BuffaloRebound

I'm surprised Landry Jones isnt getting talked about as a potential Tyrod replacement. 4 years backing up Big Ben, looked pretty good last year when he played. Polian thought he was best QB in 2013 draft. I'm sure he'd come here for cheap if he thinks he's gonna start here. Similar situation to Tyrod in 2015.

Keep Tyrod but push the $15m option bonus to 2018 and move up the $3m guarantee from 2018 into 2017. He regressed from 2015, we have a new coaching staff, and we have other free agents to sign. He gets $15m guaranteed this year and a chance to prove he's worth the rest of the deal. Nobody outside of Cleveland is giving him more than $15m guaranteed, and Buffalo is probably his best shot to prove he's a top 15 QB. If he walks, have fun in Cleveland.

I think 100% would take Smith at 1 year $13m nonguaranteed, over Tyrod at $30m guaranteed. There's not that much difference between the 2, but Smith at least has a playoff pedigree That is still an unknown with Tyrod. Similar contracts, I think 80% pick Smith. Nobody is giving Tyrod more than $15m guaranteed if Bills cut him. Basically 1 year of starter money.

He is this generations' Jeff George. Just like George, teams will keep gambling on this turd because of his arm talent.

Guaranteed money is much more important than cap if we're talking about drafting a QB in the first 2 rounds this year or next year, which seems like the only thing everyone can agree on.

Winning organizations don't operate this way. If he's not the long term answer and the Bills are still using high draft picks on QB's, you don't commit that kind of money to him.

I don't think it's prudent to guarantee Taylor $30m and then draft a QB at #10. If you're truly trying to win in 2017 while drafting a QB at #10, you have to go after a guy like Smith whose salary is $13m and none of it is guaranteed.

If they don't cut him in next 2 weeks, Bills are absolutely committing to Taylor as the starter for the next 2 years. $30m for 1 year is absurd to even the most ardent Tyrod supporter.

The importance of a good contract/cap person has never been greater. Committing long term to guys who either aren't elite or knuckleheads not only ruins your cap but forces you to cut or restructure the same player due to your own poor contract construction. I dont get a warm and fuzzy feeling that Whaley has much command in this department and Overdorf is left on his own to poorly structure these contracts.

Yes. Kc's cap hit is irrelevant to Bills. What matters is money still owed. His remaining contract is basically a 1 year deal for $13m in 2017, and a 1 year deal in 2018 for $17m, none of which is guaranteed. Way more team friendly than Tyrods deal if Bills don't cut him in next 2 weeks.

Cap hit irrelevant if you trade for Smith. It's money still owed, which is 2 years and $30m, none of which is guaranteed. That is way cheaper than Tyrods $30m guaranteed. If you draft a QB high this year, you can walk away from Smith next year owing nothing.

If I can get Smith at 2 years $30m with basically none of it guaranteed versus Tyrods $30m guaranteed, sign me up for Alex smith. I think he's slightly better than Tyrod as well. Can't discount how much the guy has won. Not a long term solution at QB but if Tyrod isn't gonna take less money because why would he, I'd be happy with Smith as a bridge QB and then as a veteran backup when we find our franchise QB.

You think any QB with a choice is going to Cleveland without getting overpaid? Even if they trade a couple of high draft picks for garropolo, they aren't doing that unless he signs a long term deal and like they would with a free agent would have to overpay him.

I could actually see Cleveland trading for Taylor if New England's price for Garrapolo is too high. If Bills cut him, Cleveland will have a tough time signing him and might have to pay him more than his current contract. They are awash in draft picks. Makes some sense.

If we take a QB in the 1st round, I think we bring in a Fitz, McCown, Hoyer type.

I'd much rather have Romo as a bridge QB than Taylor especially if I only have to commit $14m to him.

I like Taylor but in an NFL where majority of games are decided late in 4th quarter, guy looks lost running a 2 minute offense. Ability to run a 2 minute offense has probably become the most important attribute in an NFL QB. Taylor falls woefully short in that department.

Let Taylor walk. Take Watson if he's there at 10. If he's not, trade out of 10 with someone trying to get ahead of Cleveland for Trubisky. Get a 2nd this year and that teams #1 next year. Play Cardale. If he develops, great. If he doesn't, you likely have 2 high 1st round picks in 2018 as Trubisky likely struggles as a rookie.

Begrudgingly coming around to this viewpoint on the condition that whoever was responsible for Tyrods contract be fired.

I think we also have to ask why Lynn was in demand this offseason. I think people saw how he maxed out the offense with a QB who was limited in the passing game. We can certainly do worse than Taylor and have for the majority of the last 20 years, but committing $30m to him is in my opinion being happy with mediocrity.

Excellent post. I think the worm is beginning to turn on giving the Osweilers and Bradfords and Tannehills big money, and that is going to hurt Taylor if Bills cut him loose. A team like Cleveland who'd be happy with 8-8 makes some sense, but they'd be stupid to commit more than a couple years at starter money to Taylor.

How the redskins handled cousins last year was the proper way to go. What leverage did Taylor have last year? Bills had him for at least 2 more years for at most $3m plus $21.5m. The absolute most they should've paid over the first 2 years was $24.5m. Instead we gave him $40m over the first 2 years. Now he's unwilling to take less and I don't blame him. Bills front office are morons.

Why would you pay him more than you have to? Most they were obligated to pay him for 2016 and 2017 was $3m plus the franchise tag for 2017 which ended up at $21.5m. So the Bills go out and structure a contract that makes Bills commit $40m to Taylor if they want to keep him longer than a year. This is how losing organizations operate.

Agreed. Horrible contract on so many levels. In exchange for giving Taylor $6.8m last year they didn't have to, the Bills gave themselves the privilege of having to commit $30m dollars to him this year or letting him walk without even getting a comp pick in return.

So it sounds like Tyrod isn't gonna take less than $30m guaranteed. Give him a 2 year $30m contract fully guaranteed and add some voidable bs in that last 2 years so his agent can puff his chest and the Bills can spread the cap hit over 4 years. Worst case you have a $15m per year backup for 2 years.