Brandon Beane WGR interviews 4/29

[YoloinOhio]

Beane was on WGR twice today... morning interview below followed by notes. Afternoon interview on One Bills Live posted later in thread.

 

https://wgr550.radio.com/media/audio-channel/04-29-bills-general-manager-brandon-beane-howard-and-jeremy

 

Notes from interview below...

 

Why some players are higher on one team’s board than others? Often scheme. Example OLs Chris Lindstrom 

Gap scheme - not a good fit

Zone scheme - perfect fit 

Some of the CBs play “press man all day” - not what Bills need

 

Gettleman pick -he says others were going to take Daniel Jones high? -

May have gotten texts from another GM after the pick saying that, happens a lot, “great pick, we wanted him” etc 

 

Cody Ford -

Will Start out  at RT

Has played G, likes position flex

Will be in competition at RT

Will put out best 5 on OL

If gets beaten out at RT but 

Wins G job, ok 

Played G his 1st 2 years but his Tackle film was really good

Allowed 1 pressure last year  (gave kyler some credit)

DL won’t out run his cylinder 

Best to beat him with speed, but didn’t see that happen on film 

Bills and Carolina were both trying to trade up for OL at same time 

Dawkins to still play LT? - similar to  Ford

Start out at LT but will give shots at different spots and he has ability to play G

 

RB pick - Singletary was the best player on their board at that pick 

He Believes in drafting good players

Biggest “need” in the draft  was Oliver 

Devin - stuck to board and are planning for future because couple of older guys at position 

Why not a WR there? They would have drafted one but didn’t want to take one down the board, wasn’t one as highly graded as who they selected 

At end of draft might hit some needs, but in 3rd stuck to board 

Might look left or right if have too many guys at a position 

How big of a gap does there need to be to not reach? Example - if WR is at bottom of 3rd on board and players available still at the top - Wouldn’t Reach. Put way too much time and energy into board. If close,  and position is higher need, might go to need

 

Had draftable grade on David Sills

 

Dawson Knox - good athlete. Very smart. Offense didn’t use him, had other  talented players who were drafted high 

Had a few injuries. Dual player. Will come in and have a lot to learn. Get down seam and run block 

 

4 RBs - competition  is good, brings out the best. Gore and McCoy are very competitive. Yeldon very versatile. Young guys push vets. Vets show young guys how it’s done. 

Singletary film- 

One play where 6 guys all in arm length and got out. Freeze film and try to guess who will tackle. No one did. If he was a home run hitter he  would have gone even higher. Wasn’t used a lot in pass game but they worked him out there and feel comfortable

 

Tyree- talented young man. Thought would be drafted physically gifts. Tools. Rawness. Good situation. 

 

Sills-

Watched Greer live twice last year when scouting QBs (he was considering declaring last year)  and saw WVU twice this year. Made a lot of plays downfield. Height and length. Smart, savvy route runner. So many WR, guys get pushed down. look at Foster, UDFAs can produce. . Way college game has changed, lots  of WRs available. There were Guys who got drafted, over which he would have taken Sills 

 

What becomes of draft board now ? Have a Digital and magnetic version

. Keeps still image/screen shot of magnetic board. Helps for next year. Self-scouting. Tuesday they put up the magnetic board. Good reference point and try to learn for history. Miss on someone? Trends? Look back and Learn why guys make it. Exercise pre-draft - Ask scouts why each guy will fail. May slide to second for certain reasons.  5th / 6th ask scouts why will the guy make it?  Height/weight/skill - why will succeed? Small school/injuries/transfer? Eifert an example of a guy who was  a good pick at the time , but things happen, couldn’t have predicted.

 

Roster - headed in right direction. Still looking. Still have needs. WR. Other positions. Filled A lot of holes but still spots  to improve and at least add competition. guys on other teams will get released this month for cap reasons who were replaced in draft.

 

Shaq- how he makes decision on option - what is #, what is franchise # next year - who else will be FA next year - who will be in draft next year - can’t totally determine due to underclassmen. 

Now that draft is over will talk through and make best decision for team 

 

Hughes - no updates, something to look at / will be discussed - will reach out to agent at right time 

Ansah-  still in play. Nothing done yet. Still talking to agent. 

