Brandon Beane "might be the most sensitive GM in the entire NFL"?

[GunnerBill]

1 hour ago, FireChans said:

FWIW, Brandon Beane didn't interview with the Bills until after the draft, and was one of a couple candidates interviewed.

 

I know the suspicion is that he knew and was tipping picks to McD but do we know that's true?

 

No and I don't think he was "running the Bills draft from Charlotte" but do I think he was tight with McDermott and had an inclin what was coming? Yes. 

 

Twice in round 2 the Bills jumped above the Panthers in trade ups and took the exact same position as the Panthers took after (4 picks after once and the right next pick the other time). Do I think Beane was saying "take Zay and Dion"... no. Do I think it is reasonable to assume McD had some inside info as to the positions the Panthers were interested in? Yes.

[Alphadawg7]

47 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

No and I don't think he was "running the Bills draft from Charlotte" but do I think he was tight with McDermott and had an inclin what was coming? Yes. 

 

Twice in round 2 the Bills jumped above the Panthers in trade ups and took the exact same position as the Panthers took after (4 picks after once and the right next pick the other time). Do I think Beane was saying "take Zay and Dion"... no. Do I think it is reasonable to assume McD had some inside info as to the positions the Panthers were interested in? Yes.

 

That really isn't evidence that he had inside information coming in from Beane though.  I mean every draft every team has an idea of who other teams might be targeting position wise.  Teams spend the whole calendar year scouting players and scouts, GM's etc see each other at the same places looking at the same guys.  

 

More importantly, McD just left the Panthers, so of course he was very aware of where they needed to upgrade and what their priorities were when he left as the team had been scouting all year long even prior to him leaving where the coaches weigh in as well.  We didn't need inside info after he left to think we may need to get ahead of them for positions we already knew they (or anyone else) may be interested in.

 

And quite frankly, that doesn't at all sound like something inside Beane's character to where he might leak insight to McD before he left the Panthers, especially before he knew he was getting the job.  

 

So this belief some people have that McD was getting tipped info from Beane, or anyone else, who the Panthers draft targets during the draft just seems more like a conspiracy theory than a plausible occurence.

Edited yesterday at 10:07 PM by Alphadawg7

[GunnerBill]

11 minutes ago, Alphadawg7 said:

 

That really isn't evidence that he had inside information coming in from Beane though.  I mean every draft every team has an idea of who other teams might be targeting position wise.  Teams spend the whole calendar year scouting players and scouts, GM's etc see each other at the same places looking at the same guys.  

 

More importantly, McD just left the Panthers, so of course he was very aware of where they needed to upgrade and what their priorities were when he left as the team had been scouting all year long even prior to him leaving where the coaches weigh in as well.  We didn't need inside info after he left to think we may need to get ahead of them for positions we already knew they (or anyone else) may be interested in.

 

And quite frankly, that doesn't at all sound like something inside Beane's character to where he might leak insight to McD before he left the Panthers, especially before he knew he was getting the job.  

 

So this belief some people have that McD was getting tipped info from Beane, or anyone else, who the Panthers draft targets during the draft just seems more like a conspiracy theory than a plausible occurence.

 

I wasn't suggesting there was direct leaking. But I am pretty sure McDermott and Beane talked between McDermott arriving here and Beane joining post draft. And I think common weaknesses in the rosters would have been part of those conversations. 

 

Again.... not "hey Sean we are taking a receiver and a tackle with guard flex on day two". 

 

I think Sean McDermott was politicking for Brandon Beane to get this job pretty much the moment he arrived. And I think Beane knew that too. And as such they talked about team needs. 

[Alphadawg7]

8 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

I wasn't suggesting there was direct leaking. But I am pretty sure McDermott and Beane talked between McDermott arriving here and Beane joining post draft. And I think common weaknesses in the rosters would have been part of those conversations. 

 

Again.... not "hey Sean we are taking a receiver and a tackle with guard flex on day two". 

 

I think Sean McDermott was politicking for Brandon Beane to get this job pretty much the moment he arrived. And I think Beane knew that too. And as such they talked about team needs. 

 

Thats a fair assumption, but a lot of people think we made moves directly because of information given by Beane, and I just don't think that has any validity to it. 

 

McD already knew the Panthers needs before he was hired as HC, he definitely didn't need insight from Beane to know they might have interest in those positions.  So the fact we traded up I think had nothing to do with Beane's eventual hire here and everything to do with McD already knowing the Panthers inside and out, Bills team scouting the whole year on who we wanted and what other teams besides just the Panthers might have interest as well, etc.  

 

I really don't think anything more than that occurred.  We will never know for sure, but the likelihood anything from Beane influenced the Bills draft day decisions seems pretty low given McD would have known that info on his own having just come from the Panthers.  

Edited yesterday at 10:28 PM by Alphadawg7

[BADOLBILZ]

3 hours ago, FireChans said:

FWIW, Brandon Beane didn't interview with the Bills until after the draft, and was one of a couple candidates interviewed.

