How and why this offseason was Brandon Beane’s best work as Bills general manager

The hire that came with the Sean McDermott package on May 9, 2017 was former Carolina Panthers assistant general manager Brandon Beane. Doug Whaley was the former general manager of the Buffalo Bills since 2013. He hadn’t done the best job during the draft process, with the best performing players being Robert Woods, Sammy Watkins, and Preston Brown.

Since Beane’s hiring, he has helped draft Pro Bowl players and helped build the Buffalo Bills’ culture, making them competitive again for the first time in nearly two decades. However, some fans are feeling a bit indifferent towards Beane and his decision-making process, especially this past offseason. However, this is the best work Beane has done this offseason, considering the circumstances.

After the 2023 season, the Buffalo Bills had salary cap issues and were $40 million over the cap. When the offseason began, Beane got to work, restructuring the contracts of Josh Allen, Von Miller and Rasul Douglas, freeing up nearly $30 million in cap space. Fortunately, the $10 million in additional cap space provided by the NFL helped the Bills. However, this did not save some players who were let go.

Beane had the difficult decision to release Tre’Davious White, who most Bills fans expected to be released due to past injuries. This move freed up over $10 million from the cap (after June 1). Still, the release of Jordan Poyer and Mitch Morse caught some Bills fans off guard, as they still had one more year left on their contracts.

The decision that caught everyone’s attention was trading Stefon Diggs. The move is considered a business or personnel decision, but it freed up cap space for the future and gave the Bills more draft capital. With Diggs and Gabe Davis off the roster, the Bills receiver position was a concern.

Beane prepared for Diggs’ release because he would be recruiting veteran receivers like Curtis Samuel and Mack Hollins, who are not as talented as Diggs but are good compliments to the receiver they were preparing to draft. Selecting Keon Coleman was a great value pick and a great fit that fits the team, as Coleman possesses tremendous athletic talent with strong hands and a large 6’4′ frame.

Beane resigned Taylor Rapp to a three-year deal and signed veteran safety Mike Edwards to a one-year deal to address the absence of Poyer and Micah Hyde (whose status is still unknown). Beane added some insurance to the safety position by drafting Cole Bishop in the second half.

Surprisingly, the cornerback position hasn’t been addressed, but that’s not really a weakness, since Rasul Douglas proved the trade was worth it last season, Christian Benford proved to be a solid number two and Taron Johnson is still on top. Not to mention Kaiir Elam, who will be healthy this coming season and get another chance to prove his worth.

The defensive line has been good, not great, but it wasn’t a cause for concern. However, Beane still wanted to bolster the line with some rookies in DeWayne Carter and a fifth-round sleeper in Javon Soloman. One thing is certain: the defensive line has a lot of depth and could surprise opponents with their effectiveness during the coming season.

Overall, the team was in a tough situation, arguably the toughest since Beane was hired. However, Beane did what he could to give the Bills the best chance to remain at their full potential for the 2024 season. Beane knows the team can’t afford to take seasons off while Allen is still in the flower of age.

This roster may still have some weaknesses, but many are less notable than before the start of the offseason. Many fans look forward to seeing how this team performs in the future, and Beane has that to thank.