 

Shady Avengers spoiler  - heard about it but no idea (didn’t seem to have thought about the movie at all). Kids saw it. “Will do due diligence”  

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 29, 2019 by YoloinOhio

[JoeF]

Thanks, Yolo.  Really appreciate what you do for the board.

[MrEpsYtown]

The one thing that does not make sense there is Carolina trying to trade up for Ford. They drafted Greg Little right before us. 

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

Nice he knows WR is in a lousy spot. Too bad he didn't act on it.

 

 

[YoloinOhio]

3 minutes ago, MrEpsYtown said:

The one thing that does not make sense there is Carolina trying to trade up for Ford. They drafted Greg Little right before us. 

May have heard it wrong? Was taking notes fast. He definitely said they and Carolina both trying to trade up at same time when discussing Ford pick. 

[JoshAllenHasBigHands]

I really appreciate his comment on scheme fit.  I feel like fans don't really understand scheme fit, unless its the difference between a 3-4 OLB and 4-3 DE. 

[YoloinOhio]

5 minutes ago, JoshAllenHasBigHands said:

I really appreciate his comment on scheme fit.  I feel like fans don't really understand scheme fit, unless its the difference between a 3-4 OLB and 4-3 DE. 

That is due to media draft analyst who put out big boards, which accumulate all players regardless of scheme fit. Each team has their own board and it is based on that among other factors, and each is different. Fans see the first thing and never the second. They think “BPA” is based on what they know as fans. 

Edited April 29, 2019 by YoloinOhio

[TroutDog]

Excellent, as always, Yolo: thank you!

 

This is the third consecutive draft that I am very happy with. I love the vision this organization has and the manner in which they’re executing it.

 

For the people here still complaining, think back just a few years and ask yourself, “Are we better off now?”  That’s the measuring stick. We had to take a few steps back to take a leap forward. 

 

In addition, not every single position can be ‘fixed’ in a year. They clearly have a path that includes what to fix and in what order. 

[YoloinOhio]

If I had to guess just based on voice inflection/verbal cues: they won’t be picking up Shaq’s option and they will be signing Ansah

[Albany,n.y.]

29 minutes ago, Joe in Winslow said:

Nice he knows WR is in a lousy spot. Too bad he didn't act on it.

 

 

He did in free agency.  You don't just dial up #1 WRs in the mid rounds of the draft.  DK was the darling of many around here and he lasted until (edit) the end of the 2nd round*.  Ever think the GMs around the league know more than you?  Truth is even the league's worst GMs know more than just about everyone on this board.  

 

*-I originally said 3rd round-proof that the GMs know more than me too.  

Edited April 29, 2019 by Albany,n.y.

[badassgixxer05]

22 minutes ago, MrEpsYtown said:

The one thing that does not make sense there is Carolina trying to trade up for Ford. They drafted Greg Little right before us. 

Yeah, i thought this same thing. If anything they should have stayed put and drafted at 40 since that threat was out of the way. But they prob had similar grades on little and ford, but once one was gone they got scared no failsafe was still there to take, so they pulled trigger.

[zow2]

Beane always impresses me as being a very sharp guy.  No success is guaranteed but I hope things work out that he's the GM here a very long time.  Such a huge upgrade from Whaley IMO.

[oldmanfan]

22 minutes ago, Joe in Winslow said:

Nice he knows WR is in a lousy spot. Too bad he didn't act on it.

 

 

Beasley, Brown, Williams, Sills. 

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

7 minutes ago, Albany,n.y. said:

He did in free agency.  You don't just dial up #1 WRs in the mid rounds of the draft.  DK was the darling of many around here and he lasted until the 3rd round.  Ever think the GMs around the league know more than you?  Truth is even the league's worst GMs know more than just about everyone on this board.   

 

Yeah, we'll see how things pan out. Would rather they had taken a shot at trading back up into the second for Metcalf than having taken an undersized and slow RB. But whatever, it is what it is at this point, planning on a whole lot of 17-14 this year.

 

[YoloinOhio]

21 minutes ago, Joe in Winslow said:

Nice he knows WR is in a lousy spot. Too bad he didn't act on it.

 

 

The next two WRs to go off the board after they picked Singletary were McLaurin and Boykin (both  later in the round). They likely didn’t think either have #1 WR potential. I’m positive the Redskins took McLaurin because of Haskins publically begging them to take one of his guys and Campbell was gone. I like both players but they felt Singletary  has a higher ceiling imo.

