The Buffalo Bills appeared to have found a diamond in the rough with Tyrod Taylor last season. The quarterback started out as third string and eventually made his way to the starting role which resulted in his first trip to the Pro Bowl. Taylor did more than what was expected of him last year which has him returning as the starter in 2016, but on an expiring contract. While Taylor is looking to get a new deal in place, the Bills are looking at quarterbacks in the NFL Draft.
General manager Doug Whaley told the media that Taylor is earning the right to get a long-term contract. While the team was not looking to re-sign him this offseason, another solid season and the quarterback would get paid accordingly. Taylor is hoping that is true. After beating out EJ Manuel and Matt Cassel to start in 2015, the quarterback is hoping he can be a long-term player for the franchise.
"Of course I want to be the long-term guy," Taylor said, via Around The NFL. "I love playing for the organization, I love playing for the coaches, I love being around the guys. Like I said, I want to be the long-term guy for them. Ultimately that's up to them. I know I'm under contract for another year, but right now I'm out here just taking it all in."
Taylor has the support of the locker room. Players like Sammy Watkins and LeSean McCoy have made it clear that they quarterback impressed last season and won a lot of people over. However, did he really win over Whaley? The general manager is currently in Alabama scouting prospects at the Senior Bowl and when asked if he would think about drafting a quarterback this year, Whaley did not hesitate to say yet. Does that mean Taylor's spot as the starter is not as secure as once assumed?
"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," Whaley said, via Tyler Dunne of the Buffalo News. "If it presents itself, it makes sense and it's a guy we like, and we believe in, absolutely."
The Bills currently hold the No.19 pick in the NFL Draft. That might not get them the top three options of Carson Wentz, Paxton Lynch and Jared Goff. Unless the team trades up, they will have to look elsewhere. According to ESPN.com, players like Christian Hackenberg, Connor Cook and Kevin Hogan will be the next-best available players and could be taken in the third or fourth rounds. The Bills could let Taylor play out this year while a rookie develops behind him and then decide on the future of the position in 2017.
