Picking the Buffalo Bills' best Round 1 draft target ahead of the 2024 NFL Combine
The Buffalo Bills have been perpetually on the brink of making it to the Super Bowl for the past half-decade. Since Josh Allen led Buffalo to the playoffs in his second year, the Bills have been knocking on the door, appearing in the AFC Championship Game in the 2020 season, and having arguably the most […]
The Buffalo Bills have been perpetually on the brink of making it to the Super Bowl for the past half-decade.
Since Josh Allen led Buffalo to the playoffs in his second year, the Bills have been knocking on the door, appearing in the AFC Championship Game in the 2020 season, and having arguably the most epic of duels with the Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round in 2022.
While the Bills are on the cusp, they can only remain there for so long before it's no longer acceptable to just be close and in the Super Bowl conversation- they need to break through the door.
Buffalo needs to get stronger this offseason in order to break that Kansas City Chiefs-shaped door down, and there will be no shortage of options for Buffalo in terms of who to take in the first round of the NFL Draft to make them a tougher unit.
The Commanders should draft Oregon WR Troy Franklin with the 28th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft
This obviously depends on what the Bills do in the weeks leading up to the NFL Draft. However, even with the salary cap being $13 million higher than expected, it will be difficult for the Bills to make a move for someone like Mike Evans. With that said, they'll likely have to resort to drafting a receiver in the first round of the draft. If they do, Franklin should be their guy.
Franklin is coming off a year in which he caught 81 passes for just under 1,400 yards and 14 touchdowns. He averaged 3.32 yards per route run, and was far better than the average receiver against man-coverage with an 82.2 grade, per PFF.
He also averaged over 17 yards per catch, and that big-play ability is what the Bills need in their offense. His 558 deep receiving yards ranked 11th in the nation, and his 14 deep catches ranked eighth.
How will Franklin fit into the Bills' offense?
The concerns about Franklin are mostly focused on his size. Not his height, his frame. He has that Devonta Smith-type build where he is tall and skinny. Franklin is listed as 6-foot-3 and 187 pounds. That said, it hasn't been a problem to this point, and he's been a consistent playmaker while at Oregon.
Buffalo needs a legitimate No. 2 receiver. Gabe Davis is a free agent, and it's very likely he will sign elsewhere. Khalil Shakir is a nice piece, but not as a second option in the offense. Getting a player of his caliber would move mountains for the offense, especially if he can be the downfield threat that the offense lacked in 2023.
Final Word
The Bills need a solidified No. 2 perimeter receiver that can also double as a reliable deep threat. Franklin is a guy who can win downfield, and become the go-to target in the option in the offense. Should he live up to his potential, he could be the final piece to a Super Bowl puzzle.
Bills huge winners from massive salary cap increase
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