I agree DW - you summed it up well. This year's draft modus operandi was 'lets-not-make-a-mistake'. Safe picks for holes on the roster and few resources (picks) expended this year (no trade ups / trading out til next year).
And guess what - in a year where many wanted to go 'all in', BB instead cashed his chips and walked away early from the table to play again next year. And I completely get it.
Bill didn't know when he would see these rookies, he didn't know how many games would be played, he didn't know when FA would start and how many years of accrued service would qualify. He didn't know how much money it would take to sign this years rookies (rookie wage scale or not). Bill didn't even know for how many years he would be able to sign this years rookies for. So Bill said, F you this years class. I don't know the rules of this game so I don't want to play. And I get it. How are you supposed to develop a draft strategy and a team building strategy for developing these players when you don't even know the most basic thing as how long a contract you are allowed to sign them for?
This years rookie class could well have a redshirt year with little / no OTA's and so why waste a year of their limited rookie contract? Especially on DE conversions and high learning curve positions (WR , defense in Bills complex system). The offense was getting old anyway so take the safe and easy learning curve positions (RB, OT, OG, blocking TE). With unknown rules and not the deepest draft on a already loaded roster - take the safe picks at position with holes (which WILL make the roster) and push as many draft chips into next year. Thats how Bill played draft poker this year while the rules were changing day by day.
And I don't like all of the NEP draft picks -but I understand why he did what he did. Why draft clueless rookies on defense (who you don't trust on the field as little / no OTA's) and waste a year of their contract. Lets see this year on our young defense who develops the most (Pryor, Brace, Deaderick, Weston, Richard, Fletcher, Love, Butler, Whilite, etc). Let these 2nd / 3rd year players get the limited time 'give starters a rest' or 'mop up duty' limited game snaps. Let the 2nd year players get the coaches guidance at practice, let them get the teams resources. Instead of have these 2nd year players knocked off the roster to draft a bunch of highly rated rookie defenders who wont see the field anyway as they won't even have a chance to absorb past page 50 of the playbook. Let alone practice these plays at OTA's.