The Buffalo Bills made an intriguing move at the end of last season when they fired head coach Sean McDermott and promoted Joe Brady from offensive coordinator to the new role.
Many were surprised by the Bills’ decision to move on from McDermott while keeping general manager Brandon Beane, who has not drafted well in almost four years.
McDermott was one of the main reasons the Bills couldn’t get over the hump in the playoffs, but Beane also bears much of the blame since he hasn’t put together the best rosters.
Sports Illustrated’s Eva Geitheim thinks the Bills keeping Beane could come back to “haunt” them this season.
“After another devastating postseason loss, the Bills decided it was finally time to part ways with head coach Sean McDermott,” Geitheim wrote on Friday. “Surprisingly, they decided to retain general manager Brandon Beane instead of giving themselves a clean slate. Not only did they keep Beane, but they promoted him. This despite many attributing the Bills’ inability to return to the postseason to the lack of star talent outside of Josh Allen. While Beane has hit on some draft picks and acquisitions such as James Cook, Stefon Diggs and Christian Benford, the Bills too often lack the players who would make it easier for them to reach the Super Bowl. After all, there was a reason McDermott’s praise of the Jaguars’ Jakobi Meyers trade stood out so much.”
The Bills Made a Risky Decision Keeping Beane
No Bills fans could have thought that after Buffalo decided to fire McDermott, owner Terry Pegula would choose not only to retain Beane but also promote him to president of football operations, giving him even more responsibilities. The Athletic’s Tim Graham believes one of the reasons why Pegula decided to promote Beane was because he has a lot of trust in him.
“Pegula embraces those he trusts,” Graham wrote on Jan. 19. “That’s how Russ Brandon went from the verge of dismissal when Pegula bought the team in 2014 to president of both the NFL and NHL clubs by 2015. That’s how former Bills GM Doug Whaley went from being nearly fired to keeping his job two more years.”
Could the 2026 Draft Class Lead the Bills to the Super Bowl?
If the Bills want to overcome their playoff struggles and finally reach the Super Bowl this season, they will need their 2026 draft class to step up. It might be off to a good start without even playing in a game
Sports Illustrated’s Justin Melo graded the Bills’ draft as the ninth best in the NFL.
“The Buffalo Bills began the draft in lukewarm fashion by selecting divisive prospects TJ Parker and Davison Igbinosun,” Melo wrote in May. “General manager Brandon Beane really hit his stride in the fourth round, selecting potential steals in Skyler Bell and Kaleb Elarms-Orr. Fifth-round safety Jalon Kilgore is a versatile defensive back with upside. The Bills’ draft got better as it went on.”
If the Bills get great production from their young guys to go along with one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, Josh Allen, and running back James Cook, Buffalo might be the squad to watch this fall.
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