Buffalo Bills hire Brandon Beane as general manager

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. >> The Carolina connection continues for the Buffalo Bills in their offseason front-office 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.

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-year-old 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 17-year 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.