The Buffalo Bills first season under head coach Rex Ryan didn't hit the expectations many were looking for after the Bills failed to reach the postseason again with a 8-8 record. While they didn't show much improvement this season, they found a solid starting quarterback in Tyrod Taylor, who is heading to the Pro Bowl as Panthers quarterback Cam Newton's replacement.
Taylor clearly exceeded expectations in his first season in Buffalo, but general manager Doug Whaley is not completely sold on him yet, as he is open to drafting a potential franchise quarterback in the 2016 NFL Draft. "We'll do it because if you look at it, unfortunately we have two quarterbacks on the roster and both of them are entering the last year of their contract," said the Bills general manager, via the Buffalo News. "If it presents itself, it make sense and it's a guy we like, and believe in, absolutely."
Taylor put up strong numbers in his first season in Buffalo, completing 63.7 percent of his passes with 3,035 passing yards and 20 touchdowns to six interceptions. The Bills quarterback was a dual-threat behind center and rushed for a Bills record 568 rushing yards. Buffalo will want to see more out of Taylor in 2016, but has likely given up on former first-round pick EJ Manuel. The 2013 first round draft pick out of Florida State never developed into the future franchise quarterback the Bills front office had hoped for, and Whaley knows drafting a dominant franchise quarterback could be a career-defining move for himself.
Whaley signed a contract extension this offseason to remain the Bills general manager, and has seen some quarterbacks in the upcoming draft class that could be future starters. "The guys I've seen, I like them and there are guys that could be potential future starters. I just think it's going to be a process," said Whaley at the Senior Bowl, via the Buffalo News.
The Bills have the 19th pick in the upcoming 2016 NFL Draft, and it's unknown how long some of the top quarterbacks will stay on the board. California's Jared Goff, Memphis' Paxton Lynch and North Dakota State's Carson Wentz are projected by many draft analysts as the top quarterbacks to be taken off the board come April. It will be interesting to see how the Bills approach the draft, as there will also be some talented quarterbacks in later rounds who could be worth looking at such as Penn State's Christian Hackenberg, USC's Cody Kessler, and Oregon's Vernon Adams Jr.
The Bills could look to take a quarterback in a later round and hope to develop him behind Taylor in the future, but it will all depend on what's available when it's their selection. Buffalo has not made the playoffs since 1999, and know that drafting a future franchise quarterback could be a determining factor in returning it to greatness.
