Bills GM explained Josh Allen trade up decision in NFL Draft, and his logic is flawless

The 2024 NFL Draft season kicks into high gear this week with the NFL Scouting Combine. The festivities got underway on Tuesday as a number of head coaches and general managers addressed the media, among them Buffalo Bills GM Brandon Beane.

Quarterbacks are a big topic this week, as they are every year, given the number of teams at the top of the draft that need a quarterback, as well as the handful of teams picking later in the first round who could dip their toes into the QB market. That has led to speculation about what it might cost a team to move up in the first round to draft the passer of their dreams.

This is something that Beane knows a little about. During the 2018 NFL Draft, the Bills were sitting with the No. 12 pick, and in need of a passer. That’s when Beane made his move, swapping first-round picks with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — as well as sending Tampa Bay a pair of second-round picks — for the chance to move up five spots, and draft Josh Allen.

At the time it was viewed as a risky move for the Bills, given Allen’s draft profile and the areas he needed to improve upon once he reached the NFL. But the move certainly paid off for Buffalo, as the Bills have reached the playoffs in five-straight seasons, only missing out during Allen’s rookie year.

Beane was asked about trading up for a quarterback during his media session on Tuesday, given his perspective in making such a move, and the Buffalo GM had a perfect response:

This sums it up perfectly. If you are a GM taking a big swing like this either it works out — and nobody cares what price you paid — or it does not work, and you are looking for a new job.

This is the quandary that at least a few GMs are facing right now, as the 2024 NFL Draft inches closer.