The Buffalo Bills have been linked to Clemson running back Travis Etienne throughout the 2021 NFL Draft process.
Now, the most definitive report on Buffalo’s interest has come out. ESPN’s Todd McShay said on the Ryen Russilo podcast that the Bills are looking to trade ahead of the New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers to secure Etienne.
“The last bit of buzz for you,” McShay told Russilo. “Travis Etienne is the hottest running back in this class right now in terms of where his draft stock is going to be. I’m told that Buffalo at 30 is talking to teams ahead of the Jets at 23 and Jacksonville at 25 and going ahead of Pittsburgh as well trying to get in position to get Etienne. They think that he’s the best back. They want to pair him up obviously with Josh Allen and create that backfield.”
McShay is not the only draft analyst to link Buffalo to Etienne on Monday. Peter King of NBC Sports mocked Etienne to the Bills at pick 30 and Albert Breer of SI.com linked the Bills to the back saying that Etienne’s name was brought up to him when mentioning who the Bills will target in Round 1.
What you need to know: A second-tier corner probably would make the most sense, but Clemson’s Travis Etienne was a name raised to me for Buffalo. And the comp I’ve gotten most for him is Alvin Kamara—a player you have to have a plan for, but one who can be incredibly difficult for defenses to handle. Adding Etienne to that skill group, as an underneath weapon with the Bills’ ability to go downfield, would be pretty tantalizing.
The Alvin Kamara comp that Breer has received is very interesting as Beane went on record recently stating that he would draft a back like Kamara if available in Round 1. He told Adam Schein of Mad Dog Sports Radio that certain style backs are well worth taking on the first day of the draft.
“I’m for taking the best player,” Beane told Schein. “And there are running backs in this league now currently in the NFL… I’ve talked about it in another interview. Christian McCaffrey, if he were in this draft–that was my last draft in Carolina–I would take him in the first round. I’d take Alvin Kamara, Dalvin Cook. There are guys that are multi-dimensional. They’re not just first and second down bruiser backs, but they can bring a lot to your offense. Christian McCaffrey, Kamara, those guys can go line up and play slot receiver for you in this league. They’re that good. This is a passing league. A homerun hitter or a vertical threat. We don’t have a guy that has that dimension so that’s another element. You have to look at that. Those are first round talents.”
If Beane agrees with the Etienne/Kamara comp, Buffalo could be on the move Thursday night to secure the back.
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