Bills continue attempts to replicate Panthers' way, hire new GM from Carolina
The Buffalo Bills have hired their head coach from the Carolina Panthers‘ staff and their new general manager from the Panthers’ front office. All the Bills need is their Cam Newton and Luke Kuechly and they’re set.
The Bills announced Tuesday they’ve hired Brandon Beane, most recently the Panthers’ assistant general manger, as their new general manager.
We have our GM. Brandon Beane has been named the General Manager of the Buffalo Bills! pic.twitter.com/z81rG3mp8N
— Buffalo Bills (@buffalobills) May 9, 2017
Earlier this offseason the Bills hired Sean McDermott from his post as Carolina’s defensive coordinator to be their new head coach. The synergy between McDermott and Beane, and shared philosophies from Panthers GM Dave Gettleman and coach Ron Rivera, likely had a role in Beane landing the job. The Bills seemed to hone in on him shortly after firing Doug Whaley right after the draft.
Beane waited patiently for this type of opportunity. He spent 19 seasons with the Panthers, coordinating matters such as personnel, coaching, scouting, player development, medical staff, strength/athletic training and administrative staff. He spent the last 10 games of the 2012 season as Carolina’s interim general manager, and now he has the chance to run his own front office on a permanent basis.
Beane and McDermott take over a tough situation. The Bills haven’t been to the playoffs since 1999. The Bills haven’t been too far away lately, averaging eight wins the past three seasons, but it’s tough in a division with the New England Patriots. The Bills aren’t loaded with young talent and lost some key players this offseason in free agency.
It won’t be easy to build a winner in Buffalo, but Gettleman and Rivera took over a Panthers team that was in disrepair and turned it around quickly, winning an NFC championship two seasons ago. Bills fans would love a similar turnaround, or even just an end to the playoff drought.
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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdown.corner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
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