Top 5 things we learned from Bills GM Brandon Beane’s season-ending press conference and what to expect in 2024

Beane addressed questions regarding a range of Bills players and his thoughts on their 2023 performance and their roles on the team moving forward.

Beane gave credit to linebacker Terrel Bernard for stepping up into a leadership role in his first year as a starter and just his second year in the NFL. Ahead of the season Bernard was named the starting middle linebacker, meaning he called the plays on the defense, and lost his counterpart All-Pro linebacker Matt Milano just five weeks into the season.

The Bills linebacker sustained an ankle injury against Pittsburgh in the Super Wild Card round of the playoffs, and it was clear to the team doctors that he would not be able to play the following week against Kansas City.

“This kid kept saying every day, ‘I’m playing, I’m playing,” Beane said. “And we go work him out the day before the game and some of the things look good, some of it he still struggled. And he got done and knew he couldn’t do it and just the tears, I mean the tears in his eyes. … That’s what gets you excited … this guy was going to go out there and play on one leg and one foot if he had to.”

Beane said the defense greatly felt the absence of Jones after he sustained a pectoral injury in Week 5 and did not return until Week 17 against the New England Patriots. The defensive tackle finished the season with 2.5 sacks and three stuffs while playing in only seven games.

“DaQuan is a good player, first and foremost, a longtime starter in this league,” Beane said. “Beyond that, he’s a leader and he’s well-respected. He makes others around him better, so you would want a DaQuan Jones around. We would love to get him back.”

Beane said that Jones, who will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason, has “earned the right to test his market” but that the Bills would “be a fool not to entertain bringing him back.”