Having to move on from a core group of players on an NFL roster can be a tough process for general managers. For San Francisco 49ers' GM John Lynch, Buffalo Bills' GM Brandon Beane provided a great model to follow.
Lynch joined former teammate Chris Simms on his latest episode of his 'Simms Unbuttoned' podcast on Monday. Although the Hall of Fame safety has shown his mettle as one of the NFL's best GMs, the 2024 season was not his best with the red and gold.
The 49ers endured a 6-11 season and moved on from players like Deebo Samuel and Dre Greenlaw after helping the team play in two Super Bowls and another NFC championship game since 2019.
He compared some of the "retooling" he has had to do this offseason to what Beane had to do for the Bills during the 2024 offseason.
"I thought Brandon Beane and Sean McDermott did a great job of doing that and it was seamless," Lynch said. "It helps when you have Josh Allen playing the way he played. But they still did that."
From releasing Tre'Davious White, Gabriel Davis, and Mitch Morse, to restructuring Von Miller's hefty contract, Beane worked his magic to not only put a competitive roster around Allen, but also build one capable of winning a fifth-straight AFC East title and a game shy of the Super Bowl.
Beane should love hearing praise from a highly successful peer of his. And if Lynch is to accurately replicate what Beane has done in Buffalo, winning should be coming back to San Francisco in short order.
