Monday morning begins a new era for the Buffalo Bills as the franchise made the difficult decision to fire head coach Sean McDermott after nine seasons with the team. McDermott led the Bills to the postseason in eight of those nine years, but could not seem to get the team over the hump and back to the Super Bowl for the first time since the 1993 season.
Many Bills fans were ready for that change. Despite winning a playoff game in each of the last six seasons, especially considering the 17-year playoff drought that he inherited when he was hired in 2017, the heartbreaking manner with which the Bills were ousted each year as well proved to be McDermott’s undoing.
Still, that change was one Bills Mafia had at least considered enough to become ready for it once it came down. The Bills' other Monday morning decision involving general manager Brandon Beane, however, was not expected, nor is it one that has Bills fans the least bit excited about the future.
Buffalo Bills put their post-McDermott future in Brandon Beane’s hands
The Bills announced on Monday within their statement on McDermott’s firing that general manager Brandon Beane would not only be retained for the next regime, but is also getting a promotion to President of Football Operations. Owner Terry Pegula said in the statement that Beane will oversee the coaching staff moving forward.
“Brandon will oversee all facets of our football operation, including the oversight of our coching staff,” Pegula said in the statement. “I have full faith in and have witnessed Brandon’s outstanding leadership style and have confidence in his abilities to lead our organtization.”
Pegula might have that faith, but not all of Bills Mafia does. Brandon Beane’ primary responsibility is to build the roster McDermott was tasked with coaching. While McDermott didn’t hold up his end of the bargain as well as anyone would have hoped, it was in some part due to Beane’s efforts.
While Beane has made strong moves, none bigger than pulling the trigger on Josh Allen with the 7th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, he hasn’t quite done enough to help out the quarterback he drafted eight years ago. Allen’s receiving options have regressed into one of the worst units in the league as Beane whiffed on free agent signings like Curtis Samuel and Josh Palmer.
Pegula is already taking a massive gamble in firing McDermott in the first place, even if it is justified in the eyes of many. John Harbaugh and Mike Tomlin are our in Baltimore and Pittsburgh respectively for very much the same reasons McDermott is available now. However, it’s an even bigger gamble to lay so much responsibility at Beane’s feet.
While the incoming head coach will have to be prepared to endure the pressure of Super Bowl or bust expectations, since McDermott was fired for the sole reason of not getting over the postseason hump, the same pressure exists for Beane. As if Beane’s decisions in that effort weren’t under heavy scrutiny before, now with the backing of ownership, Beane must deliver the next head coach a roster that can compete.
Beane faces those expectations while walking into an offseason where he has very little wiggle room with cap space while needing to evaluate both sides of the ball with 20 players set to become unrestricted free agents, many of whom are veterans on the defensive side of the ball, including Joey Bosa, Matt Milano, Shaq Thomspon and Tre’Davious White.
It’s no understatement to say that if Beane whiffs on stabilizing the roster and/or the head coaching hire, the Bills, even with Allen under center, would be in for a bumpy ride the next few years. All Bills Mafia can do is hope it doesn’t come to that, or worse.
Everyone in Buffalo wants to get back to the Super Bowl, especially with Allen at the helm. It’s up to Beane now, and whoever he can bring in as the next head coach, to make good on the expectation that it will happen during Allen’s career. Anything less after this string of decisions won’t be acceptable.