Brandon

Beane

It’s a vote of confidence for McDermott and Beane, who have made the Bills perennial contenders in the tough AFC over the past three seasons. Buffalo has notched 37 regular season wins since 2020, among the most in the NFL. With Josh Allen entering his age-27 season, Beane and McDermott would seem to have at least a few more years in their Super Bowl window.

Beane added that the back needs to be dynamic enough to fit into and help their offense. The Bills have been hailed as one of the more forward-thinking organizations in regards to their understanding of positional value, but they have a tenuous grip on that reputation. Beane has spent two third-round picks on running backs in the past three years and was reportedly interested in Travis Etienne before the Jaguars selected him with the 25th pick. Most draft pundits have Breece Hall as the only back liable to come off the board in the first round. Hall caught 82 passes in college and ran a 4.39-second forty-yard dash. He could be an option when the Bills take the podium for the No. 25 pick next week.

It’s certainly not something the NFL wants team officials to say about the politically contentious issue of vaccinating oneself against a virus that has killed 581,000 people in the US. But NBC Sports’ Peter King reports the league is primed to set a threshold -- an 85 percent vaccination rate among players -- for teams to conduct traditional meetings and practices in 2021. Beane said since “it would be an advantage” to hold pre-COVID meetings and practices, he might make a roster decision based on who is and who is not vaccinated. We could see many borderline players get the boot this summer and fall as teams do whatever they can to avoid the logistical nightmare of 2020 practices.

It’s a very much deserved extension as the team rolls toward another postseason appearance. Hired in 2017, Beane has overseen two playoff teams in Buffalo, along with the team’s first 10-win season of the 21st century. Beane’s gamble on Josh Allen as the seventh overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft has helped transform the Bills. Allen is top-10 in passing yards, touchdowns, completion percentage, and passer rating this season. “Brandon is an outstanding leader, and he has brought a great level of stability throughout our organization,” Bills owners Terry and Kim Pegula said in a statement. “One of the things we appreciate and respect about Brandon is that he is very thorough in his decision-making process. No decision he makes comes without a great deal of study and research.”

The Bills are looking for someone to work in concert with coach Sean McDermott, and McDermott is looking toward the team he arrived from. It’s been made abundantly clear McDermott is running the show in Buffalo. He wants a personnel man who will do his bidding.

Beane is the first candidate to interview since Doug Whaley was fired. It’s not clear how much control he would have in Buffalo, but he has ties to coach Sean McDermott from their time in Carolina. The Bills have also been linked to Panthers director of personnel Don Gregory and Chiefs co-director of player personnel Brett Veach as Whaley’s replacement.

Beane has been the favorite all along, and this confirms it, as he’s the first candidate to be brought back for a second sit-down. New coach Sean McDermott and Beane obviously have a connection after being in Carolina together, and McDermott wants one of his own guys to help him run the show in Buffalo. By all accounts, Beane would be a great hire and is a rising star in personnel.

He replaces Doug Whaley, though he might not have the power of a traditional general manager. By all accounts, new coach Sean McDermott is now calling the shots in Buffalo. It will be Beane’s job to work in concert with his coach, and supply the kind of players he’s looking for. Beane, who has ties to McDermott after overlapping with him in Carolina, arrives with an excellent reputation as a personnel man. That’s true of most new general managers, however.

That’s according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Beane’s actual power is still in question given his hand selection by coach Sean McDermott, who was hired long before Beane. The Buffalo News suggests McDermott “will be the one that makes the final call” if need be. Beane has a strong background as a personnel man, but it’s become clear he won’t have total control in Buffalo.

“I haven’t spent enough time to have an opinion about any of them yet, honestly,” Beane said. “I am not there yet, knowing if we can or will move up again...We’re just keeping an open mind.” Beane put himself in position to move up by acquiring the 12th pick in the Cordy Glenn trade, and he has four more picks in the top-65 including No. 22 overall at his disposal if he wants to make the move. Considering Buffalo’s depth chart currently consists of A.J. McCarron and Nathan Peterman, it would be a surprise if they did not attempt to trade up for one of the top quarterbacks.