'I know it can be done:' Our 1 on 1 with Buffalo Bills GM Brandon Beane
His vision is clear. He knows exactly what he wants this roster to look like and, no, he's not shy. As another title expedition begins, the Bills boss sits down with Go Long to get into everything.
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — He enters the room with vigor in his gait, a cup of Chobani yogurt in his right hand and a welcoming smile. Brandon Beane is fresh off his eighth draft as the Buffalo Bills’ general manager and, honestly, I had no clue what mood to expect. Exactly 24 hours prior, the entire country heard this man go nuclear. With one rant, Beane became the No. 1 story in sports — a remarkable feat on the heels of an NFL Draft with the NBA and NHL playoffs also raging.
His call into WGR 550 went viral. His cell phone lit up with texts. He’s not exactly ready to move on from the topic… not even close.
Because while he did not enter in WWE-fashion, Beane will gladly discuss how he handles the wide receiver position. Passionately.
After all, it was right here inside Bills HQ that the architect of this roster declared he’d keep “kicking” and “kicking” and “kicking” that Super Bowl door until it topples over. Frankly, there wasn’t any time for sorrow after his team’s crushing 32-29 AFC Championship loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. When a season concludes, a GM’s work truly begins. Exit interviews. Free agency planning. College film. NFL Combine. Free agency decisions. Top 30 prospect visits. Pro Days. The next three months, it was on Beane to do the lion’s share of kicking before, again, handing the roster back to Sean McDermott.
Drafting a weapon for an MVP quarterback is not an outlandish suggestion. The offense was exceptional last season but innovation is a good thing. At one point during this conversation with the Bills GM, I listed off the grisly defensive statistics in these elimination games and suggested Beane could’ve abandoned all hope that the Bills will ever outright stop Patrick Mahomes and simply try to blow-torch opponents with a juggernaut offense.
Say what you want about Beane — he’s steadfast. This spring, he made it crystal clear how he intends to finally reach that Super Bowl dais. There’s zero ambiguity clouding his philosophy. And everybody should know one fact: Brandon Beane is in charge. He’s the one making the final call on these draft picks.
One year ago, I sat down with Beane to explore the franchise’s transition. Back then, he understood why anyone would question the offense’s direction. Now? He doesn’t get it and he’s got a lot to say on the matter.
We chatted for an hour.
Topics discussed…
Roster-building philosophy. Other contenders load up at WR? Fine by him. Beane dissects the formula he believes in, one with roots in two of his Super Bowl teams past: the 2003 and 2015 Carolina Panthers. He worked in personnel for both. A ferocious defensive line — the GM argues — is paramount. Standing pat, to him, is not an option. As much the sport appears to change, he believes a few truths endure.
New players, same coach. Of course, the Bills have reconstructed the front seven before. A surge of additions up front isn’t particularly new. Why should anybody expect a different result in January? (Icymi: We sat down with McDermott last January.)
One Hall of Fame GM regrets not surrounding his Hall of Fame QB with more wide receivers. Will Beane? He believes the best way to maximize Josh Allen is to build powerhouse lines on both sides of the ball. (And to make life hell for the other team’s passer.)
Joshua Palmer. The GM pushes back on the idea that he did nothing at the position this spring. When it comes to the passing game’s evolution — sprucing up a unit that broke records in 2024 — Beane expects this $11 million investment at wide receiver to play a pivotal role.
Joey Bosa’s impact. The five-time Pro Bowler isn’t even 30 years old yet, but he has also battled injuries the last three seasons. What is Buffalo’s plan to keep him healthy?
Hey, rookie. Why were Maxwell Hairston, T.J. Sanders and Landon Jackson chosen to spearhead an “infusion of youth” on defense? Beane explains what specifically drew him to the team’s top three draft picks and how they help create a nasty unit. Defense let Buffalo down vs. the Chiefs, not the offense. His goal? For all of this newfound speed and athleticism to finally overwhelm any elite QB they face.
You’re up, Keon Coleman & Dalton Kincaid. The 25th and 33rd overall picks in back-to-back years enter a critical season. Beane details how they responded to the team’s challenge and his vision for both.
James Cook. When does Beane expect him back? What does the running back need to do to warrant a top-market deal? We get Beane’s theory on paying running backs.
No use ignoring the headline on everyone’s phone. I make a crack about the wide receiver position and inform the GM that, hey, WGR was not alone. We’ve also posited on feeding Allen weapons, and… we’re off.
Beane doesn’t tip-toe into the subject.
Beane is in no rush to leave, either. At one point, he pushes a 10 o’clock meeting back, so we can keep going.
This general manager is quite convicted in what it takes to deliver this city a Lombardi Trophy.
Go Long subscribers can access our wide-ranging 1 on 1 below.
Beane: Ever since we traded Diggs, it was “You don’t have enough receivers, don’t have this,” and I understood it last year. I thought they were fair questions, and my stance on it last year was, “You’re right, this is different. We believe in what we’re building here but we have to go prove it.” Where my frustration is…