The Buffalo Bills seemed plenty excited with the work that quarterback Tyrod Taylor did for them in 2015. Taylor, a former sixth-round pick of the Baltimore Ravens, was acquired by the new Bills brass during the offseason and almost immediately inserted as the starter in offensive coordinator Greg Roman's unit. And by most measures, Taylor played well, completing 242 passes for just over 3,000 yards, 20 touchdowns and just six interceptions. He also added 104 rushing attempts for 568 yards and 4 touchdowns.
In short, Taylor very much has the look of a long-term answer at the game's most important position, something the Bills and head coach Rex Ryan - even when he was still running the Jets - haven't seen for some time.
And yet, talk persists that the Bills are "very much" in the hunt for a quarterback in the 2016 NFL Draft. With the 19th, 49th and 80th picks, the Bills and GM Doug Whaley - who has already suggested this offseason that he's willing to draft a quarterback high - don't seem to be in what you could call prime position to land one of the elite signal-callers set to be available like Carson Wentz or Jared Goff. And with the Los Angeles Rams' trade up to the first-overall selection, that immediately halves the total of "elite" quarterbacks that will be available.
But the Bills, who have both Taylor and former first-round pick E.J. Manuel under contract for one more season, could be in line to pick up one of the draft's second- or third-tier options.
The Bills have spent time with, or at least spent time around, guys like Michigan State's Connor Cook, Mississippi State's Dak Prescott, Ohio State's Cardale Jones, and the guy widely regarded as the third-best quarterback prospect available, Memphis' Paxton Lynch, seemingly signaling interest, or interest in creating a smokescreen.
There's a very interesting dynamic at play here for the Bills. Taylor played very well and was said to be a guy the team wanted to lock up, albeit not necessarily long-term. Is his ask on a contract extension simply too big? Does he value his services well beyond what they're really worth?
Or do the Bills, who spent all season with Taylor, simply see something that the rest of us don't? It's been suggested that they're simply not sold yet on him as a long-term starter, but at 26, is Taylor suddenly going to prove something in 2016 that he didn't display in 2015?
There's also the Manuel angle to consider.
It wasn't that long ago that the Bills talked themselves into taking a mediocre quarterback with immense physical gifts higher in the draft than they should have, simply because of the importance of the position and their lack of other immediate answers.
Having Taylor under contract for next year should keep Buffalo from doing anything rash, but we all know that guys like Lynch, Cook, Prescott and Penn State's Christian Hackenberg will be pushed up draft boards due to the position they play.
At No. 19, it's unlikely that value will align for the Bills and a quarterback, unless Lynch falls or they secretly covet a player to a degree that no one expects. At No.'s 49 or 80 though, it wouldn't be surprising at all to see Whaley and Co. select a player they believe has a high ceiling as an NFL starter and who they can utilize as leverage when talking contract with Taylor.
