← Buffalo Plus: A Buffalo Bills podcast
Buffalo Plus: A Buffalo Bills podcast
Bills GM Brandon Beane BACK on the PATIO: How he's CHANGED & relationships w/ JOSH ALLEN + MCDERMOTT
00:37:19
Mike, Jenna and Dan discuss all of that and more with the Bills general manager on the latest episode of the Buffalo Plus Podcast.
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- [00:00]
Mike Catalano
Mr. Gekko, you're a huge inspiration to us all. But who was your muse?
- [00:04]
Brandon Bean
My dear old Nan. She would tell me, always remember to be true to yourself and to use that fast and friendly claim support on the Geico app. I follow her advice to this day. Get more than just savings. Get more with Geico.
- [00:15]
Jenna Cottrell
By the way, does anybody ever ask you about the wide receivers?
- [00:18]
Brandon Bean
It's never ever been asked, Mike. I don't know what you're talking about.
- [00:23]
Dan Fates
We're just amongst friends. Just amongst friends.
- [00:26]
Jenna Cottrell
I have a quote here from your good buddy Josh Allen was on NFL Network. He was asked about your golf game.
- [00:32]
Brandon Bean
Okay.
- [00:32]
Jenna Cottrell
Josh Allen said, I think I beat him the last time we were out there.
- [00:36]
Brandon Bean
He is a talker. He did not beat me the last time out. That's 100%. We got. That's 100% false year number nine for you.
- [00:48]
Dan Fates
How have you changed?
- [00:51]
Brandon Bean
Oh, that's a great question. This is the Buffalo plus podcast brought to you by Connors and Ferris.
- [01:06]
Jenna Cottrell
Hey, everybody. Welcome to the Buffalo plus podcast. Well, in my backyard. Who came to visit again, Mike Catalano, along with Dan Fates and Jenna Cottrell. Please make sure to, like, comment and subscribe with us.
- [01:20]
Dan Fates
You know how it works.
- [01:21]
Jenna Cottrell
The general manager of the Buffalo Bills, Brandon Bean. Welcome to the podcast.
- [01:27]
Brandon Bean
Appreciate you guys having me on. Welcome back, second annual Mike Catalog.
- [01:32]
Jenna Cottrell
All right, so it's Brandon Bean. A lot of guys, people, we will call you Brandon. Josh calls you Bean. You got big baller Bean. What do you prefer? Oh, are you Bean, like, for most people?
- [01:44]
Brandon Bean
Most people just go by my. My last name.
- [01:46]
Jenna Cottrell
Has it always been that way?
- [01:47]
Brandon Bean
Yeah, since, I mean, all my coaches. I don't think teachers call me that unless they were also my coach. But, yeah, all my coaches from, you know, when I started sports in second, third grade, all the way up, it was. It was mostly Bean or something. Something off that Beaner or whatever.
- [02:05]
Jenna Cottrell
What part did Josh start calling you Bean? Not as a rookie, no.
- [02:09]
Brandon Bean
Well, yeah, he was. He. He didn't do that. I think pretty quickly he called me. He called me. I'm like, dude, don't. Don't call me mister. That's my guy.
- [02:19]
Mike Catalano
I remember when we first met Josh when he was a rookie, and he came over and he was like. We were waiting for him to walk the media scrum, and he was a little bit late. And I remember him being like, I'm so sorry. My name's Josh. It's so nice to meet you. Thank you for waiting. We were all like, okay, we know.
- [02:34]
Dan Fates
Who you Are, Yeah, we're like, we.
- [02:35]
Mike Catalano
Know who you are.
- [02:35]
Dan Fates
It's like when Khalil introduced himself to us, like, it's so nice to meet you guys. I'm Khalil Shakir. It's like, yeah, we know, man. Yeah, we appreciate it.
- [02:41]
Mike Catalano
We appreciate that we're here.
- [02:42]
Dan Fates
Yeah, exactly.
- [02:43]
Mike Catalano
Literally.
- [02:43]
Dan Fates
Mike did that today at practice. He tried to get Christian Benford and he goes, I'm just going to do a few more reps. And Mike goes, yeah, sure, go right ahead. As if like he was allowing Christian.
- [02:53]
Brandon Bean
Thanks for letting him do that.
- [02:55]
Jenna Cottrell
I know you wanted him to get.
- [02:56]
Brandon Bean
A little work, be as good as he can be.
- [02:59]
Mike Catalano
I love it. No, I know for you guys, you love having the players come here to Fischer being away for camp, but I'm just curious, like for you and your staff, I know you love it for the players, but what does it do for you all as a group?
