Bills GM Brandon Beane’s Comment on No. 1 WR Raises Eyebrows
Preparing for the 2024 NFL draft, The Buffalo Bills have identified their top priority as securing a new top-tier wide receiver following the trade of Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans.
On Thursday, April 17th, Bills’ general manager Brandon Beane spoke to reporters and expressed a different viewpoint. According to him, the focus should be on acquiring players who possess intelligence, adaptability, teamwork skills and can use their skillset effectively within this particular offense rather than just trying to get the best talent available.
“If Josh [Allen] throws a 50-50 ball to a tall guy, he must catch it. Similarly, if we aim at getting the ball in someone’s hands and expect some RAC from them during critical moments, then that person is exactly what we need.”
“We will consider signing a worthwhile ‘1’ in free agency or the draft, and even a strong ‘2’. However, lacking a top player does not hinder our ability to achieve success as an offensive unit or overall team.”
The remarks made by Beane garnered a diverse range of responses from both analysts and fans. Some individuals speculate that his comments were calculated in preparation for draft day. Mike Florio, the writer at Pro Football Talk, claims “That’s just what Beane has to say.” He adds that there seems to be clear indication of their intention to acquire a receiver with the 28th pick which may result in them having to trade up if necessary.
Beane’s remarks provide them with bargaining power during trade discussions, coupled with the opportunity to assert that they secured their preferred outcome. Even if this was not accurate.
A fan of the Buffalo Bills shared, “Beane’s poker face is impressive considering he made that statement.” Despite this observation, some advised taking Beane’s remark about a potential weakness on the team seriously.
Tera Victoria from Fantasy Football Today stated that reducing the volume to Diggs and Davis resulted in a strong finish for the team. Despite having pick number 28, opting for a defensive player would bring greater value compared to available receivers at this point. It is evident that they are focusing on retooling their defense, hence giving up resources to trade up for a receiver does not seem reasonable. Therefore, Tera believes it’s unlikely that they will select a receiver as their first choice.
Beane’s selection of descriptive words to portray the team’s perfect receiver caught people’s attention. A commentator quipped, “‘Selfless’ haha probably targeted at Diggs.”
Another man commented that Diggs’ diva behavior caused a divide in the locker room. Therefore, Buffalo had to let him go for the betterment of the team as a whole 💯🤷🏾♂️.
Throughout the past four seasons, Diggs proved to be Allen’s most dependable receiver by surpassing 1,000 yards. However, there has been consistent turmoil surrounding Diggsover for the duration of two years. In the AFC Divisional playoff loss in 2023,Diggs erupted at Allenabout not receiving enough opportunities with his outburst garnering viral attention.
In spite of his efforts, Diggs fell short in delivering during the Bills’ playoff defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs last season. During their game against the Chiefs, he managed to catch only 3 out of 8 targets for a mere 21 yards. Regrettably, he fumbled and even failed with his first two attempts at receiving passes.
The statements made by Brandon Beane may provide insight into the genre of receiver he plans to select in the draft.
On December 31, 2022, Ladd McConkey who was previously a receiver for Georgia appeared at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Curtis Samuel, Mack Hollins, Khalil Shakir, and tight end Dalton Kincaid are among Allen’s favored choices on the team. With Diggs’ and Davis’ departure from the squad, procuring a wide receiver with deep-threat capabilities became an apparent necessity.
It’s possible that Beane indicated his interest in a unique type of instrument. Kyle Dvorchak from Rotoworld Football noted, “Many individuals are reluctant to suggest players such as Xavier Worthy, Troy Franklin and Ladd McConkey for the Bills since they don’t fit the mold of traditional X receivers.” However, it appears this isn’t a concern for Buffalo.
A Bills supporter trusts that Beane’s remarks accurately match Xavier Legette. Nevertheless, many fans are expecting a wide receiver to be selected first in the draft. A fan expressed their concern by stating that they comprehend why other positions need attention but will switch allegiances if Buffalo does not capitalize on this crop of talented receivers.