[Coach Tuesday]

10 minutes ago, YoloinOhio said:

If I had to guess just based on voice inflection/verbal cues: they won’t be picking up Shaq’s option and they will be signing Ansah

 

I’m struggling to remember the last Bills first round pick who made it to their second contract - Dareus?  And he gets an asterisk because they quickly dealt him.  Wood?

[Lurker]

26 minutes ago, MrEpsYtown said:

The one thing that does not make sense there is Carolina trying to trade up for Ford. They drafted Greg Little right before us. 

 

That could have been on Day One.    Bills were trying to trade up but got no takers.   The Panthers may have been trying as well, then flipped to Little on Day Two. 

 

Alternately, Carolina could have said they were trying to get Ford just to screw with McBeane for the time the Bills snagged a player the Panthers wanted (can't remember his name)...

[PaattMaann]

4 minutes ago, Joe in Winslow said:

 

Yeah, we'll see how things pan out. Would rather they had taken a shot at trading back up into the second for Metcalf than having taken an undersized and slow RB. But whatever, it is what it is at this point, planning on a whole lot of 17-14 this year.

 

 

yea...hate on the bills for deciding NOT to trade up for a guy who plummeted in the draft. You must just really love pics of shirtless, muscular men. 

 

As pointed out a couple posts ago, Beane added a lot of weapons to the WR room over the offseason and draft...were you asleep? Check out the "true #1 WR's" in the NFL and where their teams have been finishing. You do NOT need a true number 1 WR to win in this league.  

[YoloinOhio]

Just now, Lurker said:

 

That could have been on Day One.    Bills were trying to trade up but got no takers.   The Panthers may have been trying as well, then flipped to Little on Day Two. 

 

Alternately, Carolina could have said they were trying to get Ford just to screw with McBeane for the time the Bills snagged a player the Panthers wanted (can't remember his name)...

Twice - Dawkins and Zay Jones in 2017. Different FO though I think Gettleman was there then and now it’s Hurney again

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

1 minute ago, PaattMaann said:

 

yea...hate on the bills for deciding NOT to trade up for a guy who plummeted in the draft. You must just really love pics of shirtless, muscular men. 

 

As pointed out a couple posts ago, Beane added a lot of weapons to the WR room over the offseason and draft...were you asleep? Check out the "true #1 WR's" in the NFL and where their teams have been finishing. You do NOT need a true number 1 WR to win in this league.  

 

No need to be a dick.

 

And you and I obviously have different definitions of "weapons."

 

 

[JoshAllenHasBigHands]

22 minutes ago, YoloinOhio said:

That is due to media draft analyst who put out big boards, which accumulate all players regardless of scheme fit. Each team has their own board and it is based on that among other factors, and each is different. Fans see the first thing and never the second. They think “BPA” is based on what they know as fans. 

 

That is insightful.  

[PaattMaann]

7 minutes ago, Joe in Winslow said:

 

No need to be a dick.

 

And you and I obviously have different definitions of "weapons."

 

 

 

Again, which recent #1 WR has taken his team on his back and brought them championships? Thats not todays NFL. Even last years WR room would have found more success if our QB wasn't constantly under pressure and running for his life. Adding a bonafide downfield threat (I dont know how you can disagree with Brown being this...just check what he was doing last year with Flacco lol) and an underneath WR in Beasley was a pretty big win in upgrading the WR room. 

 

Biggest thing we did to help QB and WR was actually bring in some competent linemen. 

[badassgixxer05]

12 minutes ago, Joe in Winslow said:

 

Yeah, we'll see how things pan out. Would rather they had taken a shot at trading back up into the second for Metcalf than having taken an undersized and slow RB. But whatever, it is what it is at this point, planning on a whole lot of 17-14 this year.

 

Have you watched any Singletary highlights? He might not put on his underwear and run super fast in a straight line, but the guy is not SLOW by any means. Guys are lucky to get a hand on him most the time let alone tackle him. He will be a weapon for us if used correctly. A very dangerous player..

[JoshAllenHasBigHands]

Just now, badassgixxer05 said:

Have you watched any Singletary highlights? He might not put on his underwear and run super fast in a straight line, but the guy is not SLOW by any means. Guys are lucky to get a hand on him most the time let alone tackle him. He will be a weapon for us if used correctly. A very dangerous player..