- [03:09]
Brandon Bean
Yeah, it's great because the same thing, it's, it's, it gives you a chance, an opportunity. It's force bonding. You're not like, oh, it's seven o', clock, you know, I got to get to my kids game or I need to swing by CVS and pick up prescription for, you know, somebody in the house, whatever it is. Because, you know, wives are running their way and our spouses, even for some of the females we have on staff, so it's just, it's kind of one of those things, you know, when you come up here, your families all know, hey, you're here, you're locked in and there's gonna be time where you're working, but there's also sometimes, hey, you know, it's nine o', clock. Let's, let's, let's go somewhere and, and grab a drink and just not maybe work comes up, but maybe it's, it's life stuff and it's just a chance. The more you're around each other, the more you form those bonds, the more you, you can deal with any adverse situations that come your way. And that's, that's why Sean and I like to do that. And the, you know, the ghouls as well to, to bring our team up here. And it works with your, it also even cross pollinates different staff members. There's opportunities for scouts to spend time with coaches or medical staff, your wait staff, especially our college guys. Our college scouts are here right now. They're going to be leaving soon, but once they go, they hit the road running. So this is a good opportunity for a little over a week for them to kind of mingle with not only some of our players, but some of our support staff.
- [04:35]
Dan Fates
Year number nine for you. How have you changed?
- [04:39]
Brandon Bean
That's a great question. You guys should probably tell me. But no, I think just, you know, every, you know, I talk about this with some of our rising scouts or support staff. Like every lap around the track, you know, I try and take notes and look at what went well and what didn't. So I think just probably how I communicate with my staff, things that, you know, I think I've evolved from the standpoint they know what the standard is or what we expect. So I'm, I'm less time on that and more on finding ways how we can get better and how we can improve. And I think it's just, it's easier to stay on the same page when you walk into a staff meeting. We've had a lot of continuity here across our football. You know, if I got Nate Bresky, Jeff Mazurek, Joe Collins, our analytics staff, like Dennis Lock, whoever it is, we all sit down as a group and I feel like we're, we're on the same page right away versus, you know, when you, when you don't have that continuity.
- [05:44]
Dan Fates
Because I was wondering, because we always ask Sean and we ask players, how often do you self reflect over your. What you were like when you started to now the GM you are today?
- [05:54]
Brandon Bean
Yeah, I mean, I don't do a lot of self reflection, but I do from the standpoint of like, how do we get better? What was our process good? I'm constantly taking notes. Like, I go back sometimes and look at comments I made after the 2022 draft or the 2023 free agency. Like, you know what, maybe we should have done this or anything that. That comes up or something to remind yourself, you know, especially the draft. There's some. It's so unpredictable. You know how it can. You know, you go through 100 scenarios and sometimes you, you come up with a scenario that does get presented, but there's many times you don't get that scenario presented. But I'm, I'm trying to keep tedious notes to study and learn and hopefully, you know, each. Each time through the draft, like, to be more patient, you know, I'm, that's, that's one of my flaws, as you guys know. You're always prepared for me to trade up because I can't help myself. Sometimes I see a guy that I'm like, man, we really like this guy. We've loved him through this process. I Don't think he's going to last much longer. And sometimes I've been patient, got them, sometimes I haven't. And I'm like cussing myself internally, you know, not out loud in the room. But I think those, those are all learning experiences and you just try to get better each time.
- [07:12]
Mike Catalano
How, how do you become more patient? Like, do you sit on your hands? This is someone you talk to that I'm like, hey, talk me out of this. Like, what do you do in that instance?
- [07:20]
Brandon Bean
Yeah, I mean, because I would struggle. Yeah, I try and put notes on a plan. I try and talk through with, you know, the, the, the Brian Gaines, the Terrence Grays, you know, the, the Matt Bazigan's people that were going through that draft process with. And just, hey, let's, you know, we really like, like, let's just say we feel like, hey, this draft, there's going to be a lot of depth in the third and fourth round. Like, if you feel me itching to move up in one, like, remind me.
- [07:48]
Dan Fates
Like, you know, remember that conversation we had?
- [07:50]
Brandon Bean
Yeah, exactly, exactly. Now sometimes you get into the second round and you're going, man, there's more guys getting peeled off in our third round already that we. So then maybe that makes you adjust, maybe it doesn't. You never truly, like I said, it's unpredictable. But you try and put, you know, little people beside you to kind of remind you, you know, when you get the adrenaline going of, man, I really like this player.
- [08:17]
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah, you did a lot of work, you and your staff to get to the 91, to bring all these guys out. When you walk out on the field, it can. Is there a place your eyes go first? Is there a group you're looking at first?
