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ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 08: General Manager Brandon Beane of the Buffalo Bills looks on prior to a game against the Arizona Cardinals at Highmark Stadium on September 08, 2024 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images)

The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft wrapped up on Thursday night, and even though the Buffalo Bills began the evening with the No. 26 pick, they ultimately did not make a selection after trading back three times.

It’s not common for a team to trade back three times during the first round, but that might be because the Bills were targeting a player who was already taken, so they decided to pivot in a different direction.

Did The Bills Try to Trade Up?

ESPN’s Cleveland radio host Emmett Golden shared on X on Friday that 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.

Golden stated that ESPN’s draft analyst Jordan Reid shared with him in an interview about the Bills’ plans to pursue Concepcion.

It makes perfect sense that the Bills decided to trade back once Concepcion was off the board. Their plans probably took a significant turn, and instead of forcing a pick for a player they weren’t keen on, they opted to continue trading back to acquire more draft capital. This strategy allows them to target additional players on Day 2 and Day 3 of the draft.

Concepcion was born in Rochester, New York, and moved to North Carolina as a young child. It would have been exciting to see him return to his hometown to play his NFL career there, but the Bills must have faced challenges in finding a trade partner to draft the young receiver.

Cleveland Was Going WR at No. 24

The Bills had to know that the Browns would target a wide receiver at No. 24, especially after selecting Utah’s left tackle, Spencer Fano, 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.

When Cleveland was on the clock with the 24th pick, there were still three wide receivers available that they could have chosen: Concepcion, Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr., and Washington’s Denzel Boston.

If the Browns had chosen either Cooper or Boston at No. 24, there’s a strong possibility that Concepcion would have still been available at No. 26. This is because the Chicago Bears, selecting at No. 25, opted for Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman.

Could Buffalo Take a WR at No. 35?

The Bills will have the opportunity to draft a receiver if they choose to in the early part of the second round. Buffalo will kick off the second night of the draft with the No. 35 pick, the third selection of the evening.

Although Concepcion is no longer on the board, Boston, who many expected to be a first-round pick, was surprisingly not selected that night. The Bills could still end up with a solid receiver if Boston manages to drop to No. 35. It would be quite a successful draft for the Bills, having traded back three times and still securing a receiver who could make an impact from Day 1.