ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (WIVB) — Bills general manager Brandon Beane championed the strength of Buffalo’s roster in explaining why he did not make a trade to combat the team’s mounting injury losses.
“I do believe we can win a championship with this roster,” Beane said Wednesday after the Bills stood pat on a frenzied NFL trade deadline day. “We built it in the spring and through the summer. When we cut to 53, I want to at that point have the best team. I don’t really want to need the trade deadline. But I’m always going to look.”
Having completed a trade around the deadline in each of the past three seasons, this is the first time since Beane took over as GM in 2018 that he hasn’t made at least one swap after the draft. While believing the Bills already possess enough talent to be Super Bowl contenders, Beane did explore several potential trades before the deadline, and expressed disappointment that a deal could not be completed.
“Unfortunately, it takes two to tango,” Beane said, “and we tried on quite a few.”
A number of the players Buffalo attempted to trade for remained with their current teams. Others were dealt out of the AFC East by rivals who did not wish to benefit the Bills.
“Believe me, I went home as mad as any other fan,” Beane said. “I wanted to do things. I’m always wanting to do things to make this team better.”
But with salary cap considerations and recent draft picks who need playing time in order develop, Beane could not afford to be reckless in exchanging future assets for players who might not provide more than a short-term boost.
“It’s not fantasy football,” Beane said. “You can’t make decisions in a vacuum or silo. They all have long-term effects.”
Many expected the Bills to make a trade or two to address needs on defense that were created by injuries, or in the case of wide receiver, perceived shortcomings that contributed to consecutive losses earlier this season.
Starting defensive tackle Ed Oliver, safety Taylor Rapp and reserve defensive lineman Michael Hoecht are out for the season with injuries, while defensive tackles DaQuan Jones and T.J. Sanders are on injured reserve. Defensive back Taron Johnson and backup linebacker Shaq Thompson did not play against the Chiefs on Sunday due to injury. Pass rusher Joey Bosa also missed practice Wednesday with an injury.
“We’re not done,” Beane said. “Things happen down the stretch. Players still can get released. Injured player that’s rehabbing that’s available. We’ll continue to find ways.”
Coach Sean McDermott said that he trusts Beane and the front office staff to make the necessary roster moves to put the Bills in position to compete for a championship.
“As a coach and a coaching staff, you’re always looking for those quality players that you feel like can exponentially increase your odds of winning,” he said.
“Sometimes deals work and sometimes they don’t,” McDermott continued. “Sometimes it comes to fruition and sometimes it doesn’t. It’s a high-demand time of year with the window that just passed. So I love our team. I believe we can win, and the reason is we’ve got guys who are buying into playing as a team, playing for one another. We’ve got a culture that’s ripe and a coaching staff that knows how to develop players. Do we have some holes due to some injuries? We do, and it’s frustrating. But that’s also where young guys have to step up.”
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Jonah Bronstein joined the WIVB squad in 2022 as a digital sports reporter. The Buffalonian has covered the Bills, Sabres, Bandits, Bisons, colleges, high schools and other notable sporting events in Western New York since 2005, for publications including The Associated Press, The Buffalo News, and Niagara Gazette. Read more of his work here.