What should we do at QB next year?

[KurtGodel77]

Obviously the above would change if San Diego let Drew Brees become a free agent. But assuming that doesn't happen, which option would you take?

[taterhill]

I like Kelly Holcomb

[34-78-83]

Where is the choice for : "It should be an open competition" ?

[KurtGodel77]

Where is the choice for : "It should be an open competition" ?

198702[/snapback]

I knew I was forgetting something. Just vote for other.

[34-78-83]

I knew I was forgetting something. Just vote for other.

198703[/snapback]

 

K

[Albany,n.y.]

Since Drew will not take a pay cut to remain as JP's caddy, Drew at a lower salary as the backup is not a real option. You're not getting anyone who is a FA, who will start elsewhere (in cut Drew scenario) because JP is going to be the favorite to win the job here. Any thought of signing Drew Brees should be left on the planet Mars. I'd sign a vet as 3rd stringer such as Kordell or Batch-who have both played for MM & TC, give JP every opportunity to win the job, keep Drew (at full salary) and if JP wins & Drew retires at the end of camp rather than being the backup (AVP has said he doesn't think Drew would accept being a backup), we have a vet who knows the system. If Drew sticks around we've got one of the best backup QBs in the league. For next year Drew is a good insurance policy against injury or JP faltering during the season. If everything goes as planned, Drew retires, or gets cut to sign with a team that wants him to start & we still have a vet backup.

 

Please stop any Drew Brees insanity-he could never be effective in Buffalo, he doesn't have the arm strength.

[KurtGodel77]

Since Drew will not take a pay cut to remain as JP's caddy, Drew at a lower salary as the backup is not a real option.  You're not getting anyone who is a FA, who will start elsewhere (in cut Drew scenario) because JP is going to be the favorite to win the job here.  Any thought of signing Drew Brees should be left on the planet Mars.  I'd sign a vet as 3rd stringer such as Kordell or Batch-who have both played for MM & TC, give JP every opportunity to win the job, keep Drew (at full salary) and if JP wins & Drew retires at the end of camp rather than being the backup (AVP has said he doesn't think Drew would accept being a backup), we have a vet who knows the system.  If Drew sticks around we've got one of the best backup QBs in the league.  For next year Drew is a good insurance policy against injury or JP faltering during the season. If everything goes as planned, Drew retires, or gets cut to sign with a team that wants him to start & we still have a vet backup. 

 

Please stop any Drew Brees insanity-he could never be effective in Buffalo, he doesn't have the arm strength.

198725[/snapback]

Dude, I specifically took the Drew Brees option off the table by saying we should assume San Diego will not allow him to become a free agent.

[Albany,n.y.]

Even if he was a free agent we'd be insane from both a salary cap case & it would mean the end of JP's career in Buffalo. You may have taken him off because SD won't let him go, but even if they did we should have nothing to do with him, ever.

[PromoTheRobot]

Bring in a veteran free agent QB, and let him, Bledsoe and JP compete for the job. I like Jon Kitna if we can pry him from the Bengals.

 

PTR

[stevestojan]

Seriously, I LOVE beef Jerky...

[Brandon]

Start Losman. Since I don't think Bledsoe will be willing to be a backup at this stage of his career, the Bills will likely have to unload him and bring in a decent veteran such as Testaverde or Holcomb as an insurance policy.

 

Losman will have some struggles at times his first year or two, but as long as he avoids the catastrophic mistake, the Bills should be fine with him as a young starter while he improves. All they have to do is rely upon the team's strengths: the running game and the defense. They should plan their improvements this offseason around both to maximize their effectiveness. All Pittsburgh did this season was go 15-1 with that formula. They probably won't duplicate that record, but they should be plenty competitive as long as they emphasize their strengths and avoid putting Losman in bad situations while he's adjusting to life as an NFL starting QB.

[Fake-Fat Sunny]

I voted other as I like the concept of an open competition. Bledsoe is first on my depth chart having completed the season as a starter where his starts coincided with us getting a winning record. However, the fact we did not make the playoffs is what makes us serious about this being a competition where the best QB wins on the field.

 

In my mind JP does not need to beat Bledsoe as a player right off the bat for me to give him the start, but he does have to show me on the field something that makes me feel he can develop into a credible starter for this team pretty early in the season or its back to the bench and to practice field for him to learn as much as he can to force me to let him into the line-up because of his superior potential.

 

I can relate to those who say he has to play to get better, but I have no interest in letting this team blow a whole season just so he can practice to play in the future. He has to show me something that he can develop quickly enough for us to compete or else he can simply have a seat until we're out of it.

 

For Bledsoe he can beat JP in the competition by just winning baby.

[TigerJ]

If Losman starts, Bledsoe is outta here. He will not be a backup in Buffalo.

[Horus]

if J.P starts and Bledsoe gets put at backup and he says no-way and retires...whats that do to our salary cap?...i know if we cut him we owe $4mil and if he stays we owe $6mil..but what happens if Bledsoe was to retire?

[Albany,n.y.]

If Bledsoe retires at the end of preseason, we get whatever his actual 2005 salary is as cap relief (since he won't get paid). We are charged the one year amortization of his bonus with the rest on the 2006 cap. If we trade him at any time, because the post June 1st split amortization does not apply to trades-regardless of the date, his full remaining bonus $ is our 2005 cap hit.

[manateefan]

Open competition is the best way to go. To the guy who called Testeverde "decent", who were you watching. He's been inconsistent with every team he has played with.

[mead107]

no way do we go get a different starting QB from another team. if drew Starts next year JP will start getting more playing time as the season goes on . if drew is doing bad they will pull him an JP will go in . If JP starts he will have some growing pains and he will stay in .

[mead107]

polls are all the same

[Rubes]

Please stop this nonsense about Drew Brees coming in as a free agent. Brees will demand huge money based on his season performance, and we already have a high-priced #1 pick on our team waiting to get in the game. Why spend huge bucks on a guy who will, sooner or later, be the backup? Why would Brees even want to come here, knowing JP is going to take over at some point?

 

Drew Bledsoe would be a nice insurance policy at backup if JP wins the starting spot. I don't know if Bledsoe would ever accept being a backup in his mind, but my gut tells me he won't. If that's the case, he and Travis Henry can pack up and head to some other desperate team willing to pay them to be starters. If there are any, that is.

[Brandon]

Open competition is the best way to go.  To the guy who called Testeverde "decent", who were you watching.  He's been inconsistent with every team he has played with.

199117[/snapback]

 

What do you expect, Brett Favre? If he were a starting caliber Qb, I wouldn't be suggesting him as a backup. However, he does offer more starting experience than practically any QB in the league, will be inexpensive, and can still be an adequate spot starter if necessary.