- [08:30]
Brandon Bean
Yeah, I mean, because, you know, back in the day, you started with pads right away. We obviously have this ramp up period. So I find myself, you know, more looking at the skills, you know, receivers and DBs probably more than anyone. Because the running backs, they're not, you know, they're, they're doing their thing. Unless they're in the pass game, you know, I'll pay attention to them, but definitely watching the quarterbacks, watching our corners who, you know, kind of just work through their, their footwork drills, watching the receivers run routes, who's catching the ball, who's not, you know. Today, first day of pads though, I'm going over there to watch O line, D line. I want to watch these guys one on one, the nine on seven period where everybody in the house knows these are run Plays and, you know, and it is an advantage for the defense, but it's fun to see, you know, the offense when they are able to, you know, open a hole enough for, you know, one of the backs to squeeze through there.
- [09:24]
Jenna Cottrell
By the way, does anybody ever ask you about the wide receivers?
- [09:27]
Brandon Bean
It's never ever been asked, Mike. I don't know what you're talking about.
- [09:32]
Dan Fates
We're just amongst friends.
- [09:33]
Brandon Bean
Just amongst friends.
- [09:34]
Dan Fates
Yeah.
- [09:34]
Brandon Bean
It's just. Is this the Rochester ass, not the Buffalo ass? No, it's.
- [09:39]
Dan Fates
There are idiots everywhere.
- [09:41]
Brandon Bean
There are idiots everywhere. That'll never change, unfortunately.
- [09:46]
Jenna Cottrell
So you have this group now. You made some changes. You got some talent that you brought in at the moment. Looking ahead, how do you look at that group? And I know you include the tight ends in that group and get both Dawson and Dalton healthy. How do you look at this group compared to maybe even what you had, which was so successful last year?
- [10:04]
Brandon Bean
Yeah, I mean, I think, you know, my goal, our goal is to try and find as many, you know, I call them mismatch weapons. Whether it's a tight end, even a running back. Like, you know, you can line up James Cook or Ty Johnson, and Ray's got good hands, too. But, you know, it's not just quote unquote, who goes in the receiver meeting room like we're looking at when we play games. I mean, you see us sometimes, there's games where we feature our 21 package, and we're. We're. We're hitting Reggie Gilliam downhill. We're not throwing the ball. But I say all that is, like, when we put this offensive roster together, it's how many different variables, how many different, you know, things can we get the other team to think about and have to prepare for it? And where can we find mismatches based on the opponent and what they do well versus what we think are the weaknesses that we want to attack? And, you know, this group is. It's. It's. It's got a lot of the same pieces, but it's got a few new pieces. Josh Palmer, we add an Elijah Moore. You know, we've added Leviska, Chenault, you know, been. Been banged up a little bit here to start camp, get him going. And then you bring back Keon. In year two, Khalil Shakir has been as steady as one could ever be. And. And I think nationally, Khalil probably gets, you know, undervalued, underappreciated. Just. He's not an outspoken guy like many receivers can be. If he catches one ball or catches 10. Like, he. He's. He's the same guy. Yeah, yeah. And I think the unit works, you know, because Josh is like. Josh walks out of the huddle, and he doesn't care who's out there. If it's Tyrell Shavers, if it's Jalen Virgil, if it's Keon Coleman, like, wherever the defense tells him to throw the ball, he's going to do that. And that's. That's why Joe Brady wears his hat. He says everyone eats. That's. Everybody eats. That's. That's what we like, and that's where we're at right now and how we like to build this thing for you.
- [12:03]
Mike Catalano
Like Khalil Shakir, when you drafted him, you obviously saw the potential in him, but are you even impressed in the way that he's able to ascend his game?
- [12:11]
Brandon Bean
Yeah, I mean, he's just. We loved his hands coming out, we loved his toughness and thought he was a sneaky rack player, but I think he. I think he's better than a sneaky rack player. That was kind of what I gave him at Boise, you know, but he is just Mr. Dependable, you know? Definitely thought he had sneaky speed. He ran a better time than I thought I saw. But I tell you, with the ball in his hands, that's when I see that speed. Yeah. Like, maybe. You know what I mean? It's. It's almost like he gets. Most people would naturally, you would think, carrying a ball, slow down a little bit. I feel like there's something about him, you know, when he. And I think Jimbo, James Cook, I think he's the same way. Like, Jimbo gets that corner with that ball. I feel like he's faster with it in his hand. And again, you're talking about Khalil, but I just think he's one of those guys. He is at his most dangerous point when that ball's in his hand. Yeah.
- [13:06]
Dan Fates
How has your relationship with Josh evolved from rookie to mvp?
- [13:14]
Brandon Bean
Yeah, I mean, we've always had an open relationship. I think early on as he was maturing, you know, I was more of a. I still bust his balls, but it was more of like, just. You're talking to your big little brother. Right. But you're just busting his chops. Like, dude, you're still feeling your way. You're still, you know, wet behind the ears in this league.
- [13:37]
Dan Fates
Yeah.
