The selection of Stephon Gilmore with the 10th overall pick seemed designed to help the Bills cut down on the big plays to wide receivers that hurt them last season.
It was, but it was about more than that as well. Playing in the AFC East twice a year means playing against Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez twice a year and the Bills think Gilmore will help them match up with the Patriots’ dynamic tight end duo. In an interview with WGR 550 Radio, via the Bills website, Bills General Manager Buddy Nix talked about how he expects Gilmore to help them do that.
“We would like to be able to match up against those two guys,” said Nix. “Even though you’re not as big as they are these guys with speed and they’re big enough that they can’t knock them around and push them away from them. It’s a lot harder for them against these bigger corners. Yes, we think he can do that.”
Gilmore is 6'0, 190 pounds and the Bills added another big corner last year when they drafted Aaron Williams. That’s still a good bit smaller than Gronkowski and Hernandez, but it is still an approach worth a shot. The new group of tight ends are too much for linebackers and many safeties because of their speed, so using corners who can at least compete physically could make a difference.