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The Buffalo Bills moved up early in the first round to take Josh Allen and went back to the well later in the round, moving up again to take Virginia Tech linebacker Tremaine Edmunds.
The Baltimore Ravens were on the other side of the deal and scooped up two picks in the trade, including the first pick of the third round.
TRADE ALERT
— Buffalo Bills (@buffalobills) April 27, 2018
We’ve received the 16th overall pick from the @Ravens for the 22nd, 65th and 154th overall picks in the 2018 NFL Draft. pic.twitter.com/4kmN13x7KN
Edmunds is a 19-year-old linebacker with tremendous athleticism and potential, but far from a finished product.
Why did the Bills make the trade?
When the Bills took Josh Allen with the No. 7 pick, it was clear the team was buying into potential and long-term investments rather than instant starters. That’s the same thing they get with Edmunds, although the team’s linebacker depth will undoubtedly push Edmunds into the lineup sooner rather than later.
Matt Milano is a starting-quality linebacker for Buffalo, but the other two spots are wide open for new starters to take over for Lorenzo Alexander and Ramon Humber.
Edmunds is likely not the first linebacker investment of the 2018 NFL Draft for the Bills and was considered by many to be a top 10 pick. Losing the No. 65 pick isn’t cheap, but if Edmunds reaches his full potential it will easily be worth the investment.