- [13:37]
Brandon Bean
Things you got to learn. And. And the best way I felt to communicate with him was to kind of make fun of him or bust his chops but he has, you know, grown, as we all know, and become. Turned himself into, you know, even before he won the mvp, he was, he was an MVP caliber player, you know, even though he didn't win it, like, he's been in the conversation for a few years. And so as he's done that, I feel even the maturity off the field of being able to have those conversations early on, he didn't know enough to know what our team needed or what our, more specifically our offense needed. But I think now he does deserve an opportunity to throw 2 cents in. It doesn't mean we're going to do it, but we definitely value it and understand it. And, you know, it's important to have his perspective, you know, because sometimes I'm not in the. I mean, never am I in the huddle, but there's things that are weak, you know, in the locker room or certain things that maybe you think you know something and maybe he can fill in the blank. So I think he's earned that. And I don't, I don't think he takes advantage of it. Like he's not blowing me up all the time. He'll call and say, hey, spoke to this, this player, you know, he would be interested in coming here. I do like his game, or I don't like his game, but I understand if you don't want him or, you know, and sometimes I'll tell him, I hear you. I don't think he's a great fit because of this. If he has something to come back, I'll listen. But if, if I don't make the decision of what he thought, he doesn't sulk or anything like that. He understands, you know, sometimes we gotta do what we gotta do.
- [15:13]
Jenna Cottrell
I have a quote here from your good buddy Josh Allen, who's on NFL Network. He was asked about your golf game.
- [15:19]
Brandon Bean
Okay.
- [15:20]
Jenna Cottrell
Josh Allen said, I think I beat him the last time we were out there. He's been playing pretty solid. He sends me texts to say things like, I shot 72, though. He never shoots that. When he's with me, he can poke it. Don't get me wrong, he can drive. I'll drive me once in a while. But when he's playing with the big boys, we drive it past him. When he tries to get a little more into his swing and it causes him to go haywire. This is the guy you drafted number one for your team and your franchise, and he's taking shots. It's your golf game.
- [15:55]
Brandon Bean
Of all things, he is a shit talker. Now, listen, he did not beat me the last time out. That's 100 controversy we got. That's 100% false. He has beat me, but it was not the last time. Last year he was over against me the, the three or four times we played, whether it was here or at Craig Burn. We're both at Craig Burn. But he has beat me his game, I'll give him credit. Like from. He went from trying to see how far he could hit a driver three wood to, you know, actually trying to play golf.
- [16:29]
Jenna Cottrell
And, and it's like his football. It was like 2018.
- [16:33]
Brandon Bean
No doubt, no doubt. Very similar trajectory with his golf game. He's gotten, he's gotten good. Although I don't think Tahoe went as well for him this year. I think he was a little disappointed.
- [16:42]
Jenna Cottrell
Good shot. Get him back.
- [16:43]
Brandon Bean
Right. He hasn't talked about that trip very much.
- [16:45]
Dan Fates
Funny how that works.
- [16:47]
Jenna Cottrell
Wait a minute. Sean played Tahoe. Did you play Tahoe?
- [16:50]
Brandon Bean
No.
- [16:50]
Jenna Cottrell
How did they not have you out there yet?
- [16:52]
Brandon Bean
I don't know. I'm a slappy.
- [16:55]
Dan Fates
Three handicaps.
- [16:56]
Jenna Cottrell
Slappy.
- [16:57]
Mike Catalano
Well, talking about, just like social media and I mean, you're getting that quote off of that. Like, how do you, with the players kind of balance the immediate reaction and the pressure and sometimes the criticism that can come off of social media? How do you kind of prepare the guys for that and even the coaching staff to help players along with that pressure?
- [17:15]
Brandon Bean
Yeah, I mean, it's, it's a new world we're in. I mean, it's, it's, it's not new of now, but it's new from, you know, 10, 15 years ago of, of the pressure. I mean, everyone's got an opinion and you know, we're definitely getting new players from college. I mean, you add nil guys that are coming in with money, you know, and all the things with social media, you know, Mark Carrier and his staff, Dr. Dez, they do a great job of bringing in not just, not just them speaking up there, but bringing in people from the outside. This spring we even had, you know, now that Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady. Yeah. You know, to give kind of their perspective of some things that they learned through their career. And obviously the games or the landscape of social media has changed even more since they've gotten out of the NBA. But we bring in ex players, not necessarily Buffalo Bills. Sometimes they are. But you just try and give them as much as you can, educate them, surround them, put a support system in place and encourage them and know that, you know, we control inside these Walls, you know, that's, that's what it matters. Yeah. Because sometimes it's not even just fans. Sometimes it can be pressure from family, you know, you know, putting on to people or, you know, people that they've known for years, close friends, whatever. You'd be surprised at some of the pressures that these guys face. And I think, you know, you even hear stories of, you know, parents that maybe are split up and, and the player got a signing bonus and mom and dad got their hand out. Hey, I sure I want my hundred thousand. I helped you get into whatever school you got, you got into.