 

I know the suspicion is that he knew and was tipping picks to McD but do we know that's true?

 

 

I'm curious why you think the interview process supports a different conclusion than what Carolina believed.

 

[FireChans]

4 minutes ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

I'm curious why you think the interview process supports a different conclusion than what Carolina believed.

 

Huh

[MJS]

Pretty silly statement. How do you rank and measure the sensitivity of NFL GMs? Beane is a top GM in the league and does a great job. He has built one of the best rosters in the NFL, as well as a talented staff. He is normally pretty buttoned up and has only rarely let his guard down and gotten testy with the media. He's a good professional.

[CoudyBills]

19 hours ago, Thurman#1 said:

 

 

 

 

Nah.

 

Delta Force is selecting from a group of soldiers. We're selecting from a group of football players.

 

It's much the same thing in that each is selecting from a group of people who has had preparation that could potentially prepare them for what is needed from them, but equally doesn't prove that you'll be good at it.

 

There are plenty of men of high character in the group Delta is selecting from. And while all of them had gone through training, except in time of war, most have not killed anyone. And it goes beyond that ...

 

Studies show that a majority of soldiers in every war don't actually shoot their weapons with intent to kill or harm the enemy. Check S.L.A. Marshall's work, (which has been supported in recent research) or for just a quick look, go here:

 

 

Absolutely nothing wrong with being culture-centric.

 

Nah.

 

I never said there was.  

[BADOLBILZ]

2 hours ago, FireChans said:

Huh

 

 

Is that a question?  

 

If not, I agree with the sentiment.

 

The league has a process for interviews.    

 

Whaley had to be terminated before formal interviews could commence.

 

Hence the timing being AFTER Whaley was fired........following the draft.

 

It was an exhaustive 4 man interview search.

 

The minority candidate to satisfy the RR (Trey Brown).

 

Beane.........who had the job locked up.  

 

And the two personnel guys they hoped they could get to head up scouting for Beane......... pro personnel(Brian Gaine) and college scouting(Brian Gutekunst).

 

They got Gaine on the dotted line a week after Beane got the job.

 

Gutekunst was part of that Green Bay college scouting department which picked a defensive player in round 1 like 13 out of 14 drafts or something like that.........so it's easy to see the attraction there.   

 

[CircleTheWagons99]

Poor football focus. 

[FireChans]

1 hour ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

Is that a question?  

 

If not, I agree with the sentiment.

 

The league has a process for interviews.    

 

Whaley had to be terminated before formal interviews could commence.

 

Hence the timing being AFTER Whaley was fired........following the draft.

 

It was an exhaustive 4 man interview search.

 

The minority candidate to satisfy the RR (Trey Brown).

 

Beane.........who had the job locked up.  

 

And the two personnel guys they hoped they could get to head up scouting for Beane......... pro personnel(Brian Gaine) and college scouting(Brian Gutekunst).

 

They got Gaine on the dotted line a week after Beane got the job.

 

Gutekunst was part of that Green Bay college scouting department which picked a defensive player in round 1 like 13 out of 14 drafts or something like that.........so it's easy to see the attraction there.   

 

No I guess what I’m asking is about the “what Carolina believed” part

[BADOLBILZ]

9 hours ago, FireChans said:

No I guess what I’m asking is about the “what Carolina believed” part

 

Yeah @GunnerBill answered that.   The Panthers realized after the draft that the Bills had their draft board and that McDermott was using it like his own.  Which meant he had a good idea when he needed to move up ahead of them to get those players for he and Beane's operation.

 

[JP51]

15 hours ago, MJS said:

Pretty silly statement. How do you rank and measure the sensitivity of NFL GMs? Beane is a top GM in the league and does a great job. He has built one of the best rosters in the NFL, as well as a talented staff. He is normally pretty buttoned up and has only rarely let his guard down and gotten testy with the media. He's a good professional.

Slow time of year LOL.... I dont care if he watches "Say yes to the dress" and cries when they take the garbage away... just win one. Please. 

Edited 8 hours ago by JP51

[BullBuchanan]

On 6/25/2025 at 9:29 PM, Beck Water said:

 

Anthony Prohaska and the Cover1 guys say "Hi"
Whether you like them or not, separate issue, but they're not 60+ and don't have grey beards

Matt Parrino and Ryan Talbot more fluff and less technical but also not 60+ with grey beards
 

Cover 1 is like if Chris Brown ran a football deep-dive show.

[Paup 1995MVP]

15 hours ago, MJS said:

Pretty silly statement. How do you rank and measure the sensitivity of NFL GMs? Beane is a top GM in the league and does a great job. He has built one of the best rosters in the NFL, as well as a talented staff. He is normally pretty buttoned up and has only rarely let his guard down and gotten testy with the media. He's a good professional.

