The Buffalo Bills may not be chasing a home run in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
They may be looking to stack hits while navigating a board that, in general manager Brandon Beane's words, is "clear as mud."
Beane suggested this year’s draft lacks the clear separation at the top that teams typically rely on, a reality that could shape how Buffalo approaches pick No. 26.
“You kind of write down these are the known names off the board,” Beane said Monday. “What is the consensus of those? Is that eight names, is that six names, is that 12 names?
“Probably don’t get as many consensus names anywhere near getting to 26.”
That lack of clarity has created a wider range of outcomes for prospects expected to go late in the first round.
“There’s players that feel like they’re going in one, but their agent or someone close to them realizes they can go anywhere from 20 to 40,” Beane said. “There’s always players like that, but I would say there are probably more this year.”
“I would say it’s not as deep at the top,” he said. “But there are depths and areas in this draft where you can find players to help your team, so I don’t want to diminish it.”
The result is a draft board with less certainty, especially in the latter part of the first round.
“We’re on the lower end of it,” Beane said, referring to the number of true first-round grades compared to other years.
For a team picking No. 26, that could make aggressive moves up the board less appealing and increase the value of patience.
Instead of targeting a specific player, the Bills may focus on maximizing value, whether that means staying put or moving back.
“You don’t have to hit homers,” Beane said. “Hit singles, doubles, triples. If a homer falls to you, great. Just continue to find ways to incrementally help our roster.”
That philosophy aligns with Buffalo’s current roster construction. After trading for wide receiver D.J. Moore and signing outside Bradley Chubb, the Bills may not need a splash move as much as they need depth and flexibility.
In a draft without clear tiers at the top, that approach might not just be strategic. It might be necessary.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Buffalo Bills draft outlook 'clear as mud' with fewer top prospects