In his one hour-plus teleconference with the team media last week, Bills general manager Brandon Beane fielded many more questions than those about the effect of the coronavirus pandemic and the trade acquisition of former Vikings receiver Stefon Diggs.
Here are his responses to some of those queries:
The Bills signed five former Panthers players — cornerback Josh Norman, defensive linemen Mario Addison and Vernon Butler, linebacker A.J. Klein and offensive lineman Daryl Williams — plus former Carolina coordinator Eric Washington as defensive line coach. Is that a product of you having been assistant GM there?
Beane: Obviously when we (drafted) Josh (the Panthers’ fifth rounder in 2012), we didn’t know he was going to break out like it has. (Signing) Josh was just a familiarity thing. We didn’t feel like the system he was in at Washington played to his strengths … we think he fits our scheme well. Knowing Josh, I don’t think he liked the way things went there this past season. He’ll bring an edge to our defense, and I think he’s got something to prove … that’s what we’re betting on. Obviously, he’s got to go out and prove that he can still play at a level that we would deem acceptable.
AJ Klein, we were familiar with. He left (Carolina) around the same time I left and went to New Orleans. When I was the interim GM for those 10 weeks, Mario was a guy that I stole off the Redskins practice squad, he had bounced around that year through several teams. Mario is a real pro. I know where his age is (32), but you watch the film, and he’s still getting it done. I think he’s still got gas left in the tank … he’ll bring an edge of toughness and he’s just a really good rusher.
We added Eric Washington, I think there was a natural fit there. Vernon Butler, the first few years probably weren’t up to where we saw his talent level when we drafted him in the first round (2016) but he had 6 ½ sacks last season, and I just felt like the light was starting to come on. I view him how we got Jordan Phillips (from Miami) … a guy who, not everything had played out perfectly yet … Jordan was a second round pick. We just feel like our system fits Vernon the way Jordan did. Hopefully he can get to the level that Jordan did before (he) left for Arizona.”
With the Bills having 20 of 22 starters back from last season, is there a continuity benefit to what figures to be an unconventional year?
Beane: It can help you … it can’t hurt us. There are some teams that will be dealing with new head coaches or new quarterbacks or new coordinators where they’ve got a new system in place. Those are the teams that will struggle to get going. My only experience with no offseason was 2011 (with Carolina) when I was a first-time (assistant GM) with Sean (McDermott, defensive coordinator) and (head coach) Ron Rivera and they were a whole new staff. We were signing free agents in August to start training camp. It was something I’ve never seen so it did take us time to get that rolling, and I think (our current continuity) will help us (against) some of those teams. Looking at our division, there were no head-coaching changes this year, but you (also) count the (assistant) coaches and the players. I like the continuity and where we’re at, but we still have a lot of work to do.”
What do you expect out of Josh Allen in Years 3?
Beane: “I’m very confident in Josh. I’ve had conversations with him … just life stuff. He reached out to Diggs and some of these guys we signed and he’s working. Josh is not going to leave a stone unturned. He’s his own worst critic. I know he has many critics out there … some which I just think are way off base. Sean’s confident. Our team is confident. Our fans and everyone else should be confident in Josh Allen. I have no doubt — he took a big step from Year 1 to Year 2 — that he will continue to grow. He’ll have to. I know he’ll figure it out … how to make improvements to some of the things that didn’t go perfect for him last year. But I thought he took some great strides and he’s looking forward to taking that next step and proving any of the doubters and naysayers wrong.”
What’s your reaction to Tom Brady leaving the Patriots for Tampa Bay?
Beane: “Candidly, I did not expect Tom to leave. All sorts of rumors and speculation, obviously I’m on the outside looking in, but what a pro. What a legend he is. I’ll miss us playing against him. You always want to take down the best and that’s probably the disappointing thing … in my time we didn’t beat Tom Brady. We’ll have to find another way to play Tampa, to be able to maybe beat him before he hangs them up. But New England’s still gonna be very good. You look at what Bill Belichick did in 2008. They got robbed of a playoff spot. They were 11-5 with Matt Cassel at the helm. I think it’s funny that people are writing them off and labeling whether it’s us or another team as the team to beat in the East. The team to beat in the East is the Patriots until somebody beats them. They’re the team to beat as long as Bill Belichick’s there. You’re talking about, probably the greatest head coach of all time that was paired with the greatest quarterback of all time. So, until we beat him, we’ve done nothing and we’ve got our work cut out for us.”
(Chuck Pollock, a Bradford Publishing senior sports columnist, can be reached at cpollock@oleantimesherald.com)
