It has been a busy offseason for Buffalo Bills General Manager and President of Football Operations Brandon Beane. After a disappointing exit in the 2026 postseason, the Bills have made several notable additions to their roster, including acquiring DJ Moore from the Chicago Bears and signing Bradley Chubb in free agency.
Bills GM Brandon Beane Discusses Potential 18-Game NFL Season
Acquiring talent is not the only roster-related issue Beane has been evaluating this offseason. He has also floated the idea of expanding roster sizes to keep pace with potential league changes.
The NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell constantly seek new ideas to expand the league and its brand. One such idea is the potential expansion of the NFL regular season from 17 to 18 games. While this could give the league an opportunity to generate additional revenue and host more international games, Beane believes roster-size changes would be needed to accommodate the shift.
In a recent interview on “The Pat McAfee Show,” Beane spoke about the league needing to expand roster sizes to accommodate an additional regular-season game, which could change as soon as 2027.
“I think you would have to talk about expanding rosters if we’re going to eighteen games..
You do wanna make sure that your best players are playing in the playoffs” ~ Brandon Beane#PMSLive pic.twitter.com/eTVqFDHt0H
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) March 30, 2026
“I think you would have to talk about expanding rosters and then game-day rosters from 48 to 50 or north of 50 to be able to accommodate another game,” Beane explained when asked about players’ ability to handle the change.
“You do want to make sure that teams that make the playoffs have the best players playing, so how do you get through a season so that the rosters aren’t depleted?” Beane added.
While injuries play a major role in the NFL, several significant quarterback injuries could have affected multiple clubs’ runs to the Super Bowl. Bo Nix of the Denver Broncos suffered a fractured right ankle in the Divisional Round win over Buffalo. While the Broncos advanced to the AFC Championship Game, Nix’s injury was a significant factor in their eventual elimination.
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It is nearly impossible for the NFL to prevent injuries throughout the season. Despite modifications to rules and equipment, the league may need to consider Beane’s idea for expanded rosters if it adds an additional regular-season game to the calendar.
If the league is serious about an 18-game future, balancing growth with player durability will be the defining challenge of the NFL’s next era.
