Brandon Beane on WGR

[Best Williams Available]

This wreaked of Beane hiding behind his impenetrable shield of drafting Josh Allen and using it to deflect any criticism. Bringing up Rosen? Please. No one thought JA would be what he is now and that includes McBeane. He then comes off as a major hypocrite because he hosts a WR the same day he says they’re all good. Didn’t yesterday he himself say he was surprised he didn’t draft a WR? Major deflection. Just say you think it’s a solid room and if it isn’t then we’ll address it.

[YoloinOhio]

52 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

 

After three months of mock drafts, everyone is convinced they are NFL GMs. 

Jeremy literally had a “WR only Big Board” behind him acting as if he had no agenda. This is why Beane doesn’t respect the narrative. Beane never said he wouldn’t have taken a WR if the board fell that way but they have a team of people who invest years scouting these players for their specific schemes and have them ranked a certain way for a reason. He didn’t feel the need to reach for one in what he called a “not the deepest” WR draft  just because the guys on the radio think they know how to build a team. He did say in their defense he only caught the end of the segment but I’m sure he’s been briefed.

Edited 10 hours ago by YoloinOhio

[BillsFanForever19]

18 minutes ago, Victory Formation said:

This was not a great draft for WR, so why take one? This draft was deep at DL and CB, which is why Beane drafted the way he did.

 

Also we also had one of the best offenses in the league last year and our defense sucked, so once again, why not retool our D?

 

This was one of Beane’s/McD’s better drafts.. I give them a solid A.

 

There is something to this. It was not a good year to need WR. In both FA and the Trade Market and the Draft.

 

Unless you were able to land DK Metcalf or Davante Adams (which given his age and character is a tough in itself) in the veteran market or you had a Pick in the top 23 to land a Hunter, McMillan, or Golden - I don't really see any vast upgrades you could make this offseason.

 

It's fair to argue they should have taken a shot at someone. But I think it's also fair that given the need at the positions and value of the guys they took in Rounds 2-4 at those positions vs. who was available at WR that it was better to go with who we did at those points.

[DrDawkinstein]

TSW Mock 1.0 - We picked a CB, DT, Safety first 3 picks/rounds

TSW Mock 2.0 - We picked a DT, another DT, and then traded out of our last pick in rd 2

TSW Mock 3.0 - We traded up in the 1st round for... DT

 

So not much support for the WR Train or Jeremy/Joe's view point from the board either.

 

Probably because most of us knew the same thing Beane knew. It wasnt a good draft for WRs even if we wanted one.

 

WGR's "Pick a WR, any WR" isnt a good way to build a team or draft.

[DallasMac]

For the most part i like what Beane did in the draft.  The Defense needed a ton of help and I think he added some key pieces.   Let's not forget though that the offense lost some steam due to the lack of WR depth and had to trade for Cooper.  

[Best Williams Available]

3 minutes ago, finn said:

I would have challenged Beane's premise. He's saying that since the offense was effective last year, it will be effective this year with the same players returning, plus Palmer. But he's assuming that Allen will have another MVP year, that he and Brady won't miss one of their most clutch players in Mack Hollins, and that other teams won't be better prepared to stop what the Bills did well. Optimistic posters here add that Kincaid and Coleman will be better. (Which reminds me of the annual cry, "This is the year Elam will show up!)

 

In short, Beane is gambling. You can make an argument he had no choice with the defense so badly needing help. But he's leaving Allen and Brady with essentially the same JV squad of wide receivers and hoping that lightning will strike twice. 

 

All that said, I do think Allen will lift this squad, again. But he'll win despite his receivers (and Beane), not because of them. 

His premise is even more flawed because Beane is touting points per game, which is a total offense stat. What % of yards and points did the WR group account for last year? Of the 3RBs, 3 TEs, and Josh Allen, did they under or overperform?

 

Disclaimer I don’t know what % is “good” but he should know, and tout it to defend his position.

