Buffalo Bills: Kyle Williams’ retirement could impact draft plans
By James Reeve
With the news that 13-year veteran Kyle Williams will retire after Sunday’s game, this could heavily impact the draft plans of the Buffalo Bills.
Prior to the Buffalo Bills announcing Kyle Williams‘ retirement, it was widely believed that the team would target a top offensive lineman in the 2019 NFL Draft.
The Bills rank 31st in pass offence this season and need a serious upgrade along the trenches to help give Josh Allen some room in the pocket.
With Williams retiring, it is now believed that the Bills could go in a number of directions once their name is called on draft day.
New York Upstate listed four impending free agents that they believe the team should target in order to have more flexibility by the draft.
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Two of these free agents are offensive linemen, with Matt Paradis (C) and Daryl Williams (RT) both players that could help bolster this position.
With the offence largely upgraded with the four free agent additions, the question now turns to how will the Bills replace the departing DT Williams.
The Bills have Jordan Phillips and Harrison Phillips both currently on the roster, with the latter looking quite impressive during his rookie season.
The third-round (96th overall) selection in the 2018 NFL Draft has registered 33 tackles (19 solo), with four coming for a loss.
At just 22 years old, he could develop into a solid starter along the defensive line but there is one prospect coming out of college this year that could be a day-one starter if drafted by the Bills.
Ed Oliver, a junior defensive tackle currently with the Houston Cougars, is set to enter the NFL draft in April – making him arguably the top player at the position.
The 6-foot-3, 290lbs interior lineman leaves college after racking up some big numbers up the middle.
In 33 games with the Cougars, Oliver registered 193 total tackles (123 solo), with 53.5 of them coming for a loss.
He hurried opposition quarterback 23 times while earning 13.5 sacks and six forced fumbles as a three-year starter.
His most recent season saw his stats drop slightly, with the former American Conference Defensive Player of the Year missing five games through injuries.
Despite missing a number of games, Oliver still registered 54 combined tackles, three sacks, two pass deflections, nine QB hurries and one forced fumble in eight games
While standing somewhat leaner than many other defensive tackles, Oliver possesses great speed that helps him work through the middle – being effective against both the run and pass game.
If the Bills address their offence effectively enough during free agency, then targeting an elite prospect such as Oliver makes the most sense for the franchise moving forward.
Harrison Phillips might prove to be an effective player in the NFL, having already shown flashes of talent this season, but a prospect such as Oliver can’t be passed on if he is available when the Bills make their pick – which is expected to be somewhere in the Top 10.
dark. Next. Bills will lose true legend when Williams walks away
What do you think Bills Mafia? Should the Bills look to replace Williams with the talented Oliver or should they give H. Phillips a chance and look at another position in the draft? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!