![](https://bengalswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2023/01/1458570832.jpg?w=1000&h=600&crop=1)
The Cincinnati Bengals are on to thinking about the Kansas City Chiefs and the upcoming AFC title game.
But it’s worth looking back for just a moment to catch some interesting comments from Bills general manager Brandon Beane.
Beane, while meeting with reporters, was asked if Cincinnati’s team-building strategy might be something other teams try to copy in the future. While Beane was complimentary of the Bengals, he also threw out a zinger:
“They have a good team. They right now are on the advantage of a rookie quarterback contract. They had some lean years, without having to get too much into their build. I don’t want to suck bad enough to have to get Ja’Marr Chase. He’s a heck of a talent. I would love to have him. But you gotta go through some lean years to do that.”
WGRZ’s J.T. Messinger captured the whole exchange:
For context, this is the full Brandon Beane quote that included "I don't want to suck bad enough to have to get Ja'Maar Chase." in response to a question from @AdamBenigni.
"You gotta go through some lean years to do that."@WGRZ #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/W9fBaYQbvR
— J.T. Messinger (@JTMessinger) January 24, 2023
It probably reads worse than it sounds, but it’s still a funny note — Bengals fans would probably take the “suck” of the last few years if it meant getting Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase before finding these successes.
There’s also a debate worth having about how much teams can compete after paying a quarterback huge numbers. Either way, Buffalo’s confronting that problem now in a harsh way and the Bengals will have to deal with it soon as they get ready to give Burrow a huge extension.