8-14: Bills' GM Brandon Beane on WGR

[26CornerBlitz]

8-14: BRANDON BEANE ON WGR (13:53)

#Bills GM Brandon Beane joins Howard and Jeremy live from training camp next on WGR! Tune in:

Beane - It's not that I wanted to make the trades. Our job is to look at everything to make this team better in both the short and long-term

Beane - we could not turn down the opportunity to add the draft currency for the 2018 NFL Draft #Bills

Beane - we just have to ask the players in the locker room to trust the process. I think they understand the business side of things #Bills

Beane - we're not going to throw away a season. The Pegulas, Sean and myself are not like that #Bills

Beane - The draft is the most affordable way to pay very good players. Our job is to pay attention where we are financially. #Bills

Beane - we're trying to build a culture and build it the right way #Bills

Beane - Matthews hurt his sternum early in practice. He played through it, but knew something wasn't right. We'll take this week-to-week

Beane - we all know you can't coach speed. We lost speed with Sammy, but we have other guys who can bring speed. We'll see where it goes

Beane - Gaines is a tough guy who's played in the league. He'll be out there competing with the guys. He plays bigger than his size #Bills

Beane - these were not easy trades. Both gained some traction before Thursday's game, and picked up steam on game day #Bills

 

[Charlottebillsfan2]

It feels like he is building for the future and preparing for when the pats dynasty is over.

[Coach Tuesday]

I can't believe he had the stones to do this in his first half offseason.

[chris heff]

Let me translate.

 

"If Sammy had a bad year we weren't going to sign him. If Sammy had a great year we weren't going to pay him. Rookies are cheaper so we are going to trade players or let them walk and just have constant turn over."

 

"EJ Gaines is short, but if you kind of squint he looks taller."

[BillsFan17]

Let me translate.

 

"If Sammy had a bad year we weren't going to sign him. If Sammy had a great year we weren't going to pay him. Rookies are cheaper so we are going to trade players or let them walk and just have constant turn over."

 

"EJ Gaines is short, but if you kind of squint he looks taller."

I didn't get that, what I got was you need to draft well enough that if and when players leave you have viable replacements.

 

Something the Pats have done for years.

[nucci]

. Our job is to pay attention where we are financially. #Bills

 

He better mean salary cap. Because when Ralph was here all we wanted was a rich owner to spend money...

[Beast]

Let me translate.

"If Sammy had a bad year we weren't going to sign him. If Sammy had a great year we weren't going to pay him. Rookies are cheaper so we are going to trade players or let them walk and just have constant turn over."

"EJ Gaines is short, but if you kind of squint he looks taller."

Your takes are pretty awful.

[chris heff]

I didn't get that, what I got was you need to draft well enough that if and when players leave you have viable replacements.

Something the Pats have done for years.

I don't know if you noticed but the Patriots keep singing players the Bills let walk. Bills let Gilmore walk, have to draft White as replacement, on and on and on, that's the plan.

[ROONDOGG55]

Let me translate.

 

"If Sammy had a bad year we weren't going to sign him. If Sammy had a great year we weren't going to pay him. Rookies are cheaper so we are going to trade players or let them walk and just have constant turn over."

 

"EJ Gaines is short, but if you kind of squint he looks taller."

I wouldn't say it's constant turnover. When you draft a player you typically have them play for 4-5 years. 4-5 years of play is not a constant turnover. Signing guys to 1 year deals every single year, and not having enough money to sign the guys you drafted is constant turnover. The guy is doing this the right way.

[Tenhigh]

I didn't get that, what I got was you need to draft well enough that if and when players leave you have viable replacements.

 

Something the Pats have done for years.

I don't think the Pats actually draft all that well. Where they dominate is on the pro-personnel side of the scouting department.

[DriveFor1Outta5]

. Our job is to pay attention where we are financially. #Bills

 

He better mean salary cap. Because when Ralph was here all we wanted was a rich owner to spend money...

" The draft is the most affordable way to pay very good players. Our job is to pay attention where we are financially". I'm a major supporter of the trades, but even I hate that quote. Fiscal responsible is great. There is obviously a major need to manage the salary cap correctly. Those facts don't negate the fact that money ball doesn't win championships. How many titles did Billy Beane with the MLB A's who was the originator of that term win? The answer is zero. Sometimes you have to pay your best players. Every team in the league has to do so. So what's the plan? Draft great players only to let them walk? That's not how you build a winner. I understood the trade because the new regime wants to start with a clean slate. They want a fresh start with an a surplus of draft picks. What a don't understand is that comment. I hope that is not our philosophy going forward.

I don't think the Pats actually draft all that well. Where they dominate is on the pro-personnel side of the scouting department.

Where they dominate is by having Brady on the roster imo.

