Brandon Beane has done a great job as the general manager of the Buffalo Bills.
He built a perennial non-factor into the AFC East's best team for the last half-decade.
But there have been a few questions asked of Beane in recent days, all centering around last week's NFL trade deadline.
The Bills entered deadline day with four clear needs: wide receiver, defensive tackle, edge rusher and safety.
The Bills made no trades.
And sure, maybe it's harder to pull off deals in the NFL around the deadline than it is in other sports. But there were other trades, just none involving Buffalo.
ESPN's Ben Solak, in an ominous line, wonders if Beane may have spelled the end of his tenure.
"Beane has been the general manager in Buffalo since 2017, and the Bills need a Super Bowl appearance to show for his efforts," Solak wrote on Tuesday. "Otherwise, why keep the 2026 first-round pick... If someone else might use it?"
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The lack of activity didn't age well when news leaked Sunday morning that the Bills had been close to getting Dolphins WR Jaylen Waddle. Presumably, Buffalo is the side that allowed that rumor to get into the public sphere, and then the Bills went and got smoked by Miami while Waddle had a big day.
All would be forgiven if Buffalo makes it to the Super Bowl, and potentially wins it.
But if the Bills have a disappointingly early exit, something may have to give.
Beane has built the ship to this point. But can he bring it across the finish line?
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