billsfan89

I don't know what the solution is. But Tyrod at best is a placeholder QB while you develop a rookie. I do think that Kirk Cousins at a near 30 million dollar a year cap hit isn't the answer, Alex Smith, in my opinion, is a marginal upgrade to Tyrod who wouldn't be worth the premium pick and cap space. Eli Manning is the only other QB that could be out on the market that I would consider a significant upgrade over Tyrod. But I don't think that Eli will be available Now if you can get Cousins at around 22 million a year I would consider that if he fits the system they plan to run I would take that, it would still leave the Bills with some cap space (Cut Tyrod and you only spend about 8 million on Cousins) and all of their picks to fill out the roster. The bold move at QB would be to trade up for one of the top 2 QB's in the draft by spending both 1sts, a 2nd, and next years 1st to do so. But that's bankrupting 2 drafts worth of picks and certainly very risky as neither QB's are considered generational type prospects. Maybe a QB falls to the 8-10 range and they can do a more reasonable trade up and then keep Tyrod for one more year?

That's a pretty obvious thing to say. You would rather have a player that produces than a player who struggled a lot his rookie year. It's kind of easy to say you would rather have the player that produced more. I don't doubt that a healthy Sammy would have had a positive impact on the offense talent wise but Gaines not being on defense was a big minus and even factoring that out Sammy wasn't the big difference for this team.

The front office went 5-2 without Sammy, they then traded for Kelvin Benjamin who should have been able to replicate Sammy's production. Kevlin got hurt, Matthews got hurt, Clay even got dinged up. This season wouldn't have gone that much different had they had Sammy, Gaines was also a big part of the defense.

If the Bills were to draft a rookie QB high and stick with Taylor as the placeholder then I wouldn't have an issue. They need to build a longer-term possibility with their QB play but having Tyrod for one more year while a rookie grows and learns isn't a bad plan. As I said is Alex Smith at the cost of a high draft pick and cap space that much of an upgrade over Tyrod? I don't think so, I know a lot of people disagree with that but I don't see it.

Gaines was a big player for this secondary when he played in 11 games, Sammy didn't light it up with the Rams as much as everyone thought. Also Sammy Watkins was not going to propel this team over the Pats* as we would have to have won the division to host a game. I think the Sammy trade was good as long as we can retain Gaines and have him healthy.

When Sammy was here a lot of people felt like Tyrod didn't take advantage of him enough. How dynamic he was/is is up for debate but fan complaints aren't always accurate. I would also say that a lot of people felt that Clay was a weapon on the offense that was not taken advantage of enough up until this season when it became obvious he was hurt a lot. I would also add that Benjamin is a player that people felt like Tyrod wasn't taking advantage of enough until it became obvious he was hurt.

Out of the veteran QB's available I only see 3 as being an upgrade over Taylor. One is Eli Manning the other is Kirk Cousins. I don't think the Giants are getting rid of Eli just yet and I think Kirk Cousins is going to cost you 30 million in cap space and you might end up with a Joe Flacco situation where a QB takes up so much of your cap that it limits your roster overall and while the QB might be good he doesn't elevate the play of the offense enough to justify such a cap hit. Alex Smith I would consider a slight upgrade over Taylor but not one I would trade a 2nd round pick for and give up 4.5 million in additional cap space for. I would rather the Bills trade up for a QB in the draft and force that QB to beat out Tyrod. If Tyrod sucks so much then that QB won't have an issue winning that battle.

I don't see how Tyrod's numbers are deceiving but setting that aside the key criticisms Chief's fans have had against Smith sound very similar to what we say about Tyrod (Too conservative, Too many check downs, takes incompletions or short runs on third and long, is unable to take advantage of dynamic offensive weapons, and on and on.) Smith also plays under a much better offensive coach, in a stable offensive system, and in recent years with better offensive talent. If you drop him into this team (And spend a 2nd round pick to do so) I can't see the results being much better.

Bridgewater's numbers were pretty ass and his knee !@#$ing exploded to the point where he missed an entire season and most of another. I don't get the appeal of him.

