ESPN’s Wendi Nix has reported that the Buffalo Bills have asked the Carolina Panthers for permission to interview their assistant general manager Brandon Beane for the now vacant general manager position with the Bills.
Beane joined the Panthers organization in 1998 and has been there ever since. He started in their communications department and then transitioned into the football side of the operations. He spent seven seasons as Director of Football Operations before being promoted to assistant GM in the summer of 2015. He also served as interim general manager for ten games of the Panthers’ 2012 season after Marty Hurney was fired due to a 1-5 start.
The Sean McDermott connection is clear here, but is not the only reason Beane is getting interviewed. He’s young and has worked his way up through football operations in a successful organization. This led the San Francisco 49ers to interview him in January for their general manager opening.
Because it is a promotion to general manager, Carolina can't block Beane from interviewing. He is the first person off our list of candidates to receive any confirmation of an interview. Stay tuned to see if the Bills receive permission and who else they may be interviewing.