CHARLOTTE – Brandon Beane's world got busier this week, and that is saying something for a man who was already one of the hardest working people in the organization.
Beane, the team's director of football operations since 2008, saw his responsibilities increase in the transition period following the departure of longtime general manager Marty Hurney.
Already well-known and well-respected by those who occupy offices around Bank of America Stadium, Beane is coordinating every aspect of football operations to make sure it runs smoothly, both administratively and for head coach Ron Rivera and the team.
"Sometimes when things aren't going well, people can drift apart, but that's not the case here," Beane said. "We're asking people to elevate their game, and that's what they're doing. We have great people here. Everybody has been very supportive."
Football operations manager Bryan Porter is assisting Beane in his expanded role, and scouting assistant Eli Montague is helping Porter with his responsibilities related to team travel. Mark Koncz is continuing his work as pro personnel director, director of team administration Rob Rogers is managing the salary cap, and the scouts remain in place.
Beane, who grew up about an hour east of Charlotte and played football and golf at South Stanly High School, started with the organization two months after graduating from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in 1998.
Hurney joined the team the same year as salary cap manager. The next year, after Beane served a pair of internships, he earned a full-time position as an assistant in football operations.
For the next 13 years, Beane worked closely with the coaches, players and football department heads in various capacities. Monday, his role was expanded to include overseeing the coordination of the various football-related departments.
"Marty was like a father, a brother and a mentor in different ways. He taught me a lot," Beane said. "He didn't look over your shoulder. He gave you your assignments and let you do what you had to do. That, more than anything, allowed me to show my strengths as a manager."
It's a bigger role, but not an unfamiliar one.
Beane already oversaw the day-to-day business of football operations, and now he oversees the coordination of the college and pro scouting departments and Rivera on required daily decisions.
Those have come quickly this week. Tuesday, when the Panthers claimed linebacker Doug Hogue off waivers, Beane, Koncz and Rivera worked through the options before making the waiver claim.
Wednesday, the job didn't get any easier when the Panthers placed linebacker Jon Beason on injured reserve after consulting with the doctors and later signed cornerback James Dockery to take his roster spot.
In the end, Rivera is the tiebreaker in personnel matters, but it's a process that depends on the scouting directors or, as in the case of Hogue, the coordinators and possibly a position coach for input. Then there is the matter of making sure it all fits under the salary cap with Rogers.
With more than a decade of experience and having overseen the logistics for every aspect of football operations over the last five years, Beane has a thorough understanding of what is required to keep a team in step with its day-to-day needs.
"I've probably doubled what I oversee, but I have experience doing that and am comfortable doing that," Beane said.
The void created by Monday's decision has brought more concerns and decisions to Beane's day. Whether putting the pieces in place to fill a roster spot, making sure the details are in place to move the team in and out of Chicago for a game, or looking for ways to assist Rivera with the challenges that come with coaching a team, Beane is in the center of the activity.
But you certainly won't hear Beane complaining. There's too much to do.
