NFL GM Power Rankings: Bills A Top-5 Front Office?
When it comes to winning football games, it can be easy at times to give 100 percent of the credit to the players on the field. After all, they are the ones out there playing the game.
However, as much credit as they do deserve, they wouldn't be in a place to contend without a competent front office - which can be the difference between a team being a perennial playoff team vs. one that seems stuck in a permanent rebuild.
Luckily for the Bills their front office is the former, with general manager Brandon Beane working closely with coach Sean McDermott to build the current roster. The success and consistency of that duo landed them in the top five of NFL.com's general manager power rankings.
4. Brandon Beane/Sean McDermott
"I don't put the Bills' inability to get over the hump on the front office. Rather, I blame it on randomness (2020 and '21) and injuries (2022). That said, the team might need to revisit the relative lack of weight that is put into offensive resources compared with McDermott's defense. A solid D can only take you so far in this era, and the team's shortcomings on the offensive line and skill positions around Josh Allen showed up in 2022."
Like they point out, it isn't fair to blame the Bills' recent playoffs 100 percent on the front office. However, they also point out valid criticisms of what Beane could improve on moving forward.
The Bills have been elite on both sides of the ball, but a big part of that on offense is quarterback Josh Allen. No, building around a superstar at the quarterback position isn't bad, but they have struggled to give him a consistent run game which could hurt them in the long term as they rely heavily on Allen's rushing ability.
"Beane made some low-cost moves in free agency (Damien Harris, Deonte Harty, Connor McGovern) that look smart enough on paper -- they are also similar to moves from 2022 that didn't work out well. His drafts have been less inspiring over the last four years, with 2021 first-rounder Greg Rousseau being the biggest difference-maker among them.
The Bills have built and maintained a superpower over the last six years since Beane was hired, but their best work was done in the building stages. Can they do it again with different players around Allen?"
If the Bills' offseason signings hit and they perform well then it could result in them finally getting over the proverbial playoff hump. And, with limited draft capital in the upcoming draft, the ability to nail the picks they do have is paramount.
Beane and McDermott have built a perennial contender and one of the NFL's best rosters on a yearly basis. Now, though, as they look to get to the top of the NFL mountain, their success from this offseason will be the key to doing so.
You can find Connor Zimmerlee on Twitter @Connorjz98
Thanks for reading our SI-powered coverage of your Buffalo Bills ... Bills Mafia!
You're a member of Bills Mafia hungry for more Buffalo coverage? Read here.
