Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane has put the team in better position to win in 2020 than it was in when he arrived in 2017. Still, in his fourth season with the franchise, he refuses to see the Bills' rebuild as on track until they reach a milestone they haven't hit since 1995 - winning the AFC East.

Beane spoke to reporters Monday as the NFL enters the first week of its regular season and laid out his goals for the team in 2020.

"Hopefully, we're still trending up," he said. "We haven't won the division and to me, that's the goal we have to do, because we need to host playoff games here in Orchard Park and the only way we get a chance to do that is if we win the division. We haven't been able to take down the Patriots yet -- nobody has since we've been here.

"That's still the team we're chasing. We don't play them until the middle of the season but I'm sure the Jets and the Dolphins are thinking the same thing. That's our goal, that's our focus. We've got to try to compete and win the AFC East."

Buffalo earned its second playoff berth in three seasons in 2019 and improved its roster on paper throughout the offseason. Beane traded for wide receiver Stefon Diggs in March and signed his franchise cornerstones to multi-year extensions, including left tackle Dion Dawkins and cornerback Tre'Davious White. The Bills were the favorites to win the division throughout most of the offseason but took a slight underdog position to New England after the Patriots signed quarterback Cam Newton in July.

While Vegas oddsmakers haven't pushed them over that proverbial hump, Beane said he is confident in the direction the Bills are heading now that their core players are locked in for the next several seasons.

But until Buffalo collects an AFC East title, he won't be satisfied with the progress his team has made.

"I think we're on track, we're getting to the point of building this thing." Beane said. "From my seat, I want to win now but I also want to win tomorrow and that comes with drafting, developing and re-signing. Now that we know we've got Stefon Diggs here, who wasn't drafted but we traded some capital for, we've got him here the next four years, Dion Dawkins the next five, Tre White the next six and some other young players in the pipe -- to me, that's very positive for the Buffalo Bills going forward.

"Time will tell if we're building it right, if we have the right pieces, but I truly believe we're trending up and we're heading in the right direction. The results will speak for themselves and again, until we win the AFC East, I'm not going to feel like we're on track. That's a big hurdle that we need to do here."

The Bills will host the New York Jets on Sept. 13 in their season opener; the game will be held without fans in attendance, as will their Week 3 game against the Los Angeles Rams.

Beane said the Bills are working to find a solution that will allow fans to attend games in some capacity.

"It's disappointing that we can't have our fans in the stands, that's probably the biggest thing," he said. "We've got a lot of people behind the scenes that are working with the New York State government -- they've put some great plans together that hopefully, at some point, will allow our fans to get in games. That's going to be the hardest part for our players and our coaches, myself, just not being able to involve (fans).

"We all know how passionate this fan base is. I know just like me, they're excited that we do have football back starting this weekend and I know they'll be in front of their TVs cheering us on. I know we'll be super excited once we can get them back here in Orchard Park at Bills Stadium."