BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — The Bills addressed one of their few needs in the 1st round by adding cornerback Kaiir Elam. Next up, round 2.

Here are 5 players I believe would be an ideal fit and could still be on the board when the Bills pick 57th overall.

  1. RB Kenny Walker, MSU– Prior to the draft there were rumors that the Bills were interested in Breece Hall. The Iowa State running back is still on the board but will most likely be gone when the Bills go on the clock again. I really like Walker. He ran for 3,000 yards and 41 touchdowns the last two seasons. Devin Singletary is on the final year of his rookie deal and Walker would be a nice short-term compliment and maybe a long-term solution.
  1. WR George Pickens, Georgia- 6 wide receivers went in the top 18 picks but there are still some playmakers left on the board. Pickens suffered a torn ACL before the 2021 campaign and played sparingly in a few games this season. One of those game was the National Championship win when he made a spectacular diving catch. When healthy, Pickens showed the ability to make big plays down the field for the Bulldogs. The 6’3” wide out has good size and would be in a good spot to learn behind veterans Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis, and Jamison Crowder.
  1. WR John Metchie, Alabama- Steady is a good word to describe Metchie. He does a lot of things good but nothing great. He has the ability to line up on the outside or inside. The ‘Bama wide out is coming off a very good 2021 season. Metchie hauled in 96 receptions for over 1,100 yards and 8 touchdowns. His season was cut short in the SEC Championship game when the tore his ACL. He may not be ready for the start of the season but the Bills can afford to wait and make him a long-term investment.
  1. S Jalen Pitre, Baylor- The Billshave the best safety duo in the NFL but Jordan Poyer is looking for a big new contract and Micah Hyde will turn 32-years-old during the season. At some point the Bills will need to start looking toward the future at that position. Pitre was a 4-year starter for Baylor and had 135 tackles, 4 picks and 6 sacks over past 2 seasons.
  1. G Sean Rhyan, UCLA- The Bills upgraded the interior of the offensive line during free agency but Rhyan would be  a developmental addition who wouldn’t need to make an impact in 2022. He was a 3-year starter at left tackle for the Bruins but will his best position at the next level will be guard.

Josh Reed is an award-winning journalist who has served as News 4’s Sports Director since 2015. See more of his work here.