[BullBuchanan]

1 minute ago, finn said:

I would have challenged Beane's premise. He's saying that since the offense was effective last year, it will be effective this year with the same players returning, plus Palmer. But he's assuming that Allen will have another MVP year, that he and Brady won't miss one of their most clutch players in Mack Hollins, and that other teams won't be better prepared to stop what the Bills did well. Optimistic posters here add that Kincaid and Coleman will be better. (Which reminds me of the annual cry, "This is the year Elam will show up!)

 

In short, Beane is gambling. You can make an argument he had no choice with the defense so badly needing help. But he's leaving Allen and Brady with essentially the same JV squad of wide receivers and hoping that lightning will strike twice. 

 

All that said, I do think Allen will lift this squad, again. But he'll win despite his receivers (and Beane), not because of them. 

The things you're "assuming" on Beane's behalf, I don't think he's assuming. He added what he feels is a legitimate talent in Palmer. You can disagree with that if you want, but he should easily match or exceed Mack Hollins offensive production for us, at the absolute worst. There's plenty of reason to feel that both Kincaid and Coleman should be significantly better as well, as Kincaid was better his rookie season, both he and Coleman battled significant injuries in 2024 and Coleman will not be a rookie any longer.

What you, and WGR seemed to miss about what Beane was saying is that you can have a really productive WR room without having a #1 guy, and he's absolutely right. I wouldn't be surprised if they have a heavy analytics based approach to WR where they figure having 3 guys at a Shakir-tier would be preferable to having one high end #1 and a bunch of scrubs.

Personally, I think the value of having the #1 guy is when you need 1 play. The lesser guys may perform just as well in aggregate, but when you need one play do you have a Larry Fitgerald, D-Hop, Andre Johnson, Antonio Brown, TO, Moss, etc that you just decide pre-snap he's getting the ball and you know he'll catch it in double coverage? There's value in that. Of course, as Beane said, there's massive opportunity cost in that too. They've decided it's better to invest in big men and recycle/ find value at skill positions, because ultimately your QB will elevate those positions anyway. I think it's harder to win that way because you need a complete roster, but I don't disagree with it as a premise.

[The Wiz]

1 minute ago, Best Williams Available said:

This wreaked of Beane hiding behind his impenetrable shield of drafting Josh Allen and using it to deflect any criticism. Bringing up Rosen? Please. No one thought JA would be what he is now and that includes McBeane. He then comes off as a major hypocrite because he hosts a WR the same day he says they’re all good. Didn’t yesterday he himself say he was surprised he didn’t draft a WR? Major deflection. Just say you think it’s a solid room and if it isn’t then we’ll address it.

I don't think he said "we're good".  He just pointed out the facts about the offense from last year.  And the visit was likely scheduled before the interview happened this morning so going on the show listening to them complain about wr when he has the visit lined up probably hit a nerve.

[Victory Formation]

6 minutes ago, BillsFanForever19 said:

 

There is something to this. It was not a good year to need WR. In both FA and the Trade Market and the Draft.

 

Unless you were able to land DK Metcalf or Davante Adams (which given his age and character is a tough in itself) in the veteran market or you had a Pick in the top 23 to land a Hunter, McMillan, or Golden - I don't really see any vast upgrades you could make this offseason.

 

It's fair to argue they should have taken a shot at someone. But I think it's also fair that given the need at the positions and value of the guys they took in Rounds 2-4 at those positions vs. who was available at WR that it was better to go with who we did at those points.

It was a great year to need defense, which is why I’m happy that Beane drafted the way he did..

 

Deone Walker may turn into an above average starter at DT, had we reached on a WR? Maybe we get a WR #5???

 

Its one of those rare phenomenas where BPA also matched our needs.

[Dukestreetking]

2 hours ago, Logic said:

It feels like everybody's a little right and a little wrong.