Beans overall has done a good job. But I think you are giving him a bit too much credit.  The Von Miller contract was a huge overpay.  As was the Diggs extension.  The Knox contract extension was just stupid.  The Bills fall in love far too heavily with “their guys.”  I think that has held us back.  
No reason a guy like Tre White at this point has any business being on an NFL field.  
 

The coaching staff is less than dynamic and has been solid but not great. We have been married to a defensive scheme that seems overly complex and

cerebral, especially for younger players.  And does not seem to take advantage of players athleticism.  And most importantly we almost never change it based on our personnel. Instead we find players to fit it.  Instead of bringing in the best athletes and building the defense around the players that we have in that particular year.  
 

And yes having Josh Allen washes away a lot of mistakes.   And Beane did a great job getting #17.  And has hit on some talented under the radar guys like Shakir and Ty Johnson.  And he is great at finding O lineman.  And getting a 2nd for Diggs was a winning trade, getting rid of a malcontent. 
 

There is just a certain up tightness/ formality to Beane and McDermott that some organizations don’t seem to have IMO. 

[GunnerBill]

12 hours ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

Is that a question?  

 

If not, I agree with the sentiment.

 

The league has a process for interviews.    

 

Whaley had to be terminated before formal interviews could commence.

 

Hence the timing being AFTER Whaley was fired........following the draft.

 

It was an exhaustive 4 man interview search.

 

The minority candidate to satisfy the RR (Trey Brown).

 

Beane.........who had the job locked up.  

 

And the two personnel guys they hoped they could get to head up scouting for Beane......... pro personnel(Brian Gaine) and college scouting(Brian Gutekunst).

 

They got Gaine on the dotted line a week after Beane got the job.

 

Gutekunst was part of that Green Bay college scouting department which picked a defensive player in round 1 like 13 out of 14 drafts or something like that.........so it's easy to see the attraction there.   

 

 

I don't KNOW but I have always suspected that the Gutekunst interview was a solid for him. I suspect Beane and he knew each other (they are a couple of years apart in age and both from North Carolina).... because the timing of it was odd. The interviewed Brown, Beane and Gaine. Then they interviewed Beane a second time, then a couple of days later brought in Gutekunst. I think he wanted Green Bay to see him as a coveted candidate. You will recall at the time that everyone in Green Bay knew Ted Thompson was not well and not much longer for the role. There was basically two "teams" in the Packers personnel department at the time - team Wolff (Eliot) who most people assumed was the heir apparent as his dad was Thompson's predecessor and team Gutekunst. Gute was definitely seen as the outsider and to that point had limited outside interest whereas because of his name Wolff had taken multiple GM interviews by that stage. I think Gute needed the people in Green Bay to think "man we have two really sought after guys here" to give them a choice to make. 

[FireChans]

43 minutes ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

Yeah @GunnerBill answered that.   The Panthers realized after the draft that the Bills had their draft board and that McDermott was using it like his own.  Which meant he had a good idea when he needed to move up ahead of them to get those players for he and Beane's operation.

 

What is your source on that is my question.

 

a supposition is one thing

[BADOLBILZ]

1 hour ago, FireChans said:

What is your source on that is my question.

 

a supposition is one thing

 

It was common knowledge here at the time that the Panthers believed that.   Do you really not recall that?

 

The whole thing caught Bills fans and the Buffalo media by surprise.    It wasn't a Buffalo generated narrative but pretty damn obvious, pretty damn quick in hindsight.

 

You gotta' remember the context here was the Bills being Billsy.    The idea that they would keep Whaley around for a year or two even if he didn't seem to mesh with McDermott was entirely plausible.   That had been the case with the two prior HC's Whaley worked with.

 

The sham McBeane pulled off was actually very clever.   Get the intel you want from the scouts you trust.   That was the only way they get the finished board and evaluations.   Like I said.........the flaw was McD allowing KC to trade up for a QB in your spot.    It's likely blocked them from reaching 2-4 SB's.  

 

[Coach Tuesday]

Apparently Beane is PISSED about this ranking.

[Mr. WEO]

On 6/25/2025 at 10:43 PM, BADOLBILZ said:

 

 

You don't HAVE to watch it.   But thru the magic of technology I linked it right to the moment where Beane is called out. 

 

I am critical of Beane as a personnel man.........he's no scout and his free agency track record in particular has been simply horrendous...........but I have long been a huge fan of Beane the executive.

 

He's been a puppet master with fans.....and seemingly ownership.............and that buys you a ton of runway.

 

That's critical to making it when you are faking it(which is how many big successes begin........and let's face it,  Pegula wasn't going to be getting a regime that didn't have to fake it.......it's about the best result we could have expected getting these guys).

 

I was disappointed that Beane showed his a$$ on WGR though.   That was cringe-worthy and weak.  

 

I don't really care if he owns his failures but he should just keep quiet.   Real gangsters don't rap.   He had that working for him and that made him look strong.     Now he's the guy who responded with questions about having a WR1 with "I signed Joshua Palmer".   

 

you're shoveling against the tide here, brother.