- [18:56]
Dan Fates
We always think, I always tell my friends and people that ask about it. It's like people think that NFL players or pro athletes are like robots.
- [19:03]
Brandon Bean
Yeah.
- [19:04]
Dan Fates
They have lives, they have bad days with their spouses and kids and all that stuff. And we always ask them how they handle that adversary adversity. How do you, as a general manager over these years handle the adversity? Whether it's a game, whether it's a result, whether it's a player that you did or didn't get? How do you handle that?
- [19:23]
Brandon Bean
Yeah, I mean, I think it starts with, you got to have, no matter what you are, no matter whether you're, you're Josh Allen, the quarterback, your Sean McDermott, whoever, you got to have your, your things in order at home and you know, a stable people around you, no matter who you are. Because if, if that's noisy or that's problematic. And then you add the turmoil or the toughness that can come with this job, the wins and the losses and good days and bad days. Maybe you're, you're not as level headed. And so, you know, fortunately I've got a great family, good support system that are there with the highs and there with the lows. And that helps me. And I've been through a lot of things. This is my 28th year starting in the NFL, which is crazy. I'm dating myself here, but it's, it's nuts to think I've almost been in this league 30 years and you. I've seen so many things. You know, we were talking when Mike started. He was. When? The year. Thurman Thomas.
- [20:20]
Dan Fates
They took videos like he was recording like this.
- [20:23]
Brandon Bean
Hey, it was just getting to color.
- [20:26]
Jenna Cottrell
You're not that far off.
- [20:28]
Brandon Bean
But in all, in all seriousness, I think, you know, it's, it's not easy, but you just try and not make rash decisions. Just let everything calm down and know that you're never going to please everyone, make the best decision in this case for the Buffalo Bills. Yeah, not necessarily what's in my best interest, not what's the easiest thing, but always think back to what is the best interest in the organization and try and protect the player or a coach or a staff member the best you can.
- [20:58]
Jenna Cottrell
When you think about your organization, you've had a lot of people together for a long time. Like even for us, you know, it's. Sometimes it can be pressured and Dan and I somehow deal with Jenna and all the problems that she causes with us. There it is. Right.
- [21:14]
Dan Fates
You grabbed the right mark, Dan.
- [21:17]
Jenna Cottrell
That's what I need to remember. Right. Jenna is right. You and Sean, how have you guys in a high pressure jobs both. How do you make it work for this long?
- [21:28]
Brandon Bean
Yeah, I mean I think it's, it's not, it's not easy. It's never going to be easy when you're in the competitive fishbowl environment that we're in. And, and as Jenna was talking about, things are second guess question. You know, things don't always work out and you know, we, neither one of us operate by groupthink with our staffs and not with each other. We, there's plenty of times, but we're both very respectful of each other and you know, if we are at a disagreement and listen, you're together going into season nine, you're going to have plenty of those and there will be plenty more. But we do it behind closed doors. We don't do it in front of our staff. And at the end of the day we walk out of there and we know what accord we're on and we hope that whichever way we go, if we go the way, you know, if Sean was wanting to do A and I was wanting to do B and we go with A, you know, I'm still hoping that Sean's right, that we're, that that's going in and I 100% trust that, that he wants the same. You know, if we go the way that I'm. And so I think that's where it starts. It starts with respect and kind of what I was saying earlier, we both respect each other. We respect how tough our individual roles are and, and there's certain times a year that there's a lot of pressure on him. There's certain times of the year there's a lot of pressure on me and I think we both feel that and try to be supportive and, and the one thing I know for a fact, even if we're in disagreement, there's never one day that I've thought Sean McDermott wasn't trying to do what's best for the Buffalo Bills, and I would hope that he would say the same about me.
- [23:01]
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah, and the pressure ramps up because you have been obviously so close and you joked about, you know, when I started covering the team was when they went to four Super Bowls. And it always frustrated me to hear people speak negatively about those Bills teams because to me, all they did was win until that last game. You guys are just one notch behind that. But with that comes that additional scrutiny on the smallest of small things. Here we are in July and you're trying to get back to that spot and you've been there multiple times now. That adds pressure, but it also adds probably expectations for you guys too, because we've done it. We've gotten that close. We think now we have what it takes to get over to the next spot. And that can add pressure internally Right, between you and the coaches and the coaches and the staff and everything that way. But you've avoided that.
