Buffalo Bills hold the 30th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, just two spots from the very bottom of Round 1. You may remember that they traded out of the first round last year. You might be wondering if it’s even worth staying up late for their pick this year.
Bills general manager Brandon Beane has a history of making moves in the first round since arriving at One Bills Drive. This is Beane’s eighth year at the helm of Buffalo’s draft room, and in his previous seven drafts, he has traded their original first-round pick five times.
To that end, below we’ll run through Beane’s trade history in Round 1, discuss possible first-round trade scenarios for 2025, and review what other analysts around the NFL have predicted for Buffalo in terms of a trade in the first round.
Brandon Beane’s history of Round 1 NFL Draft trades
* indicates a trade made during the NFL Draft
2018
- The Bills at one point held the 21st (original pick) and 22nd overall pick (received in the 2017 NFL Draft trade with the Kansas City Chiefs to move down from pick 10 to pick 27).
- Traded Cordy Glenn, 2018 first-round pick (21st overall), and 2018 fifth-round pick (158th overall) to the Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for 2018 first-round pick (12th overall) and 2018 six-round pick (187th overall).
- Traded 2018 first-round pick (12th overall), 2018 second-round pick (53rd overall), and 2018 second-round pick (56th overall) to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange for 2018 first-round pick (7th overall — Josh Allen). *
- Traded 2018 first-round pick (22nd overall), 2018 third-round pick (65th overall), and 2018 fifth-round pick (154th overall) to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for 2018 first-round pick (16th overall — Tremaine Edmunds). *
2020
- Traded 2020 first-round pick (22nd overall), 2022 fifth-round pick (155th overall), and 2020 sixth-round pick (201st overall) to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for Stefon Diggs and 2020 seventh-round pick (239th overall — Dane Jackson).
2022
- Traded 2022 first-round pick (25th overall) and 2022 fourth-round pick (130th overall) to the Ravens in exchange for 2022 first-round pick (23rd overall — Kaiir Elam). *
2023
- Traded 2023 first-round pick (27th overall) and 2023 fourth-round pick (130th overall) to the Jaguars in exchange for 2023 first-round pick (25th overall — Dalton Kincaid). *
2024
- Traded 2024 first-round pick (28th overall) to the Chiefs in exchange for 2024 first-round pick (32nd overall), 2024 third-round pick (95th overall), and 2024 seventh-round pick (221st overall). *
- Traded newly acquired 2024 first-round pick (32nd overall) to the Panthers in exchange for 2024 second-round pick (33rd overall — Keon Coleman) and 2024 fifth-round pick (141st overall). *
First-round trade scenarios
Trade up
It’s possible that none of the players the Bills have a “first-round grade” will fall to pick number 30. That being said, a player they have a high grade on could fall into the 20-29 pick range. Bills fans have seen this scenario play out before where Buffalo traded up a few spots and selected a player they really covet (Elam, Kincaid).
The Bills have more than enough ammunition to move up, possessing two fourth-round picks and three fifth-round picks this year. At some point, I believe Buffalo will move up in the draft. If it’s not in the first round, it likely to be a trade up into the third round, where they don’t currently hold any picks.
I personally don’t see a reason to trade up for someone much higher than the mid-20s. However, here are some players I would think about trading up for in that range:
Tetairoa McMillan, WR (Arizona)
I doubt Tetairoa McMillan will fall this far, but his draft stock doesn’t seem to be that strong at the moment. If there’s a big run on the draft’s deep defensive line class and another team takes a chance on speedster wide receiver Matthew Golden before McMillan, it’s possible to see his name still on the board late in Round 1.
Kenneth Grant, DT (Michigan)
Kenneth Grant could make it to pick 30, but the Bills might be enticed to move up to solidify the middle of their defensive line. Grant fits what Buffalo’s defense needs: a space-eating one-technique defensive tackle. Grant offers some upside as a pocket pusher, but his presence in the run game would greatly benefit the Bills' defense. A classic “two-spot move up” by Buffalo would be ideal for Grant.
