Last week, Bills General manager Buddy Nix admitted that his team is in need of tackles.
We agreed when we outlined the Bills’ draft needs and Nix is still banging that drum a little more than 24 hours before the start of the draft. In an interview with 590 The Fan Radio in Toronto on Wednesday, Nix said that left tackle is a bigger need than wide receiver, perceived to be the other spot where the Bills might look to improve on offense during the early part of the draft.
“I think the left tackle is vital,” said Nix. “I don’t care how good your receivers are if you’re on your back you can’t throw it to him. You’ve got to protect your quarterback first I think.”
The issue for the Bills is going to be landing that left tackle in this draft. Matt Kalil is the best one on the board, but even if the Vikings pass on him at three it is hard to imagine that he slips all the way to the 10th pick. The other possibilities at the position -- Riley Reiff, Jonathan Martin, Cordy Glenn, Mike Adams -- all come with question marks that could make it difficult for the Bills to pull the trigger on them at such an early point in the draft.
Nix has said good things about Chris Hairston, the presumptive left tackle, but his consistent drumbeat about tackles makes you think that the Bills are interested in having another option at the position. They might have to wait a while to find one, though.