Success

And when will NFL fans learn: the team that "wins" FA is rarely one of the teams that is hanging around at the end. This happens every single year. And I'm already gearing up for Groundhog Day when the draft comes around, when posters will lament every pick because the players don't match up to who they had on "their" board.

We DO have a bit of a cap situation - even w/ the restructures. We can't spend like other teams this year. Next year, Cincy will have that problem. We made our "splash" in FA last year. That's not something most teams can do in consecutive years.

It remains to be seen - I still think that the Bills should be strong favorites to win the division. Allen is still the best QB, and w/ Hyde & Miller both coming back, I just don't see either the Jets or Miami improving enough. The Dolphins lost 6 out of their last 7 games in '22. The Jets lost their last 6.

Stating the obvious - but OBJ is asking for WAY too much, considering all of the circumstances. I wonder if any team will pick him up at this point.

Miami, KC and Cincy have all lost players, too. I'm not sure why anyone expected us to be "big players" in FA this year. Our cap is in a different situation than most teams, largely because we made the biggest splash last year. Adding a starting guard and speedy receiver, and retaining role players who know our system? I'd say we're doing okay.

I'd disagree w/ that. We had the longest playoff drought in NFL history. We couldn't get out of our own way.

This is the 1st offseason I have seen the bolded everywhere on the internet, and it drives me crazy. There is not some significant gap between Allen and Mahomes. They are in very different situations. This is the ultimate team game. Anyone w/ eyes can see that Allen has to carry more of the load w/ the Bills than Mahomes does w/ KC.

We don't really know the plan, for any player. I'd push back on that - it's not a mess until it's actually a mess.

In hindsight, "magic trick" was perhaps a poor choice of words.

You can appreciate the success so far, and still not be satisfied until we win it all. Both things CAN be true. And I do appreciate us being back on top of the division, and stringing together winning seasons & being relevant again. I'm not so far removed from the drought that I can't celebrate that.

I thought there might be some disagreement - but the way some are talking about Beane is disconnected, imo. At minimum, he came into a franchise that was absolutely woeful for decades, and turned them into a top contender. And we were in 2022. I keep saying it - but in the first couple of months, we were among the best, if not the best. We looked great. Miller elevated the play of so many guys on that D - Groot, Oliver, Epenesa. We had a real pass rush. We had a LOT of things go against us this past season. Injuries to Hyde & Miller, Phillips & Poyer playing hurt down the stretch, 2 blizzards, one relocation, a guy almost dying on the field in front of his teammates. Winning a SB is about overcoming adversity, but it hit a tipping point (imo). Not much Beane can do about that. But he built a team we ALL thought could win a SB last year. That has to count for something.

Thanks. If I could, I would re-write the OP. My expectations were really zero for this FA period, because of our situation. We simply can't spend like most other teams right now. Literally, my main priority was "sign starting-caliber guard." Which we did. I happen to also think Allen will really elevate Harty - he's got great speed & hands, and gets good separation (which JA loves) - but I get that opinions vary on that. I also don't think the team is in as bad a shape as many here. For stretches last season, we were the best team in the league (early on). Losing our big splash last year set us back significantly.

C'mon, man. I've gotten some ridicule on this thread (I actually thought it would just get a few responses). But that's a bit over the top.

Cincy will have a similar situation to ours - but they have another year or 2 before that happens.

I think I would have been okay w/ literally ANY OTHER TEAM. That's a tough one.

Just saw that he followed the Pats on twitter. Might not mean much.

I see what you did there.

It's not a "mission accomplished" thread, and I didn't intend it to come off that way. I just like how he's handling things at this point.

You don't put anything on how our circumstances were the last month+ of the season? We had more adversity than any other team.

I'm guessing you would have been just as unhappy w/ him as you are w/ McD, or Beane. Probably more, because he couldn't close the deal w/ so many chances.

It wasn't THAT unlike how McDermott is starting to be viewed by some of this fanbase. McD hasn't made as many deep runs - but it's been great regular seasons, and generally disappointing results in the end, given the potential. Reid resurrected his career and reputation in KC, in a big way. And I'm a Reid fan, btw. I thought Philly fans got a lot like some of this fanbase is getting now - getting so spoiled with expectations that they lose sight of what they have.

They're running back what was the best team in the league for a pretty long stretch of the season last year.

Interesting discussion on the thread. Clearly, for some fans, a SB is the only thing that puts a GM among the best. Which is fair. I just remember 20+ years of GM's here who couldn't get this team above .500. And I see other teams around the league - even teams we perceive as being pretty good - being run pretty poorly. There are things Beane can't control, but overall, I think he gives us a better chance to contend than most.

We've got a nice once coming back. And that guy also made Groot, Epenesa, Oliver & the rest look a LOT better.

The stars aligned at the right time for the Chiefs. It doesn't mean they're a better team than the Bills. The better team doesn't ALWAYS win the SB. NFL history has taught us that. A lot is getting hot at the right time, and getting some breaks.