One of the hotter topics of conversation after the Buffalo Bills’ trade for DJ Moore has been the idea of trading back in Round 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft to add additional Day 2 value. The 60th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft now belongs to the Chicago Bears with the trade of Moore. That means the Bills only have two picks in the top 100 selections scheduled as of right now.
ESPN’s Field Yates has the Bills moving around the board some to gain more capital in his latest mock draft. The proposed trade
propels the Arizona Cardinals up the board to select Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson.
The Bills drop themselves eight selections to pick 34 overall. With that pick, Yates has the Bills selecting Georgia linebacker CJ Allen.
While there are no proposed trade terms in this mock, a move like this one would likely yield the Bills pick 65 overall (Round 3.01) — a worthwhile maneuver to acquire more talent on a team that needs to continue swinging on young, cheap contracts.
Allen would be an asset for a position group that has had no additions during the 2026 offseason to date. Veteran linebackers Matt Milano and Shaq Thompson remain free agents, and the team hasn’t filled those positions now more than two weeks into the new league year. It’s a spot that can use resources and general reinforcements to shore up the second level.
The lowdown on Allen is that he was quite the leader for the notoriously defensive-minded Kirby Smart and their always-talented defense. Allen flies to the football — he’s a quick processor with tremendous football IQ.
One potential concern for Allen is that he didn’t participate in athletic testing at either the NFL Scouting Combine or Georgia’s Pro Day. That means we won’t have public athletic testing numbers prior to the draft.
The good news for Allen, however, is that his ability to move laterally is one of his strengths. He’s built like a bowling ball of muscle, which makes him appear a bit stiff at times. But Allen appears to have a respectable amount of athleticism for a MIKE linebacker at the bare minimum.
The Bills made a point of adding more interior offensive line help in free agency with additions of Lloyd Cushenberry III and Austin Corbett on Thursday. The front seven appears prepped to be a major focus of the team’s early round draft plans at the end of April.
Allen is a piece new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard can trust to instantly come through to make an impact as a rookie thanks to his high character and football IQ. It’s clear the Bills are looking for some more nasty on their defense with an add like C.J. Gardner-Johnson on the back end. Getting a “dog” in the front seven feels just as important and worthwhile. Allen provides that.
