Bills focus on defense in NFL Draft, headlined by Kentucky CB Maxwell Hairston

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With NFL MVP Josh Allen showing he can effectively run an offense with a share-the-wealth approach in his first season minus receiver Stefon Diggs, the Buffalo Bills used this year’s draft to replenish a defense that’s too often fallen short in the playoffs.

General manager Brandon Beane used Buffalo’s first five selections and six of nine overall to address the five-time defending AFC East champions’ short- and long-term needs at cornerback and along the defensive line.

The top-end newcomers have the potential to immediately improve the unit after Beane cut edge rusher Von Miller, chose not to re-sign cornerback Rasul Douglas and gave up on cornerback Kaiir Elam by trading the 2022 first-round pick to Dallas last month.

“We did feel we needed to get younger in some areas on defense,” Beane said. “Sometimes you have transition, age at certain positions, positions that don’t work out. … I think it’s exciting where we’re at [because] of what we’ve added.”

Buffalo opened the draft by taking Kentucky cornerback Maxwell Hairston at No. 30. Over the next three rounds, Beane traded up to land defensive tackles — South Carolina’s T.J. Sanders at No. 41 and Kentucky’s Deone Walker at No. 109 — while also adding Arkansas edge rusher Landon Jackson (No. 72).

Add in the additions of free-agent edge rushers Joey Bosa and Michael Hoecht and tackle Larry Ogunjobi, and this represents a major shift from the aging defense that allowed 30 or more points four times last season — including a 32-29 loss to Kansas City in the AFC championship game in January.

Buffalo has just seven holdovers — including CBs Tre’Davious White and Dane Jackson, who rejoined the team this year — from the defense that was trampled by K.C. in a 38-24 loss in the AFC championship game after the 2020 season.

Beane began overhauling the roster 13 months ago when he parted ways with six captains, including trading Diggs to Houston, to get Buffalo’s payroll in order.

With a few exceptions, starting with Allen, the Bills are a transformed team from 2019, when they began a six-year run of playoff appearances.

The draft picks join an emerging core after the Bills signed five players, including Allen, to contract extensions of four or more years this offseason.

“I think that’s the job of GM, is to make sure that you want to compete today, but you’re also having plans for more and how you’re going to do that,” Beane told The Associated Press.

“It’s understanding that some guys are going to graduate, injuries happen, you have to move on,” he added. “It’s making sure you have a plan each step of the way, how you attack free agency and how to attack the draft.”

Deep on D-line

With three draft picks, Buffalo’s roster now features 13 defensive linemen, seven tackles and six ends. The Bills prefer to rotate their defensive linemen to keep players fresh during games, and they carried 11 linemen on the roster last season.

Depth won’t be an issue initially, with Ogunjobi and Hoecht expected to miss the first six games while serving NFL suspensions for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy.

SEC strong

Buffalo’s first four players are from the SEC, including Kentucky teammates Hairston and Walker.

“How can you not respect the SEC and their track record?” Beane said. “Every year, every draft, a lot of premium players. It’s not the only league, but it’s a pretty loaded division.”

Sanders, the second-round pick out of South Carolina, grew up playing basketball and didn’t pick up football until his junior year of high school. He stuck with football when South Carolina offered him a scholarship.

“I feel like if I couldn’t play in the SEC, I couldn’t play in any league,” Sanders said. “So I wanted to go to the SEC and really prove myself, prove that I belong.”

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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