Bills news: Brandon Beane uses Day 1 to stockpile picks

TL;DR

The Buffalo Bills traded back three times during Day 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft, opting to accumulate additional picks instead of selecting a potential starter. Fans expressed frustration over the decision not to draft top talents like Omar Cooper Jr. or Keldric Faulk.

Key points

Buffalo Bills entered the 2026 NFL Draft with seven selections
Bills traded back three times during Day 1 of the draft
Decision frustrated fans wanting immediate impact players
Top potential picks included Omar Cooper Jr. and Keldric Faulk
Draft recap and Day 2 preview included in coverage

Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills entered the 2026 NFL Draft with seven selections and a bevy of positional needs to address with their draft picks.

On Thursday night, at Day 1 of the draft, the Bills opted to stockpile picks instead of adding a potential impact starter when it was their turn to pick towards the end of the first round.

President of football operations/general manager Brandon Beane traded back not once, not twice, but three times late in the round, adding picks to his arsenal while frustrating fans who wanted the team to use their first-round pick on a talent like Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. (pictured below) or Auburn edge rusher Keldric Faulk

Today’s edition of Buffalo Rumblinks recaps the flurry of moves made on Day 1 and previews some of the best players available for the Bills on Day 2.

Beane trades back 3 times on opening night

The Bills orchestrated three separate trade downs on Thursday night, working out deals with the Houston Texans, New England Patriots, and Tennessee Titans to stockpile picks. With the deals, Beane turned picks No. 26, 91, 165 into 35, 66, 101, 125, and 167, giving Buffalo nine selections, including five among the first 126 picks.

Linked below: Recapping Beane’s trades; find out how Beane aced the first round without making a pick; and a run through the updated list of draft picks Buffalo has for Rounds 2 through 7.