 

Thanks to the combine and NFL draft coverage, fans now value straight line speed (40 times) over actual football skills.  It is totally bizarre.  

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

4 minutes ago, PaattMaann said:

 

Again, which recent #1 WR has taken his team on his back and brought them championships? Thats not todays NFL. Even last years WR room would have found more success if our QB wasn't constantly under pressure and running for his life. Adding a bonafide downfield threat (I dont know how you can disagree with Brown being this...just check what he was doing last year with Flacco lol) and an underneath WR in Beasley was a pretty big win in upgrading the WR room. 

 

Biggest thing we did to help QB and WR was actually bring in some competent linemen. 

 

A lot of people around here point to the Patriots as a model of how to use a plethora of average guys while ignoring what made the Patriots passing game tick: Gronkowski.

 

Without Gronk, guys like Edelman/Hogan/whoever would have had a HELL of a lot harder of a time. While you're right that it helps to add OL help, I don't think the team should rest on its laurels thinking it's the be-all/end-all of improving the offense. It's not.

 

 

 

Edited April 29, 2019 by Joe in Winslow

[YoloinOhio]

1 minute ago, badassgixxer05 said:

Have you watched any Singletary highlights? He might not put on his underwear and run super fast in a straight line, but the guy is not SLOW by any means. Guys are lucky to get a hand on him most the time let alone tackle him. He will be a weapon for us if used correctly. A very dangerous player..

What was his 40 time? I think I saw 4.66? Leveon Bell ran a 4.6. but has outstanding vision which allowed him to be a technician at RB taking advantage of his blocking. Singletary’s biggest strength is also his vision. 

[JoshAllenHasBigHands]

3 minutes ago, Joe in Winslow said:

 

A lot of people around here point to the Patriots as a model of how to use a plethora of average guys while ignoring what made the Patriots passing game tick: Gronkowski.

 

Without Gronk, guys like Edelman/Hogan/whoever would have had a HELL of a lot harder of a time. While you're right that it helps to add OL help, I don't think the team should rest on its laurels thinking it's the be-all/end-all of improving the offense. It's not.

 

 

 

 

This is a bit of a reach.  Gronk hasn't been the same guy/even on the field in the last two years, and the passing game has remained dominant.  

 

 

[Albany,n.y.]

16 minutes ago, Joe in Winslow said:

 

Yeah, we'll see how things pan out. Would rather they had taken a shot at trading back up into the second for Metcalf than having taken an undersized and slow RB. But whatever, it is what it is at this point, planning on a whole lot of 17-14 this year.

 

I don't know what your posting history is on trading up or down, but I've always believed trading up for a player you want & know you will get is better than trading down and getting picks that you have no idea if anybody you really want will be available at.  So, the reality is the majority of posters around here  think it's better to trade down-until the guy they want is picked a few picks before the Bills pick.  The worst trade down guy is Mike Dope on WGR.  I swear, everything he says I disagree with.  

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

1 minute ago, Albany,n.y. said:

I don't know what your posting history is on trading up or down, but I've always believed trading up for a player you want & know you will get is better than trading down and getting picks that you have no idea if anybody you really want will be available at.  So, the reality is the majority of posters around here  think it's better to trade down-until the guy they want is picked a few picks before the Bills pick.  The worst trade down guy is Mike Dope on WGR.  I swear, everything he says I disagree with.  

 

I'm a trade-up guy for the most part. I prefer quality to quantity, ergo my issues with the WR corps

 

[badassgixxer05]

7 minutes ago, YoloinOhio said:

What was his 40 time? I think I saw 4.66? Leveon Bell ran a 4.6. but has outstanding vision which allowed him to be a technician at RB taking advantage of his blocking. Singletary’s biggest strength is also his vision. 

yup, but if you watch his film, hes as fast as the 4.4 guys on the field.  I do not see a slow guy at all, but to each is there own. His vision is amazing. Can stop on a dime and then accelerate through the whole. A tuff runner for a little guy too. Doesn't just fall over. I'm excited what he can do learning behind 2 future all time greats..

 

Is this slow:

 

Edited April 29, 2019 by badassgixxer05

[Clyde Smith]

24 minutes ago, Lurker said:

 

That could have been on Day One.    Bills were trying to trade up but got no takers.   The Panthers may have been trying as well, then flipped to Little on Day Two. 

