We've hit the halfway point of the NFL season and even though there's plenty of games left, Buffalo is getting recognized for its performance to date. Bills general manager Brandon Beane has been named The Athletic’s top executive at the midseason point.
Beane was chosen as the top executive by several of The Athletic's national writers.
"I voted for Beane because I think the Bills lead the league in MTMS (Moves That Make Sense)," Sheil Kapadia said in explaining his support for Beane. "That doesn't mean they all work out, but they seem to have a good process."
The moves that Beane has made leading up to this season that allowed him to earn this honor and put the Bills in a position to win, according to The Athletic, include re-signing Josh Allen and Matt Milano, drafting Greg Rousseau, picking up Mitchell Trubisky and keeping players like Taron Johnson, Daryl Williams, Jon Feliciano and Levi Wallace.
• Re-signing LB Matt Milano: There was some thought the Bills might lose Milano, their best coverage linebacker, in free agency as they funneled resources toward other priorities, including exercising fifth-year options for Allen and Tremaine Edmunds. Buffalo was able to keep just about every veteran the team wanted to keep. That allowed the Bills to address existing needs, such as the pass-rush, without creating new holes on the roster.
• Keeping key role players: Re-signing Taron Johnson, Levi Wallace, Daryl Williams and Jon Feliciano to reasonable deals allowed Buffalo to keep together its core. Wallace has emerged as a capable No. 2 corner behind Tre'Davious White. Keeping Wallace was a solid under-the-radar move for a team that leads the league in defensive expected points added (EPA) this season.
The article details how the moves this season and acquisitions since Beane and head coach Sean McDermott arrived have helped set up Buffalo for the opportunity they have this season.
Buffalo is now on its way to a fourth winning season in five years with Beane sitting in the GM's chair. The moves made this past offseason were a natural continuation of the ones made previously. They were indeed Moves That Made Sense — moves that have the Bills well-positioned as the most stable contender in the AFC through eight weeks.
Scroll to see photos of the Bills as they prepare for their Week 9 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. This photo gallery is presented by Zippo.
Tommy Doyle (72). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Emmanuel Sanders (1). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Ryan Bates (71). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Damar Hamlin (31). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Sean McDermott, Boogie Basham (96). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Dane Jackson (30). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Reid Ferguson (69). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Quintin Morris (85), Reggie Gilliam (41). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Siran Neal (33). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Jake Kumerow (15). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Emmanuel Sanders (1). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Austin Proehl (86). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Stefon Diggs (14). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Jake Kumerow (15). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Stefon Diggs (14), Josh Allen (17). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Josh Allen (17), Emmanuel Sanders (1). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Austin Proehl (86), Josh Allen (17). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Isaiah Hodgins (16), Josh Allen (17). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Josh Allen (17). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Josh Allen (17). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Siran Neal (33), Cam Lewis (47). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Tre'Davious White (27), Stefon Diggs (14). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Isaiah Hodgins (16), Olaijah Griffin (37). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Isaiah McKenzie (19). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Emmanuel Sanders (1). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Star Lotulelei (98). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Jerry Hughes (55). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Harrison Phillips (99). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Cody Ford (74). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Kahale Warring (81). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Stefon Diggs (14). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Josh Allen (17), Emmanuel Sanders (1). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Dawson Knox (88). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Stefon Diggs (14). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Josh Allen (17). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Damar Hamlin (31). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Stefon Diggs (14), Emmanuel Sanders (1). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Isaiah McKenzie (19). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Sean McDermott. Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Taiwan Jones (25), Josh Allen (17). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Tremaine Edmunds (49), Taron Johnson (24). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Leslie Frazier Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Tremaine Edmunds (49). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Cody Ford (74), Daryl Williams (75). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Isaiah McKenzie (19), Gabriel Davis (13), Josh Allen (17), Stefon Diggs (14). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Gabriel Davis (13), Stefon Diggs (14). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Micah Hyde (23), Sean McDermott, Jordan Poyer (21). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Sean McDermott. Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Harrison Phillips (99), Greg Rousseau (50), Vernon Butler (94), Mike Love (56). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Olaijah Griffin (37). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
Olaijah Griffin (37). Buffalo Bills Week 9 practice, November 3, 2021. Photo by Bill Wippert