- [23:52]
Brandon Bean
Yeah, I mean, I think we, we're all. When the season's over, each season. And yes, we've had some painful close losses. That's just. There's no other way to do it. And like I said, I've been in this business a long time. If you don't win your last game, it is painful and the further you go, you know, the worse it hurts. And so, yes, but I think we start with not making any rash, you know, judgments right after a game or two days, no matter what happened, you know, on the field, and we come back and we have level, level headed conversations. But I just think ultimately it comes back to everyone is, you know, we surround ourselves with people that have a common goal. It's not about me, it's about we. And I'm determined and I think Sean is as well. And our staff, like, we're not going to give in. Like, let's learn every time you lose, it's a lesson, right? It's a lesson on why you came up short. And so let's learn from that and let's see if we can tweak this here or there. I mean, like, as long as Terry Pugul is going to have me in this role, like, I'm not giving in at any point. Like, and I would guarantee Sean would say the same thing. Like, we're going to keep swinging the sword. I think I said that after the season. Like, people want to say, sometimes people, Mike, want you to blow up the team because you came and it's like, why would you do that? Like, we're, sometimes it's a bounce of a ball, a play here, play there, that you're right here, you know, a field goal kick that just goes. I mean there's just so many things. You're going to blow up your team because of that. That's, that's irrational. And that's why I think, you know, Terry Pegula has followed our plan. We, you know, when it's over, we explain to him how the season went, we talk through it and we talk every week after each game, you know, what our issues are, what we're doing well, where we need to get better. And then when the season's over, this is the cap. These are some tough decisions. These are where we need to attack in free agency or the draft and kind of take it from there.
- [26:00]
Mike Catalano
How do you balance that? Like not trying to rebuild everything, tear down the roster, but also making adjustments. Like in your eyes. What is your philosophy behind that?
- [26:09]
Brandon Bean
Yeah, I mean, I think you, you, you have to have two plans going. You have to have a long term plan. Like, I can't just sit here every year. In this case, look at 2025 and then next year. So we're in 2026. I'm going to look at it. So I'm constantly, you know, a lot of meetings with Kevin Megank and we're, we're, you know, and sometimes our personnel staff just kind of going through, hey guys, I don't know if we're going to be able to afford this player or this player. So as we start looking at this upcoming draft, let's make sure we're paying attention. And then I'm talking to our pro scouts, make sure we're getting early grades on these positions because we may need to attack them in free agency. So that's your, your constant long term planning. But then each year there's certain things, you can't predict how the season ends. And so you know what, maybe some players that you thought you were going to have to replace, you know, they, some players play better and you're like, you know what, maybe the answer's on my roster. And then maybe there's some guys that didn't meet the expectations you thought. And so you, you never lock yourself in cement and say, this is what we're doing. Like, I can't tell you next March, right now, 100%, every move we need to do. But I do have some ideas of some things that are probably going to, I'm going to be dealing with cap and player Decisions.
- [27:31]
Dan Fates
You want to talk cap, you know.
- [27:34]
Jenna Cottrell
What he's going to say.
- [27:34]
Mike Catalano
Do you need the mug?
- [27:37]
Dan Fates
Like you're a friend of the channel. So, like, you're a friend of this. The NFL is catching on. They're trying to do some things to adjust the cap because I think they subscribe to Buffalo Plus.
- [27:47]
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah. Roger Goodell's a subscriber.
- [27:48]
Brandon Bean
Yeah.
- [27:49]
Dan Fates
Stop the manipulation of the cap that.
- [27:52]
Jenna Cottrell
The good teams like the Bills. Right.
- [27:53]
Dan Fates
And to try and level the playing field. Is that so?
- [27:57]
Jenna Cottrell
Go ahead, tell them.
- [27:59]
Dan Fates
Salary cap isn't real.
- [28:01]
Brandon Bean
The salary cap is 100 real. Come sit in my office. Line by line. What it is. If. Seriously, if you drew, you know, a line at zero across here, you know, over an arc, if you go over it, it's. It's. At some point, it's got to come back. Yes, it's got to come back. Under cash, to cash, to cap. If you spend 10 million over cash at some point, it doesn't mean you do it in one year, but it's. It's going to equal it out years. You know, Mike, you still. It's still got to come back around. At some point. You got to pay the piper.
- [28:35]
Mike Catalano
I was gonna say. So you mean you have to pay your bills?
- [28:38]
Brandon Bean
No pun intended.
- [28:40]
Dan Fates
I had to do it.
- [28:41]
Brandon Bean
Yeah.
- [28:41]
Jenna Cottrell
He had to do it.
- [28:42]
Brandon Bean
It's real. I wish it wasn't right.
- [28:44]
Dan Fates
Me too. Because it would. It would prove my hot take.
- [28:47]
Brandon Bean
It would make my job easier. I'm sure it would.
- [28:50]
Jenna Cottrell
I still think Adele's been watching. I really do. I wanted to ask one thing. We don't really see you during the game. What are you like during. During a game? And how do you deal with. Because a coach can yell at somebody. You're in a booth. Like, what are you like during a game?