Maxwell Hairston, CB (Kentucky)
It's hard to get a read on where Maxwell Hairston will be drafted, but I believe he should be taken in the first round. The Bills are CB hungry, and they could try for redemption after the swing and miss with Kaiir Elam by hitting on a CB in Round 1 this year. Hairston is a supreme athlete with big-time play-making ability. If Hairston falls close to pick 30, I wouldn’t be surprised if Buffalo’s decision makers are on the phone trying to move up.
James Pearce Jr., EDGE (Tennessee)
James Pearce is explosive off the edge, and he looks like a natural thanks to his moves as a pass rusher. It’s no secret the Bills will be looking for some more juice off the edge, and Pearce would give them just that. He offers huge upside if Buffalo can trade up and nab him in Round 1.
Trade Down
The only way I’d be comfortable trading down if I was managing the Bills’ draft is if they move down to the top of Round 2, plus get a third-round pick in return. As stated, Buffalo doesn’t currently have a third-round pick this year, and I believe the meat and potatoes of this draft will be found on Day 2.
The more players the Bills can find and mold into contributors in 2025 from this draft, the better. If they’re offered a trade for anything less, I wouldn’t do it. Instead, I would sit tight at pick 30 and pick the highest-graded defensive player on the board. They could use help everywhere on defense other than at linebacker. The move should be to throw as many darts at the board as you can with defensive draft picks, and hopefully a couple of them will be bullseyes.
Potential Bills trade scenarios by other analysts
Chad Reuter of NFL.com
In Chad Reuters' Six win-win first-round trades article, he proposed the Bills trade up with the Vikings to pick 24 overall and give them two fourth-rounders in return. Reuter highlighted wide receivers Isaiah Bond or Emeka Egubka, defensive tackles Kenneth Grant or Derrick Harmon, and defensive backs Nick Emmanwori or Azareye’h Thomas as potential candidates the Bills would move up for.
If Buffalo’s front office really had conviction that the player they moved up for in this situation would make an immediate impact, I wouldn’t mind the trade. They have a stockpile of Day 3 picks, and not all of them are going to make the final roster. The Bills need some draft picks on defense to produce in year one, so I believe if they make this move with Minnesota it would be for a defensive player.
Reuter also did a five-round mock draft where Buffalo traded with Baltimore, moving up in the first round to pick 27, swapping fourth-round picks and giving up an additional sixth-round pick in the process. The Bills move up for Matthew Golden in this scenario. As important as I believe it is to land impact defenders, I’d support this trade decision.
Field Yates of ESPN
In Field Yates’ two-round mock draft, he had Buffalo trading down and out of the first round with the New England Patriots. In this scenario, the Bills would move down to the second round to pick 38th overall (sixth pick of Round 2) and also pick up a third-round pick (77th overall). In return, the Patriots would receive pick 30 overall and a fourth-round pick (109th overall).
In this mock draft, Kenneth Grant is still on the board at pick 30, but the Bills end up trading back up to pick 34 in the second round to select him. Though I wouldn’t be jumping for joy with this type of trade, especially with a divisional rival, I also wouldn’t be upset. Here, Buffalo obtains their missing third-round draft pick, and would pick near the beginning of the second round.
If the Bills don’t like anyone on the board at pick 30, this trade-down scenario would be reasonable. That said, is it worth the risk of losing out on Grant at 30 overall just to pick up a third-round selection and hope to draft him eight spots later?
Bill Barnwell of ESPN
In Barnwell's mock draft with all trades article, he has the Bills trading down with the Philadelphia Eagles. He points out that Philadelphia loves to approach the draft similar to Buffalo, which is to trade up a few spots and secure a player they really want.
The Bills would move back two spots to pick 32 overall and, in the process, turn one of their fourth-round picks into a third-round pick — something we understand Buffalo is likely looking to gain. Staying in the first round for fifth-year option purposes and also turning a Day 3 pick into a Day 2 pick seems like a good idea to me if it were to work out that way.