Beane DOES deserve come criticism for undervaluing the wide receiver position and for the fallout that has come from that.

 

On the other hand, Beane's Bills have won five divisions in a row, consistently have a top five offense, and are coming off a season in which the Bills were 2nd in the league in PPG and their QB won an MVP award.

It is almost certainly the DEFENSE which has been more to blame for the Bills' mounting playoff failures than the offense, and even those have arguably been more the fault of the coaching staff than the personnel. One can begin to understand the GM's frustration, then.
 

Furthermore, the media, at times, still behaves the way they did during the drought. That is, Beane does not seem to have earned much benefit of the doubt. And to some extent, I get it! He has yet to bring a Super Bowl trip or a Lombardi to Buffalo, and until he does so, there will be questions and doubts -- especially considering the specific ways in which the Bills have been bounced from the playoffs every year.

So all in all, some of the WR discussion IS warranted, and today's actions by Brandon Beane likely represented the culmination of his mounting frustrations, and the WGR guys were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I bet that if you asked Beane and he was being honest, he'd tell you he wishes he had that interview back. That he could take a few deep breaths and have a do-over.

Nothing is black and white in this world, and this situation is no different. There are layers. There is nuance. Unfortunately, we don't live in a world where sports media or the average fan are prepared to discuss and analyze layers and nuance in a reasoned and meaningful way.
 

 

Pardon the play on words...but this is way too logical and thoughtful for the football ecosystem.

 

Hot takes man. That's what I expect 24/7: hot takes injected straight into my veins.

[ColoradoBills]

9 minutes ago, Best Williams Available said:

His premise is even more flawed because Beane is touting points per game, which is a total offense stat. What % of yards and points did the WR group account for last year? Of the 3RBs, 3 TEs, and Josh Allen, did they under or overperform?

 

Disclaimer I don’t know what % is “good” but he should know, and tout it to defend his position.

 

Same as the KC Chiefs.

[Best Williams Available]

1 minute ago, The Wiz said:

I don't think he said "we're good".  He just pointed out the facts about the offense from last year.  And the visit was likely scheduled before the interview happened this morning so going on the show listening to them complain about wr when he has the visit lined up probably hit a nerve.

Probably so. Others here have strong justification for why no WR last year or this year. He chose not to use these and instead went on the attack. That approach and his premise I don’t really care for or but, whether he’s ultimately right or not.

[Cray51]

2 hours ago, BillsVet said:

 

Ty Johnson?  A 3rd down back, aka the easiest position to find in UFA and a part time one at that is proof positive?  Sure dude.

 

You got me on Leonard Floyd...1 player in the last 8 seasons who came in and produced some.    Although, he was semi-invisible after the mid-way point of the season.   

So you don’t understand how effective Ty Johnson was for this team last year.

 

could’ve just said that

42 minutes ago, Einstein said:

 

Mikie is an Allen hater. Dont bother 

I tried a conversation but… yea

[PromoTheRobot]

14 minutes ago, Best Williams Available said:

This wreaked of Beane hiding behind his impenetrable shield of drafting Josh Allen and using it to deflect any criticism. Bringing up Rosen? Please. No one thought JA would be what he is now and that includes McBeane. He then comes off as a major hypocrite because he hosts a WR the same day he says they’re all good. Didn’t yesterday he himself say he was surprised he didn’t draft a WR? Major deflection. Just say you think it’s a solid room and if it isn’t then we’ll address it.

 

This statement is absolutely nuts. Beane does not need to justify his actions to anyone, including Jeremy White. 

[OldNMBillsFan]

9 hours ago, blitzboy54 said:

 

Only one of those things worked. A blind man could see nobody could get open last year. The defense compresses our pass catchers because they can't take off the top. Drafting 2 pass catchers in the last 2 years that can't get open doesn't help. Sorry but Jeremy is 100% right on this. It is obvious to anyone who watches film what the gap is.

