Starkville Daily News

Beane hired by the Bills as the GM

- By JOHN WAWROW

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — The Carolina connection continues for the Buffalo Bills in their offseason frontoffic­e overhaul.

Panthers assistant general manager Brandon Beane was hired on Tuesday to fill the Bills' GM vacancy in yet another indication of rookie head coach Sean McDermott's growing influence over team decisions.

Beane's hiring did not come as a surprise and completes a short search process, which began after team owner Terry Pegula fired GM Doug Whaley and his entire scouting staff the day after completing the NFL draft. The hiring also continues a house-cleaning that began with McDermott replacing Rex Ryan, who was fired in the final week of last season.

The 40-year-old Beane has spent his entire 19-season NFL career working up the Panthers' ranks, including the past two working under general manager Dave Gettleman. It's in Carolina where Beane had direct ties to McDermott, who spent the previous six seasons as Panthers defensive coordinato­r.

"Brandon stood out to Kim and as I as he embodies the type of leader and type of person we want in our organizati­on," Pegula said, referring to his wife, Kim Pegula, who took part in the search. "We feel his vast understand­ing and experience in many facets of football operations will be invaluable to our club moving forward."

Beane's familiarit­y with McDermott also helps, and made him the front-runner during what became a cursory search process in which just four candidates had formal interviews. Green Bay Packers player personnel director Brian Gutekunst, Houston Texans player-personnel director Brian Gaine, and Philadelph­ia Eagles college scouting director Trey Brown were also interviewe­d by the Bills.

Beane brings with him a wealth of experience in scouting, draft selections and contract negotiatio­ns. He spent seven years as Panthers director of football operations and was the team's interim general manager over the final 10 games of the 2012 season after Marty Hurney was fired.

Panthers coach Ron Rivera praised the job Beane did in Carolina, and wished him well in Buffalo.

"Brandon has worked in a number of roles, so he sees the whole picture in terms of how an organizati­on works," Rivera told The Associated Press. "We have developed a great working relationsh­ip. I'm very excited for him."

Rivera also saw something in himself in Beane. "Brandon is a guy who started at the bottom as an intern and worked his way up," said Rivera, a former NFL player who broke into the coaching ranks in 1997 with the Chicago Bears. "That's something I can relate to coming in as a quality control coach." Beane will be formally introduced to the media Friday. Upon firing Whaley, Pegula said he was seeking a GM who would have a collaborat­ive front-office structure. That was a clear nod to McDermott, the first-time, 42-yearold head coach who has quickly assumed a vast amount of authority over the past four months. McDermott has become the sole voice of the Bills in discussing all team-related issues, including free agency and the draft.

In Buffalo, Beane joins a franchise in the midst of yet another front-office overhaul during what's now a 17year playoff drought — the longest active streak in North America's four pro leagues. Beane becomes the Bills' seventh GM since the drought began in 2000.

His first priority will be hiring a scouting staff, including filling the team's two pro and amateur positions.

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