Fair point but I also don't think pro-football players are that impressionable. I don't have an issue moving on from Tyrod but either upgrade at the QB significantly or draft a rookie and have Tyrod be the place holder. I think a player like Alex Smith who you would have to give up at least a 2nd round pick and is due 18 million dollars isn't worth the price. I think peoples overestimations of Smith's value are based on the fact that he is on another team that has had success. Not realizing just how limited at time he was in KC and was playing in a similar conservative style that Tyrod also plays. I guarantee you if this team trades for Smith all the complaints about Tyrod (Check downs, missing receivers, playing too conservative, running too much) will be said about Smith and it will cost the team cap space and a premium pick to pay for that type of play.

I know a lot of people here are high on Alex Smith but I just don't see it. Smith's numbers in KC when he had less offensive weapons are very similar to what Tyrod put up these past 3 seasons. They counted on a great defense and a QB who didn't turn the ball over to win games. The one good offensive year he had was the 5th year in an offensive system under a great offensive coach and with 3 great offensive weapons. Put Smith around this level of offensive talent, learning a new system, and with this OC and I think the results are pretty much the same as Tyrod.

That's a solid point but in all honesty a good QB coach and offensive system cure that. I think a "QB you can learn from" is a bit of an overstated thing. A lot of the all time greats (Brady, Farve, Montana, ect) have been reported to be terrible mentors by the QB's that succeeded them or were backups for a long time. If a rookie can't beat out Tyrod's quality of play then they shouldn't touch the offense.

I'd say Smith is at best a marginal upgrade. Compare Smith numbers his first 4 years with KC to Tyrod's three years here in Buffalo, they are pretty similar. KC's defense has been way more consistent that's why they made the playoffs. It was only this past year in Alex Smith's 5th season in the same offensive system with 3 dynamic weapons (Hill, Kelce, and now Hunt) and a solid offensive line that he had even a good season. I am not saying Tyrod is that good but just that Smith isn't that much better.

My original premise was that the Bills should spend a high draft choice on a QB, maybe even trade up to get one. But then they should keep Tyrod for one more year in order to not have to start a rookie on a team that might not be ready or in a bad situation. Tyrod can be a placeholder QB for one more season, are the free agent QB's that you can get cheaper any better? No not really, are the QB's you would be trading for any better (At best a marginal upgrade like Alex Smith) I don't think it's worth it. Draft a QB early and have Tyrod be the guy they have to beat out for the job.

I have been watching all season, I have also seen who the Bills were throwing out at QB for the past 14 years before then. Although you could do a lot better than Tyrod I think you can do much much worse. If the choice is Alex Smith or Tyrod Taylor, a 2nd round pick, and 4.5 million dollars in cap space give me the latter. I would rather draft a rookie and have him beat out Tyrod. Having a decent QB such as Tyrod is a luxury, allow a rookie to sit for their first season, if they play good enough to beat out Tyrod then fine, but you don't address the QB situation by getting rid of the QB and not having a coherent plan in place to do so.

I honestly think that you can only move on from Tyrod if it is a substantial upgrade or a rookie with promise. A slight upgrade or lateral move like Alex Smith would not work, why give up assets and cap space to be marginally better at QB? Even if they draft a rookie I would still want Tyrod on the roster. Peterman is ass and they shouldn't force a rookie into action if that rookie can't beat out Tyrod. If a rookie can't beat out Tyrod let Tyrod hang in there for one more year and slowly build up the talent on the team around a young promising QB who can learn a system and get use to being a pro for awhile.

Terrible punt return. the might be best off trying to run out the clock.

That Benjamin penalty was a killer. Once they lost yards on the replay of 1st down I knew they weren't going to convert anything. They should have done something better on 1st down, even just getting 3 yards on that play would have changed the complexion of that series of downs.

They get gifted that off-sides and they botched it. At least they got points. The only good thing to come from that off-sides was that it did take time off the clock and the 2-minute warning.

Bills got a call, not the call that they should have (roughing the passer) so I think it evens out.

The Bills survive the turnover and now they are moving the ball a bit. Shady looking like Shady. They need some points on this drive.

Huge first down by Tolbert, need to at least shift field position.

Big defensive stop there to not give up more field position.

Tyrod is going to have to win the game offensively. It's a sobering thought but you have to play to win.

Sucks they couldn't get one more yard on that but at least those 9 yards allowed them to punt it back deep again.