Could the Bills be any better set up at QB for the future?

[Shaw66]

Plenty of others have had this thought, but it just struck me how well the Bills are set up at QB.  

 

They have the guy they think is their QB for the next 10 to 15 years.  They have a journeyman backup who will know the system and can step in and run things if Allen is injured.  And they have a senior journeyman to mentor the kid and even to mentor the journeyman backup, because Anderson has plenty of experience BOTH as a starter and as a backup.  

 

It would be nice to think that McBeane planned it this way, but we all saw how the Bills actually got to this position.   If they were good enough to plan those events, they should be running the country, not the Bills.   

[Chandler#81]

Yes. I agree the QB room is solid. Know how I know it is? I haven’t bother reading a single thread on available QBs from Trade, FA or the Draft. 

This is certainly a different off season from the norm at OBD.

[eball]

It's almost inexcusable how they went into the 2018 regular season at the most important position in football, but here we are a year later and it's a complete 180.  The pessimist/realists will tell you McBeane just got lucky and "still haven't proven anything" which is fine but irrelevant.  I think most fans only care that it seems to be heading in the right direction now.

[nedboy7]

We clearly have the best QB situation in the universe.  

[Shaw66]

15 minutes ago, Chandler#81 said:

Yes. I agree the QB room is solid. Know how I know it is? I haven’t bother reading a single thread on available QBs from Trade, FA or the Draft. 

This is certainly a different off season from the norm at OBD.

Me too.  Bills could have the same three QBs for the nest 5 years.   When they no longer are willing to carry 3 QBs, they'll make Anderson an assistant QB coach.  

[WhoTom]

Seems like a blend of skill, calculated risk, and luck.

 

Skill: Picking Josh Allen

 

Calculated risk: Gambling on the QB situation, hoping Josh could learn behind a seasoned vet for a year, and thinking that AJ McCarron was that seasoned vet.

 

Luck, followed by skill: When the gamble didn't pay off, it turned out that Josh was more ready than they anticipated. Then they stumbled into a good backup situation, and parlayed that into extensions for both backups that set the team up for the next few years.

 

I've said it before, I'd hate to play poker against Beane.

Edited February 18, 2019 by WhoTom

[LABILLBACKER]

18 minutes ago, eball said:

It's almost inexcusable how they went into the 2018 regular season at the most important position in football, but here we are a year later and it's a complete 180.  The pessimist/realists will tell you McBeane just got lucky and "still haven't proven anything" which is fine but irrelevant.  I think most fans only care that it seems to be heading in the right direction now.

It took a little longer than some of us impatient fans would of liked, but we now have the most stable 3 headed qb team since the mid 90s.....

[MILFHUNTER#518]

6 minutes ago, LABILLBACKER said:

It took a little longer than some of us impatient fans would of liked, but we now have the most stable 3 headed qb team since the mid 90s.....

I agree, but when did we have 3 QB's in the mid 90's? Please excuse my ignorance...

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

2018 was a tough year - cousins and keenum got paid starter money and it looks like buffalo wanted no part in either.  They weren't willing to part with picks for Foles as they needed the ammo to maneuver the draft.  Bradford was an overpay at 20 mil.  Bridgewater was like the wildcard of top end backups - and we ended up waiting and getting McCarron for a really reasonable deal.  The thing was, he was thoroughly outplayed by Peterman and Allen in practice and preseason.  

 

The mistake was not keeping McCarron as Peterman flamed out spectacularly.  No one they could have signed on the opening of free agency was going to be a long term or even short term solution. 

 

They also probably should have pursued Anderson sooner.  Barkley kind of fell into their laps once he was healthy.  

[Whites Bay]

1 minute ago, MILFHUNTER#518 said:

I agree, but when did we have 3 QB's in the mid 90's? Please excuse my ignorance...

 

I think the Bills had Gale Gilbert behind Frank Reich behind Jim Kelly.  And I'm just too lazy to look it up, but I think Gale Gilbert became the only player to go to five Super Bowls in a row, as he ended up with San Diego after the Super Bowl run for the Bills.  That has to make him special.

[dollars 2 donuts]

56 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

Plenty of others have had this thought, but it just struck me how well the Bills are set up at QB.  

