I'm very happy with all the indications that the team is ready to let JP take over as starter. I think we have to thank Ben R. and the Steelers a bit for this, as he showed that if you have a good running game and a good defense, a rookie QB can bring you a level of success. Face it, Ben did not play spectacularly all year...but he did play SMART. If we can get the same thing out of JP, then 9-7 again next year may not be out of the question.
And regarding Drew...I think the key factor in whether he will restructure and agree to back up JP is if there is any interest out there for him as a starter. Honestly, how many teams would be willing to bring Drew in and have him step in as their starter? People are saying Dallas, with Drew's connection with Parcells, but I'm not so sure. They already have their own Drew, and he is obviously there plan for the future, so will probably get a chance to start next fall. Arizona? Chicago? Miami?
When push comes to shove, I think Drew will initially refuse to restructure, leading to his March 1 release. He will then test the market for a month or so, and then come back to the Bills with an incentive-laden contract as the backup to JP. I'd prefer to have Drew as our backup over some other veteran since he is already up to speed on the offense, and for that reason, can effectively tutor JP as the season progresses.