 

Alternately, Carolina could have said they were trying to get Ford just to screw with McBeane for the time the Bills snagged a player the Panthers wanted (can't remember his name)...

Zay Jones was the player.

[K-9]

24 minutes ago, YoloinOhio said:

The next two WRs to go off the board after they picked Singletary were McLaurin and Boykin (both  later in the round). They likely didn’t think either have #1 WR potential. I’m positive the Redskins took McLaurin because of Haskins publically begging them to take one of his guys and Campbell was gone. I like both players but they felt Singletary  has a higher ceiling imo.

Good point. At this stage of their respective careers, Singletary is a far better RB than Metcalf is a WR. There was simply no reason to reach for a WR at that stage. And no argument exists, imo, to have selected a WR over Oliver and Ford. Not even close.

[oldmanfan]

3 minutes ago, Joe in Winslow said:

 

I'm a trade-up guy for the most part. I prefer quality to quantity, ergo my issues with the WR corps

 

The GMs in the league apparently weren't all that impressed with the quality this year as evidenced by how many dropped to lower rounds.

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

1 minute ago, oldmanfan said:

The GMs in the league apparently weren't all that impressed with the quality this year as evidenced by how many dropped to lower rounds.

 

You realize that means nothing, right?  How many GMs passed on Mahomes? Brady? Rodgers? Antonio Brown? I could go on.

 

 

[eball]

27 minutes ago, Joe in Winslow said:

 

Yeah, we'll see how things pan out. Would rather they had taken a shot at trading back up into the second for Metcalf than having taken an undersized and slow RB. But whatever, it is what it is at this point, planning on a whole lot of 17-14 this year.

 

 

Metcalf dropped like a rock.  I'll trust the Bills' (and 30 other teams') staffs on this one.  And Singletary is hardly slow.

 

I don't think you're giving enough consideration to a few things:

 

1 -- Josh Allen Year 2.  No learning curve, and was starting to "click" at the end of the year.  Great players elevate those around them.

2 -- OL rebuild.  We are talking about a completely new line.

3 -- Veteran WRs and RBs.

 

I get it, a lot of folks want the "true #1" receiver.  I'm in the camp that believes this is not necessary.  I expect improvement from Foster and Jones, and with the additions of Brown and Beasley that WR room is "fine" as it is.  If Duke surprises or Sills is a steal even better.  I think Knox is the sneaky-good pick of this draft for the Bills.

 

Put a "middle of the pack" group of receivers out there with a good OL, good QB, and good RBs, and I think the offense is capable of scoring in the mid-20s consistently.

[PromoTheRobot]

1 hour ago, Joe in Winslow said:

Nice he knows WR is in a lousy spot. Too bad he didn't act on it.

 

 

 

If he drafted Sills and Easley instead of signing then as UDFAs would that be better?

[NoHuddleKelly12]

For me one of the more notable nuggets was the line about guys from other teams getting cut over the next few days for cap reasons who are being replaced through new draft picks; for me that raises the additional possibility of adding to certain position groups like WR, TE or Edge, where we could use more depth/competition. In other words, yet another source of additional help before we roll with what we’ve got? 

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

Just now, PromoTheRobot said:

 

If he drafted Sills and Easley instead of signing then as UDFAs would that be better?

 

Hey, I'm OK with bringing them in as UDFA, though I think the quality's a significant dropoff at that point. Was watching Sills V highlights, and the man just doesn't separate all that well.

 

Don't know a lot about Easley, was gonna watch his stuff today.

 

[oldmanfan]

13 minutes ago, Joe in Winslow said:

 

You realize that means nothing, right?  How many GMs passed on Mahomes? Brady? Rodgers? Antonio Brown? I could go on.

 

 

You realize you thinking a guy was better means nothing as well, right? 

 

You realize these guys have a lot more data available to them and still it's considered a good draft if they hit on 50%, right?

 

I would ask you to list out, say, for the last five drafts guys you would have picked in what rounds, and then we could evaluate your expertise.  The point is this:  they did not draft a WR because: a.  they addressed it in free agency and 2.  they did not feel guys represented value over other selections made.  You disagree, fine.  But don't pretend you have more knowledge than they do over the process. 

[Rufridr101]

I'd rather not have a high maintenance receivers until Josh Allen has matured some