I wouldn't say it's constant turnover. When you draft a player you typically have them play for 4-5 years. 4-5 years of play is not a constant turnover. Signing guys to 1 year deals every single year, and not having enough money to sign the guys you drafted is constant turnover. The guy is doing this the right way.

It's not college football. You can't let your best players walk every four years. Teams have to pay the players who cost the most. They are the guys who are most crucial to a teams success. It's actually the lower paid role players that need to be replaced every season. Beane talks like he's unwilling to pay anyone. That would be a terrible strategy. Edited August 14, 2017 by DriveFor1Outta5

[Rc2catch]

Honestly any guys who are up for contracts or want a raise will probably be happy Sammy is gone. Better chance for them to get paid for production. They understand the business side and no new monster contract for Watkins leaves more money for current players and free agents.

[ROONDOGG55]

It's not college football. You can't let your best players walk every four years. Teams have to pay the players who cost the most. They are the guys who are most crucial to a teams success. It's actually the lower paid role players that need to be replaced every season. Beane talks like he's unwilling to pay anyone. That would be a terrible strategy.

I don't think you got my point sir. A typical draft pick carries a 4 year contract with a 5th year option for 1st round picks. You obviously pay the premier players and let the mediocre support guys walk. By drafting more than 3-4 players every year (Like we have the past several drafts) we wouldn't have to fork out 1 year contracts worth between $1 - $5 mil. If you repeat this process every year, we wouldn't have to fork out any money for those one year deals for support players. Look at Green Bay, the Steelers, and all of the other successful teams around the league that have done a great job managing their cap while retaining their better players. Also, look at the Steelers when they let Emanuel Sanders walk. They did that and then boom! Sir Antonio Brown pops up out of nowhere and turns into a monster. That sir, is exactly my point on this scenario.

[TPS]

I don't think the Pats actually draft all that well. Where they dominate is on the pro-personnel side of the scouting department.

i could run their pro side: "who wants to sign with us and win a ring?"

[ROONDOGG55]

Sammy didn't leave, they traded him. Lol.

Lol what?

 

When you draft a high first round pick, your intent should be to develop him and keep him here for the rest of his career.

 

How does this guy get off valuing UNKNOWN 2018 ROOKIES over Sammy Watkins?

There contract is for 4-5 years. You obviously lock up the talent that is hard to come by. You will never be able to lock up every player, but having them for at least 4 years is better than a 1 year contract for a support player

[DriveFor1Outta5]

I don't think you got my point sir. A typical draft pick carries a 4 year contract with a 5th year option for 1st round picks. You obviously pay the premier players and let the mediocre support guys walk. By drafting more than 3-4 players every year (Like we have the past several drafts) we wouldn't have to fork out 1 year contracts worth between $1 - $5 mil. If you repeat this process every year, we wouldn't have to fork out any money for those one year deals for support players. Look at Green Bay, the Steelers, and all of the other successful teams around the league that have done a great job managing their cap while retaining their better players. Also, look at the Steelers when they let Emanuel Sanders walk. They did that and then boom! Sir Antonio Brown pops up out of nowhere and turns into a monster. That sir, is exactly my point on this scenario.

I get your point. Every team lets the mediocre guys walk. My issue with the quote was that Beane sounded somewhat opposed to paying anyone imo. It was just a matter of interpretation. It probably wasn't too difficult for the Steelers to make the Sanders decision. There is no need to overpay a receiver when you have an elite QB. Edited August 14, 2017 by DriveFor1Outta5

[ROONDOGG55]

I get your point. Every team lets the mediocre guys walk. My issue was with the quote was that Beane sounded somewhat opposed to paying anyone imo. It was just a matter of interpretation.

 

Yeah of course! I'm sure that was a misinterpretation in terms of top tier talent. I pray that he locks in the better guys for long term deals, but if the money isn't right then we should let them walk. I just hope that we have a guy behind him that can play in his place. I'm not a big fan of starting rookies every year, but it seems to be the norm for us every year. Hopefully we can build a tight nucleus of players over the next few years so we can develop young talent rather than throwing them to the wolves.

[ndirish1978]

At least they didn't lob a bunch of softballs, it was a pretty decent interview. I thought Beane was pretty candid with his answers, he admitted it's not an ideal thing to have to do but that he thought this was the best value for the team.

[KDIGGZ]

Fire Whaley

[C.Biscuit97]

I'm so sick of this "culture" BS. Know what builds a culture? Good coaches, good players, and especially a good qb. This isn't high school. Talent wins. Remember the Bickerin' Bills? They won because they had great talent.

 

These guys would have traded Thurman away because he didn't fit their "culture." I'm going to let it play out because what choice do I have? But this is the shortest honeymoon I have ever had with a new "regime."