What the Bills’ draft says about their defensive line vision

ORCHARD PARK - Once he was finished trading down three times to get out of the first round of the NFL Draft, Buffalo Bills president/general manager Brandon Beane had a perfect opportunity to address a position that is perceived by many to be in need of fortification. However, with two of the highest-rated run-stuffing defensive tackles sitting there when he finally decided to pick a player with the third selection in the second round, No. 35 overall, he took a pass on Ohio State’s Kayden McDonald and Georgia’s Christen Miller.

Edge rusher TJ Parker was the choice , and in theory that should work out just fine as Parker was a consensus late first-rounder among the analysts, a player with a well-developed and versatile skill set. Pass rush has been a constant source of angst for the Bills and Parker brings 21. 5 sacks and 41.

5 tackles for loss to Buffalo across three seasons at Clemson. I’m not going to debate that pick, but McDonald went one spot later to the Texans and Miller was scooped up at No. 42 by the Saints, and for a Buffalo defense that has often struggled to stop the run, you wonder if the prudent move would have been drafting one of those 320-plus pound tackles to plug into the A gap.

Here’s a look at the Bills’ defensive line as the team gets ready to start OTAs: Do the Bills need a nose tackle? Their roster building to this point would suggest maybe not. Jim Leonhard spent his previous two seasons on the Broncos’ defensive staff and last year, Denver coordinator Vance Joseph used three defensive linemen on just 38% of snaps, and almost never was the A gap player in the middle in the traditional nose tackle spot head up on the center.