Bills GM gives an inside look at the moment he knew they would be drafting Josh Allen
There are few decisions bigger than drafting Josh Allen in Buffalo Bills' history. Before Allen arrived in Buffalo, the team struggled to find their franchise quarterback. In fact, Buffalo hadn't had a franchise quarterback since the days of Jim Kelly, well before Allen's arrival. While Josh Allen didn't break the drought, Buffalo endured the longest […]
There are few decisions bigger than drafting Josh Allen in Buffalo Bills' history. Before Allen arrived in Buffalo, the team struggled to find their franchise quarterback. In fact, Buffalo hadn't had a franchise quarterback since the days of Jim Kelly, well before Allen's arrival.
While Josh Allen didn't break the drought, Buffalo endured the longest playoff drought in professional American sports right before Allen was drafted to Buffalo, something the Bills Mafia remembers all too well.
With one draft decision, Brandon Beane changed the entire trajectory of the franchise forever. While some fans on draft night were suggesting the team drafted "the wrong Josh," the rest is history. With their decision, Buffalo landed not only one of the best quarterbacks in the entire NFL, but in Buffalo Bills history.
Normally tight-lipped and reserved, Brandon Beane opened up on the decision to draft Josh Allen during a segment on the Rich Eisen Show. Specifically, when he knew that the team would be drafting him. It wasn't hours or days before the pick. In fact, Beane apparently knew weeks before that they would be drafting Josh Allen.
The Buffalo Bills general manager opened up to Rich Eisen about when he knew Josh Allen was "the guy." Eisen began by asking the general manager, "When did you decide we're taking Josh Allen? When did that happen?"
Without skipping a beat, Brandon Beane followed. "…before free agency started, I was able to trade Cordy Glen and we moved up with Cincinnati, we moved up to 12. So, about three weeks out, I was trying, you know, from all the way down till we got it done on the clock. I was trying to figure out where I had to get to to get Josh."
The employees at One Bills Drive keep everything close to the vest. There are few leaks that come out from the Bills facilities and hardly ever are we given an inside look like this. Brandon Beane made himself available to the media to discuss one of the biggest moments in Bills history.
The team's decision to draft Allen, at the time, was ridiculed by more media pundits and national outlets than you can count. However, the Bills front office saw something special in the big-armed quarterback from Wyoming. What was thought to be one of the biggest projects in NFL history turned into one of the greatest successes, so far.
Allen has succeeded in the NFL, that's without question. Perhaps all it will take for him to cement himself as the best Bills quarterback of all time will be one simple thing: help win a Super Bowl for Buffalo.
