ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) The Buffalo Bills signed general manager Brandon Beane to a multi-year contract extension on Thursday, locking up the architect of a team in position to secure its third playoff berth in four years.
The length of the contract was not announced, though it’s likely to coincide with coach Sean McDermott, who was signed to a four-year extension in August. McDermott’s contract runs through the 2025 season.
Beane is in his fourth season in Buffalo after moving up the ranks of the Carolina Panthers’ front office. He was hired in May 2017 after Doug Whaley was fired a day after the draft, and five months after McDermott was hired as coach.
Beane and McDermott have overseen a renaissance in Buffalo that continues this season, the Bills (9-3) are leading the AFC East and have a chance to win their first division title since 1995.
Buffalo made the playoffs in both of their first seasons to end a 17-year postseason drought that stood as the longest active streak in North America’s four major professional sports.
While McDermott placed his attention on building a winning culture, Beane focused on rebuilding what had been an over-priced and under-performing roster.
Only two players – defensive end Jerry Hughes and long-snapper Reid Ferguson – remain on the team since before Beane and McDermott took over.
After spending his first season clearing the team’s payroll to free up room under the salary cap, Beane then proceeded to rebuild the roster through the draft, free agency and trades.
His most notable draft came in 2018, when Buffalo twice moved up in the first round to select quarterback Josh Allen at No. 7 and middle linebacker Tremaine Edmunds at No. 16.
Beane then spent 2019 upgrading Buffalo’s offense by signing receivers John Brown and Cole Beasley, as well as overhauling the entire line.
Citing a need for Buffalo to score more points, Beane delivered by giving up a first-round draft pick to acquire receiver Stefon Diggs in a trade with Minnesota in March.
The moves led to Buffalo having one of the NFL’s top-scoring offenses and Allen developing into one of the NFL’s top young quarterbacks this season.
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