Chris Mortensen at ESPN is reporting via Twitter that the Buffalo Bills have promoted Buddy Nix to the position of General Manager. The official ESPN report adds that Russ Brandon has a new title: CEO. He will report directly to team owner Ralph Wilson.
The ESPN report notes that Tom Modrak and John Guy were also considered for the position.
Nix was hired by the Bills on January 23, 2009 after serving five years as the Assistant GM and Director of Player Personnel for the San Diego Chargers. He followed a former Bills GM, the late John Butler, and his right-hand man, current Chargers GM A.J. Smith, to San Diego in 2001 after working as a Bills scout under Butler in the preceding eight years.
Nix turned 70 in early December. He has a strong reputation as a solid talent evaluator in the league, but has never had final say over personnel decisions in his otherwise distinguished career.
The move is not surprising, but it's certainly interesting, given that Nix was brought back to the organization less than a year ago. One can quite easily speculate that Nix was brought back with this purpose in mind: to evaluate the franchise for a year before taking over the reigns full-time. That's just speculation, clearly, but it's something to ponder.
We're certain to have more on this in the coming days, but now's the time for y'all to sound off. My quick opinion: I suspect most of you will claim that this is "same old, same old" or a move for "continuity," but Nix hasn't even been back with the team for a full year. Don't expect him to remain loyal to the folks that have been here longer than he, though that possibility certainly exists.