ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. - Just because Marv Levy is a first-time NFL general manager doesn't mean the Hall of Fame coach isn't familiar with running a little misdirection leading up to the NFL draft.
"With the eighth pick in the first round, we're going to take Reggie Bush," he said with a wink.
The joke, of course, is that Levy knows the Heisman Trophy winning running back from Southern Cal will be long gone by the time the Bills pick eighth Saturday.
He also understands there are plenty of other holes to fill, particularly on the defensive and offensive lines, on a team that was 5-11 last season and has missed the playoffs six straight years.
Rather than considering moving up in the draft, in which the Bills already have 10 picks, Levy isn't ruling out trading down should the right deal present itself.
"Now we're not looking at going in to wheel and deal on the trade market, but we're sure not going to close it off," Levy said. "In fact, the guy we sort of like right now, my strong guess would be that he'll be there four spaces below."
That player might be Florida State defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley, whose quick feet and ability to penetrate are considered a good fit in new coach Dick Jauron's defensive scheme.
Levy, who coached the Bills to an unmatched four straight Super Bowl appearances in the 1990s, is back in Buffalo, lured out of retirement to take over after team president Tom Donahoe was fired in January.
It's now on the 80-year-old rookie GM to return stability and focus to a once-proud franchise that lost its way during Donahoe's five-year tenure. In that span, the Bills have had three head coaches (including Jauron), five starting quarterbacks and just one winning season.
Last year, the offense sputtered under first-year starter J.P. Losman and journeyman backup Kelly Holcomb, finishing 28th in the league. The defense was worse, finishing 29th, beset by injuries and the free-agent loss of tackle Pat Williams.
The offensive line has especially been in disarray, with right guard Chris Villarrial now the senior member entering just his third year with the team.
Levy called the offensive and defensive lines areas of "major concern."
He's spent the first three months on the job dealing with other concerns, starting with hiring Jauron, the former Chicago Bears coach, to replace Mike Mularkey, who abruptly resigned a week after Donahoe's dismissal.
Levy has also been active revamping the roster, starting by releasing several veteran players, including defensive tackle Sam Adams and safety Lawyer Milloy.
And the Bills have been active in free agency, signing 11 players, including defensive tackle Larry Tripplett, and bringing back receiver Peerless Price, trying to offset the trade of veteran Eric Moulds to Houston.
Levy, however, understands the key to success comes with drafting, something the Bills failed to do well under Donahoe. Of the 43 players drafted during Donahoe's watch, only seven remain on the roster and are considered proven regulars.
The biggest bust was offensive tackle Mike Williams, the No. 4 pick in the 2002 draft, who was released in February and has since signed with Jacksonville.
The Bills also need to address holes on both lines after spending high picks in the last three drafts on skill-position players - some of whom have yet to pan out.
The question marks include Losman (selected 22nd in 2004), who struggled as a first-year starter last season. Receiver Roscoe Parrish, Buffalo's first pick at 55th overall, was limited by a hand injury, while the team's second pick, tight end Kevin Everett (88th), missed the season with a knee injury.
Levy will have the final say on draft day, but will lean heavily on the advice of Tom Modrak, who kept his job as chief scout and assistant GM.
Modrak defended the Bills' draft history, but acknowledged a need to address both lines.
"When we made those picks, they weren't for splash," Modrak said. "But yeah, it's a fair assumption we want to get better and add to the lines."