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As the second day of Wild Card weekend peaks over the horizon, at Buffalo Wins we’re looking reviewing the Bills, position by position. First up is quarterback.
Going into the 2015 season, the three-way competition between EJ Manuel, Tyrod Taylor and Kevin Kolb Kyle Orton Matt Cassel was at points a competition in what player could commit the biggest mistake in practice, which quarterback would be least mediocre and finally, which quarterback would keep Matt Cassel from his birthright as Bills starter or later, backup. But a funny thing happened once the season started. Tyrod Taylor, the dark horse that beat out #GoodVetDepth in Cassel and a former 1st rounder in Manuel slowly emerged beyond a mistake-free game manager. Rather, Taylor became a weapon in his own right, both running (2nd among QBs) and throwing the ball, particularly deep. Going 8-6 as a first year starter was a solid start to finding out if Taylor can grow into the (insert trumpet here) role of “the guy” at quarterback for the Bills.
Key Stats
In addition to the solid record starting, Taylor also amassed 3,035 (23rd in NFL) yards with 20 touchdowns(tied for 20th w/Alex Smith) to 6 interceptions(either 2nd if you want to count Hasselbeck or 1st without) with a 63.7 completion percentage (13th) . Taylor also averaged 7.99 yards per attempt, good for 5th in the NFL. For a first year starter, that’s not bad at all. The question for the Bills is two-fold; what is their view of Taylor beyond the 2016 season and do they trust Manuel to back him up?
For all the stats and analysis of the subject of EJ Manuel as backup, nothing matches the visceral feeling he brings up within the fanbase and in the media. The transition from failed first rounder to adequate backup is something he might not be able to do in Buffalo, simply because there’s so much negativity surrounding him. I’ll speak for myself when I say that the Jags game was a perfect illustration of how much Manuel can deflate a team with his inconsistency. If he cannot fix that, he has to be moved, full stop.
Possible FA Fits
In terms of free agent fits, I do not see a player out there that would either out-perform Taylor as starter or usurp Manuel as first guy off the bench. Letting Josh Johnson go in favor of a draftee makes sense – and if the Bills truly wanted to get a free agent that has experience and can help in the maturation process of Taylor there and their assumed draftee, it’s Matt Hasselbeck hands down. I’m that dude that’ll ring the bell for the 40 year old because he has experience being a successful starter, getting to a Super Bowl and not being a guy who got a really nice season (see Orton, Kolb, Cassel) and turned that into a career.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, the Bills are more secure at the quarterback position than they have been in several years. While Taylor needs to make steps in terms of passing over the middle and “leading the team back” as Whaley and Ryan mentioned, his play as it stands today is enough to me to warrant faith as starter for the foreseeable future. Not as “the guy”, just as a solid starter. The Ravens did similar until they got Flacco and it’s not a bad formula. After 2016, there will be questions about how much to give Taylor in a potential extension will linger – and if there isn’t a draftee behind him that is quality – risk going into the 2017 season having no one of significance to play at QB. Big decisions for Whaley and One Bills Drive are ahead.
Up Next: Wide Receivers.
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