'Can't Keep Them All!' - Bills GM Brandon Beane on LB Tremaine Edmunds

While the Bills didn't want to lose Tremaine Edmunds, Brandon Beane acknowledged how difficult it would have been to keep him.

The Buffalo Bills entered free agency knowing their roster didn't have many glaring holes and on paper were only a few pieces away from finally getting over the hump in the playoffs. 

However, there was a strong possibility that they would lose two key defensive play-makers in safety Jordan Poyer and linebacker Tremaine Edmunds to free agency.

While they were able to bring Poyer back, Edmunds left for the Chicago Bears on a four-year, $72 million dollar deal with $50 million guaranteed. Even though Buffalo would have loved to keep Edmunds, general manager Brandon Beane knew it wouldn't be easy.

“We stayed in touch with his representatives,” Beane said. “We thought he was the top linebacker in free agency and all it takes is one team. I don’t know how many were bidding for him; I’m not privy to that.

"But it’s not a surprise that he got up there. We love him, didn’t want to lose him, but it’s a puzzle piece and unfortunately you just can’t keep them all.”

Edmunds was a defensive anchor for an elite Bills defense, recording 102 total tackles with six tackles for loss and one sack. He also showed flashes in coverage with seven pass deflections and an interception. 

Replacing Edmunds won't be easy, and Beane discussed the options that the Bills will look at to do so. 

“Sometimes your answer is on your roster,” Beane said, with second-year linebackers Terrel Bernard and Baylon Spector names mentioned to step up in the loss of Edmunds.

“They’ve been in our program a year, they’re going to be a lot more prepared for the pro game and our defensive system. So it’s a competition, and we’ll continue to look, whether that’s cap casualties, free agency, if there’s a player in the draft. It’ll be competition.”

With several months to go before the start of the season, Beane and the Bills have plenty of time to fill the hole left by Edmunds' departure. Doing so, though, will be easier said than done and have a big impact on the Bills defense.

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You can find Connor Zimmerlee on Twitter @Connorjz98

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