- [29:07]
Brandon Bean
Yeah, my head's about to explode. I've learned to pack Advil with me because you're right. It's. It's. I honestly wish I was down on the field doing something, even if I was just passing out water to take my mind off of stuff. Because you're constantly thinking and you're. You're stressing, and you're just. Your hand, you know, you're sitting on your hands just hoping that, you know, the work is done. There's nothing I can do. Once we turn those inactives in. Yeah. You know, an hour and a half before the game, there's nothing I can do. Yeah. To help our team win the game on. On the field. And so it's. It's probably like Someone who has a, you know, who orchestrates a play and once you put your actors on, you know, the plays, you know, they screw it up.
- [29:58]
Dan Fates
I like that analogy.
- [29:59]
Brandon Bean
Yes. There's really nothing you can do at that point till it's over. And you can analyze it, you know, and make, you know, moves from that. But it's not easy. You know, I try to stay pretty calm. I watch the games with Terry. Brian Gain and Terence Gray are in there as well. And, you know, I try and have conversations with Terry, especially if there's stuff we practiced that week. Hey, you may see this if Terry wasn't there. Yeah, it helps just keep him in the flow. What's going on or why is this player playing over this player? Well, this is going on and so it helps me keep him educated through the game. And then, you know, I try to stay like this. But yes, sometimes there's a huge play and I, you know, I may get a little excited.
- [30:42]
Jenna Cottrell
Do you have somebody you vent to, like, like a family member that you could just say whatever, text them during a game and be like, I can't believe this or whatever it is, or is that not the way you would operate? You just because you can't really release, I guess a little bit with the owner of the team, you could say what you want.
- [30:58]
Brandon Bean
But yeah, I mean, I don't, I really don't say much in there that's anything like from a release. If I'm frustrated about something other than maybe the officials.
- [31:09]
Mike Catalano
Yeah.
- [31:11]
Brandon Bean
But if it's something internally, I don't, you know, unless I'm answering a question for Terry, you know, I usually internalize most of that. I keep a lot of notes on each drive, like things that I want to remind myself when I go back and watch the film. I'm constantly kind of writing notes. I'm writing run pass penalties just so I can look at halftime like, man, we've already got three pre snap penalties. Like, that's, that's not good. You know, we need to, we need to clean that up, things like that. But again, nothing that can really change the outcome of the game.
- [31:42]
Mike Catalano
A lot of pacing.
- [31:45]
Brandon Bean
No, no, I usually sit there.
- [31:46]
Mike Catalano
Really? Can you. Do you eat?
- [31:49]
Brandon Bean
Not very much. So, yeah, I got to know pregame. But no, I mean, usually I just hydrate. Wow.
- [31:55]
Dan Fates
Catalana lives in the press box, you know, while we're.
- [31:57]
Mike Catalano
Yeah.
- [31:58]
Dan Fates
Doing the real work.
- [31:59]
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah, Sometimes they, one of them gets to sit up in the press box with me.
- [32:03]
Mike Catalano
Yes.
- [32:03]
Jenna Cottrell
And then they come up there and they go, oh, it's Pretty nice in the press.
- [32:06]
Mike Catalano
Yeah.
- [32:06]
Jenna Cottrell
So it was pretty good.
- [32:07]
Brandon Bean
Especially in December.
- [32:09]
Dan Fates
It was the heat in Miami and Mike came down. He's like, yeah, it wasn't as hot as I thought. And it was the Miami game in 2022. Yeah, it was, like, pretty hot.
- [32:17]
Brandon Bean
That was pretty hot.
- [32:18]
Mike Catalano
Yeah.
- [32:19]
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah, it was pretty hot on the press box.
- [32:20]
Dan Fates
It was pretty hot. It was pretty hot on the sidelines.
- [32:23]
Brandon Bean
Yeah. Sweatshirt.
- [32:24]
Jenna Cottrell
This is the way it goes sometimes.
- [32:25]
Mike Catalano
I got to ask you, what was it like seeing Josh walk across the stage and get the NFL mvp?
- [32:30]
Brandon Bean
Yeah, like a. Like a proud family member. Like, you know, proud dad, proud big brother. Whatever it is, it just like. Yeah. And his speech, man, he nailed it. Like, it just.
- [32:43]
Mike Catalano
He said he didn't practice, but I don't know.
- [32:46]
Brandon Bean
To be honest with you, he's. He's gifted with the kids, gifted with everything. He really is. So it wouldn't surprise me. I wouldn't. As hard as that is to believe, I do believe him on that. He's just. He's got a way. I've seen him interact with kids, politicians, people in our building that he doesn't interact with every day. You know, on the business side, he's just. It's easy for him. Like, he's a natural at it. He understands the setting. He understands if he's in a hospital with. With children. He understands if he's on the sideline with kids, high fiving them, making their day. It's just. It's eerie how easy it is for him. Some people are good in one setting, but the next setting makes him nervous. I. I don't really know what makes him.
- [33:29]
Dan Fates
For some people, it feels fake.
