The Buffalo Bills are taking a very big risk by letting Tyrod Taylor play the 2016 NFL season with free agency waiting for him at the end of it. They’ve preferred making other signings and other contract extensions instead.
Taylor had a very good season in 2015, his first as a starting quarterback after some backup years in Baltimore behind Joe Flacco. He made the Pro Bowl in 2015 after 14 games in which he completed 63.7% of his passes, throwing 20 touchdown passes and just six interceptions. He rushed for 568 yards and scored four touchdowns. He’s probably the best quarterback the Bills have had in a long time, or at least his one seasons was.
It seems the Bills are more focused on extending Stephen Gilmore and giving him a contract worth around $12 million a season. His fifth year option for the 2016 season is worth more than $11 million. The Bills aren’t drowning in cap space, currently with just over $7 million below the cap. Another player the Bills are trying to get their long term thing on with is offensive tackle Cordy Glenn. He was franchised for $13.7 million. Now it’s time to make something over the long run.
With all that money potentially being spent, nothing is left for Taylor. There have been talks, but perhaps the Bills don’t intend to commit too much to him after being burnt in the past with quarterbacks, wanting to see more from him. His first season on the team had them going 7-6 in his starts, awed by his running ability (winning some games on his own) although it’s not something he completely leans on. He does need to improve as a passer, but he doesn’t force things and seems capable of avoiding trouble. But Nick Foles also had a special season statistically and look at him now.
It’s rare that teams are successful over a long period of time without having a good quarterback being the connecting link between the good seasons. However, the Bills, a team with no playoff appearance in the 21st century, believe they can take a risk and not sign Taylor, either believing he’ll stay once the money comes his way or that they can find someone better while solidifying the team around the quarterback in the meantime.