After breaking a 17-year playoff drought in their first season together, Bills General Manager Brandon Beane and coach Sean McDermott took a step back last season.
Now, they’re ready to start taking more steps forward.
Via Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News, Beane outlined his thoughts for the future of the Bills in a letter to season ticket holders.
“We have work to do and we know it,” Beane wrote. “Although we were very encouraged by our development and growth this year, we certainly have areas of need in all three phases.”
He also spoke of the need for “long-term, sustained success,” which has been tougher to come by there.
In many regards, last year’s 6-10 record was almost expected, as the Bills changed quarterbcaks, went with a rookie. More importantly, they carried over $68 million in dead money on the salary cap, the result of getting rid of some bad inherited contracts. Eating it all last year allowed them to clear the decks financially, though Beane’s letter mentioned being “calculated” in free agency.
Winning on a consistent basis in Buffalo isn’t easy (as evidenced by their post-Jim Kelly history), and reversing that kind of tradition is going to take more than one playoff run.