Brian Thomas to the Buffalo Bills? Why it could be the move they need to make

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) – We are one day from the 2024 NFL Draft on Thursday and the Buffalo Bills have a lot of pressure to get their first round pick done correctly.

As it stands, Buffalo has the 28th pick, but also has a lot of options. The team has 10 picks in total from rounds one through seven and have some very glaring needs. Wide receiver sticks out like a sore thumb.

And that’s because with no Stefon Diggs and no Gabe Davis, there’s actually no wide receiver that does stick out when you look at this Buffalo Bills roster. Khalil Shakir is improving. Curtis Samuel is a steady vet. But neither are true No. 1 WRs and that’s an issue when you have as talented of a quarterback as Josh Allen.

LSU’s Brian Thomas could be the solution.

“(Josh is a) great quarterback,” said Thomas during the NFL Combine. “It would be amazing for me just being able to play with a quarterback like him, just learn from him, earn the trust of him.”

Thomas kept things pretty general during his combine interview, but his respect for Allen sure stood out. The Bills have been rumored to select Thomas if he falls to them in plenty of mocks. There’s the chance he gets selected before 28th, but with so much draft capital, the Bills could be willing to move up to draft Thomas.

Still, if you know anything about Buffalo Bills GM Brandon Beane, it has to make sense.

“If there’s a guy I like and I’m confident, I want to go to bed Thursday night that I got him,” said Beane.

Of course, there’s no telling on if Thomas is that guy this year, but his production at LSU would seem to point to the fact that he’s worthy if a long discussion.

Thomas finished the 2023 season with 1,177 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns, the latter of which led the nation.

A playmaker of that skillset would be a welcome addition to any offense, but considering Thomas is also 6-foot-5 is a whole ‘nother layer. Having a star receiver who can go up and catch passes against any defender is the dream of any offensive coordinator.

Speaking of which, Bills OC Joe Brady also came up through the ranks at LSU. While he never coached Thomas, he has knowledge of that fact.

“I think I would fit very well in the Bills offense. Just Joe Brady, him being at LSU during that time, I liked his offense,” said Thomas.

Again, while there was no overlap, certain ideas were carried over from when Brady left Baton Rouge after the 2019 season to when Thomas got there in 2021.

There are almost too many similarities and pieces to the puzzle that already seem to fit. Of course, the NFL Draft always seems to twist and turn and can be as unpredictable as any event in sports. But Brian Thomas to the Buffalo Bills might be a route Brandon Beane has to take into his own hands.