- [33:31]
Brandon Bean
Yeah. Oh, he's just. He's just genuine.
- [33:33]
Dan Fates
And we talk about it a lot, too. His best ability, especially the media, is he's self aware.
- [33:39]
Brandon Bean
Yeah.
- [33:39]
Dan Fates
Like, whether it's not taking himself too seriously or knowing the right things to say. Like, he is just. He's great with the media.
- [33:46]
Jenna Cottrell
Heck of a draft pick by you.
- [33:47]
Dan Fates
Yeah. Well done.
- [33:48]
Brandon Bean
Appreciate that. You guys. You guys approve that? Yeah, we do. One of the few that I get approval for.
- [33:54]
Mike Catalano
I know you make some big moves, you take some big risks. I did that myself, having Dan officiate the wedding. What do you make of the decision, man?
- [34:04]
Brandon Bean
Wow. I thought he must have been a fill in. Like the catalog got sick. The first stringer got sick at the last minute, and Dan raised his hand. Tight. Tight. Were you tight on the budget?
- [34:19]
Dan Fates
I got, sir. I told you it was a nice wedding.
- [34:21]
Jenna Cottrell
He crushed it.
- [34:22]
Brandon Bean
I told Him.
- [34:23]
Jenna Cottrell
It was better than I've seen him do.
- [34:25]
Brandon Bean
Have you done one before? What made you do this? Had you had too many libations?
- [34:32]
Mike Catalano
I checked my board.
- [34:33]
Brandon Bean
You lost a bet.
- [34:34]
Dan Fates
She trusted the board. The only one that was left available on that day was me. Yeah, I got the early laugh. I said, I, we're all here for these two amazing people. And the open bar. Right. Open bar right off. Got some chuckles and then it was, you know, stand up for about seven minutes.
- [34:49]
Mike Catalano
Yeah, he did a great job.
- [34:50]
Dan Fates
Out of the way.
- [34:51]
Brandon Bean
Where'd you get married?
- [34:52]
Mike Catalano
At Saratoga Springs, where I'm from. Yeah. Yeah. So it was. It was wonderful. And Dan did a great job and it was.
- [34:59]
Dan Fates
And as far as I know, I put the paperwork in the mail.
- [35:01]
Jenna Cottrell
So as far as I believe, we're legally married.
- [35:03]
Dan Fates
So it's really easy to be an ordained minister. Yeah, it's an email address.
- [35:06]
Brandon Bean
Well, I figured when she said you were. It must be.
- [35:08]
Jenna Cottrell
Not me too hard. But you never know sometimes with the details, you know, like the cap, you know, he doesn't have all the details.
- [35:16]
Dan Fates
Essay or a test.
- [35:16]
Brandon Bean
Well, hopefully it's not voided by the time this airs.
- [35:21]
Jenna Cottrell
And that's great. Hey, you know, this is wild for us because you can't see we got the whole NFL Films crew here. First of all, they come for you. They're in my backyard with all of us. This is. This has been great for us. This is two years in a row. This is a steady invitation. I know. Brandon, you know, you like coming out here. You got Derek Boyko who's going to comment on my patio and tell me what I need to do. But we really appreciate you coming out here and bringing your friends who mic you up all the time to be out here with us.
- [35:50]
Brandon Bean
No, this is fun. This was. This was cool. I'm glad that they were able to get over here. And we love your neighborhood is awesome. You got. This is your walking track every morning. We keep saying winter, sometimes your garage is open.
- [36:03]
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah.
- [36:03]
Brandon Bean
Keep saying. We're just going to walk in and see if there's like eggs and sauce.
- [36:06]
Jenna Cottrell
Just come in.
- [36:06]
Brandon Bean
Muffins.
- [36:07]
Dan Fates
Believe me, it makes unbelievable.
- [36:09]
Jenna Cottrell
There's. There now.
- [36:10]
Mike Catalano
Yeah. They're delicious.
- [36:12]
Brandon Bean
Yeah, well, we may do it. Don't dare us.
- [36:14]
Jenna Cottrell
Okay.
- [36:15]
Dan Fates
We tell Mike if he's gonna move, he's just got to move down the street because we can't.
- [36:18]
Jenna Cottrell
Yeah, yeah, we already did that once.
- [36:19]
Brandon Bean
We closed 6:20 in the morning. Do us all a favor.
- [36:23]
Jenna Cottrell
That is not going to be a problem. All right, Brandon. Thanks. Again, so much for being with us. This was really awesome. We appreciate it for everybody that's going to do it for this special edition of the Buffalo plus podcast for our entire team, Jenna Cottrell and Dan Fates and our new friends at NFL Films, and for Brandon being the general manager of the Bills. Please make sure to like, comment and subscribe. And thanks for being with us on the Buffalo plus podcast presented by Connors and Ferris.
- [37:05]
Brandon Bean
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