Statistically speaking, the Bills receiving group was at least top 10 in almost all receiving categories. Being that the Bills were more run heavy last year and successful at it, there were far fewer attempts than most teams. They had 329 passing attempts placing them in 27th. But when they did pass the ball, they were more efficient than most teams. They averaged 12 yards per attempt, tied for 5th. They had 30 receiving TDs, tied for 7th. 56 20+ yard receptions, tied for 5th. 11 40+ yard receptions tied for 5th. Had a 55% chance of first down per reception, tied for 9th. Those stats don't sound like nobody could get open to me. 

[PromoTheRobot]

22 minutes ago, finn said:

I would have challenged Beane's premise. He's saying that since the offense was effective last year, it will be effective this year with the same players returning, plus Palmer. But he's assuming that Allen will have another MVP year, that he and Brady won't miss one of their most clutch players in Mack Hollins, and that other teams won't be better prepared to stop what the Bills did well. Optimistic posters here add that Kincaid and Coleman will be better. (Which reminds me of the annual cry, "This is the year Elam will show up!)

 

In short, Beane is gambling. You can make an argument he had no choice with the defense so badly needing help. But he's leaving Allen and Brady with essentially the same JV squad of wide receivers and hoping that lightning will strike twice. 

 

All that said, I do think Allen will lift this squad, again. But he'll win despite his receivers (and Beane), not because of them. 

 

Beane made a very important point about Mack Hollins. One year ago today no one knew or cared about Mack Hollins. He was just a special teams JAG as far as everyone in Billsland was concerned. But now? He's irreplaceable!!    

 

The point is trust those making the decisions because we don't know who the next Mack Hollins will be.

20 minutes ago, Turk71 said:

The fact remains that Beane's history drafting wrs as a GM in Carolina and Buffalo is just horrible....in both quantity and quality.

I get that the D fails in the big playoff games but a lot of that is scheme and playcalling....coaching. If the problem is personnel they have been drafting and free agenting heavy for the defense for years now;  so if personnel is the problem it's on him as the GM.

 

I'm sorry. I didn't know Brandon Beane was running the Panthers draft. Didn't they have a GM?

[BillsVet]

4 minutes ago, Cray51 said:

So you don’t understand how effective Ty Johnson was for this team last year.

 

could’ve just said that

 

Define effective.  Because based on the objective evidence below, he's a journeyman RB who does well in certain situations and most certainly is not an every-down player.  If he were, he wouldn't be the 28th highest paid player on the team at less than 2M this season.  Key UFA's tend to make far more.  Nice try Hondo.   

  

 

[Cray51]

1 minute ago, BillsVet said:

 

Define effective.  Because based on the objective evidence below, he's a journeyman RB who does well in certain situations and most certainly is not an every-down player.  If he were, he wouldn't be the 28th highest paid player on the team at less than 2M this season.  Key UFA's tend to make far more.  Nice try Hondo.   

  

 

Averaging 5 yards a carry and 15 a catch with a 60% catch rate while taking kickoff responsibility as needed, playing special teams, and being a prime blocker?  And Allen was effusive in his praise and calls him the best 3rd down back in the league?

 

Just tell us you don’t understand key player

[aristocrat]

If he has to trade for a wr mid season again he’s gonna get roasted 

[The Wiz]

1 hour ago, boyst said:

So for those unaware, on Sirius satellite radio and NFL channel being said that before the interview began he was grieved by the bills PR guy who handles media relations. Immediate team warned him at wgr has not been sympathetic nor generous to the bills organization, criticizing the lack of wide receivers and being the buffoons that they are. 

 

Serious love what you did, and said that's how you handle the media who doesn't want to have open communications and just push a narrative. 

 

Wgr is full of a bunch of fecks. It was proven when they went after araiza with pitchforks.

Any chance you have the link to the Sirius interview.  I'm confused about what you mean about the grieved?  Beans was?  And what did the pr guy do?