AFC Notes: Bills GM Brandon Beane Talks Roster, Getting Over Hump, Dolphins, Jets

Bills

• Although Bills GM Brandon Beane admits they’ve fallen short of their goals in several years, he knows they are close to breaking through: “Yes, there are several years where we’ve come up short, but every time we’re right there. We’re not getting blown out. I’ll sign up next year for same chance we had this year. 17 with the ball with 3 minutes to go.” (Chris Brown)
• Beane indicated WR Amari Cooper‘s wrist injury “could have required surgery” but the receiver wanted to continue playing, per Katherine Fitzgerald. 
• Beane believes Cooper helped boost their offense despite not putting up All-Pro numbers: “I do think Amari helped our offense. Did he put up All-Pro numbers? No… I do not regret the move. I think it did help us, despite what his personal numbers were.” (Fitzgerald)
• Buffalo is currently set to be $7 million over the cap in 2025, but Beane points out they are in a better position than last year and they can adjust several contracts: “We’re in a better position cap-wise than we were last year at this time. We won’t be in as deep of a cap hole. We don’t have as many clear cut cap casualty candidates as last year. We’re ok but we also have extension candidates. I don’t think we’ll be big spenders in free agency.” (Brown)
• As for his approach, Beane said he avoids chasing one particular player or position: “You’re never one player away from it’s a dangerous mindset. You don’t want to chase one player or position. This team had championship ability. But it comes down to a few plays. One to two plays can change the outcome of a game which can end your season.” (Brown)
• Beane said WR Keon Coleman wasn’t the same player after suffering his knee injury and won’t judge his rookie season too harshly: “I wish he had finished the season stronger, but we had honest, direct conversations with Keon. … Let’s give him a little grace here. His career will not be defined by one season.” (Fitzgerald)
• Beane mentioned TE Dalton Kincaid didn’t perform up to expectations, but called him a “big part” of their plans: “Dalton (Kincaid) didn’t have the year he or we expected. He got nicked up during the season. He’s tough. We believe in Dalton. He’s a big part of our plans going forward. No one here has lost confidence in him.” (Sal Capaccio)
• Beane continued on Kincaid: “Dalton (Kincaid) is a really good football player…..he didn’t have that next step up type of year…Dalton makes those plays. It never comes down to one play. Our confidence in him is very high. He knows and we know he has to gain strength (both physically and durability).” (Capaccio)
• Beane wouldn’t compare Coleman and Chiefs WR Xavier Worthy: “Both players can be good for both teams for years to come … I don’t think today you and I can draw a statement on how either career will go … We’re always going to make moves about (what’s best for) the Buffalo Bills.” (Fitzgerald)
• When asked about the possibility of signing an “elite” defensive player, Beane said they will look at every avenue possible: “Would I love to have an elite difference maker? Heck yeah, but we have a cap and we are picking low every year. That doesn’t mean we can’t land one, and we’ll continue to turn over every stone to find one.” (Brown)
• Beane added they want to improve their pass rush: “We want to be good up front. When we signed Von Miller he started that year very well. He was playing like a top 10 DE. Then he got injured. You can’t predict those. We always want to be strong up front.” (Brown)
• Regarding the possibility of signing Josh Allen to an extension this offseason, Beane said they have not discussed it yet: “Not saying it will or won’t happen. We’re not there yet in discussing, let alone making that decision. Josh and I talk a lot and he was dejected after the loss so nothing like that has been discussed.” (Brown)
• With S Damar Hamlin‘s expiring contract, Beane said he’s a fan of Hamlin and they’ll look into a new deal: “I think he even impressed himself… You hate the business part of it … the business part, we’ll handle that, but I’m super proud of him. There’s no bigger fan of Damar than me.” (Fitzgerald)
• Bills DT Jordan Phillips $6,722 (use of helmet) and Matt Milano (facemask) $11,255 were both fined for their actions in the conference championship game.

Dolphins

• Marcel Louis-Jacques reports the Dolphins interviewed Cowboys WR coach Robert Prince for the same role in Miami. He was later hired by Miami. 
• Alabama QB Jalen Milroe said he spoke with the Dolphins about their backup quarterback role and talks “went well,” per Isaiah Smalls. 

Jets

The Jets extensively searched for their next head coach and general manager after parting ways with Robert Saleh and Joe Douglas during the season. They eventually settled on Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey. Jets’ president Hymie Elhai, who has been at the organization in different roles for nearly 25 years, explained they went about business a bit differently this time around.  

“We feel like the others didn’t really work,” Elhai said, via NFL.com. “It took some moments of self-reflection to think about things, how we can improve it and do it differently.”

Former Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum assisted in New York’s search for a head coach and general manager as a consultant to the organization. He said they tried to organize and collect information on their candidates, comparing it to the “draft process.” 

“If we do our process well, it’s like a draft: candidates go up and down the board,” Tannenbaum said. “We should react to information as we get it. We didn’t want the interview to sway overwhelming data one way or another because, on Zoom, some people might be better on Zooms than others. Our job was to organize and collect as much actionable information as we could. If felt very much like the draft process. Things are going to change throughout the search. People are going to be on the board you didn’t expect. We want to get the board ready so when Woody and Christopher come in, they have all the information to make that decision.”

In the end, owner Woody Johnson felt Glenn was the best man for the job. 

“One thing about this process is, the winning candidate emerges,” Johnson said. “I didn’t know at the beginning who would emerge. He emerged, and by the end — they all were very talented — one was more appropriate and better for the New York Jets. That’s the one we picked.”