This is nonsense.
It is impossible to determine the value of a timeout in a vacuum.
The timeout value depends on time of game, score, and consequences of not taking a timeout (which are myriad and unpredictable).
My guess is that McD thought he would get the first TO back once refs realized that they hadn’t given Bills a chance to sub.
Either refs were being stubborn aholes or McD was somehow mistaken about being able to sub.