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Bills hire Panthers' Brandon Beane as GM

The Buffalo Bills hired Brandon Beane as general manager Tuesday, the team announced, ending their search to replace Doug Whaley after he was fired April 30.

Beane, 40, had served as the Carolina Panthers' assistant GM since 2015. He joined the Panthers in 1998 and was named director of football operations in 2008.

"Brandon stood out to Kim [Pegula] and I as he embodies the type of leader and type of person we want in our organization,'' team owner Terry Pegula said in a statement released by the team. "We feel his vast understanding and experience in many facets of football operations will be invaluable to our club moving forward.''

The Bills fired Whaley and his entire scouting department one day after last month's draft concluded, ending his four-year tenure as GM. Whaley's public presence had been reduced since the Bills hired coach Sean McDermott in January.

It is not immediately clear whether McDermott or Beane will have final say over the Bills' 53-man roster. McDermott, who spent the 2011 through 2016 seasons as the Panthers' defensive coordinator, has experience working with Beane.

Beane was one of four candidates interviewed by Terry and Kim Pegula for the position. Houston Texans director of player personnel Brian Gaine, Philadelphia Eagles director of college scouting Trey Brown and Green Bay Packers director of player personnel Brian Gutekunst also met with the team.