 

They have the guy they think is their QB for the next 10 to 15 years.  They have a journeyman backup who will know the system and can step in and run things if Allen is injured.  And they have a senior journeyman to mentor the kid and even to mentor the journeyman backup, because Anderson has plenty of experience BOTH as a starter and as a backup.  

 

It would be nice to think that McBeane planned it this way, but we all saw how the Bills actually got to this position.   If they were good enough to plan those events, they should be running the country, not the Bills.   

 

 

Anderson is going to collect, I believe, almost a million dollars to run the scout team and occasionally throw out some pearls of wisdom to the younglings.

 

...life must be sweet.

[Alphadawg7]

32 minutes ago, eball said:

It's almost inexcusable how they went into the 2018 regular season at the most important position in football, but here we are a year later and it's a complete 180.  The pessimist/realists will tell you McBeane just got lucky and "still haven't proven anything" which is fine but irrelevant.  I think most fans only care that it seems to be heading in the right direction now.

 

There are some factors about how we opened week 1 that people either forget or dont realize though.

1. The plan going into the 3rd preseason game was for Allen to start week 1 and they have said this directly.  After the first team struggled badly in that game, they decided they wanted to work with Allen a little more before starting.  Again, they have publicly said all this too, not opinion.  
2. NP definitely outplayed AJ, although AJ had more respect around the league and trade value.  They were not going to carry 3 QB's and unbelievably the Raiders were still willing to give the Bills a 5th round pick for AJ after being outplayed over the preseason, so of course they took it.  Neither NP or AJ were the future, Allen was, so to get a pick for one was a no brainer.
3. Once they moved AJ they had to focus all their time on both Allen and NP to get them ready to play.  Bringing in a 3rd QB who needs reps and time with the coaches to learn the system takes time away from both young QB's.  

QB is the most difficult position of any team sport in the world to learn and play well.  And when you have 2 young QB's they need as much of the time with the coaches as possible.  So was not a surprise to me they didn't immediately bring in another vet right before the season started and waited until they were a little more into the season before making that decision.

 

So for me, I think people way over exaggerate the situation at the start of the season.  I mean why anyone cares about it is a bit puzzling to me, especially since they did bring in a mentor a handful of weeks later.  

[Ga boy]

Am I the only skeptic on the planet??  Full disclosure:  I thought EJ was the answer (I know that all of you geniuses knew he was a bust as soon as his name was called), but he got the big injury and then never got the accuracy and the mechanics to the pro level.  Sounds eerily like the new dude.  Yes, I get that the eyes tell us that JA is different;  however, we seem to have all our eggs in one basket AGAIN!!  What would be wrong with drafting a QB in round 4 or after??   I wouldn't be surprised if the following are on McBeane's radar:  Minshew (Wash St), Thorson (NW), and McSorley (PennSt).  I would be really impressed if they draft a QB.  We should keep drafting em until we know we've got the guy.  Go Bills!!! 

[JinxedBill1]

I think the “injury” saved Allen’s career.  I really like our QB room now.

[stuvian]

Pat Mahomes still haunts us. I understand that you don't have your outgoing GM picking your franchise QB but was there any scenario in which Mahomes would not have been a fit?

[JESSEFEFFER]

1 hour ago, eball said:

It's almost inexcusable how they went into the 2018 regular season at the most important position in football, but here we are a year later and it's a complete 180.  The pessimist/realists will tell you McBeane just got lucky and "still haven't proven anything" which is fine but irrelevant.  I think most fans only care that it seems to be heading in the right direction now.

I think Beane has said as much.  Phrases like "on me" and "my mistake."  He made it sound like the Derek Anderson option was discussed late in camp and he blamed himself to waiting too long to make the call.

[HomeskillitMoorman]

Hopefully, obviously it all depends on how/if Allen progresses. We only saw a little bit from Barkley so we don't really even know if he's a reliable backup. I liked that he was willing to throw the ball down the field in that game but it's yet to be seen if he's a quality #2, although hopefully we won't have to find out. 

 

I'm not the biggest fan of Derek Anderson being on the roster. It's fine that he's a mentor but he looked horrific on the field. If they consider him that valuable they should just see if he wants to coach and pay him whatever he's making now for it. Better than him taking up a roster spot. I would much rather have a young developmental guy for the #3 spot. 

 

Edited February 18, 2019 by HomeskillitMoorman

[freddyjj]

3 hours ago, MILFHUNTER#518 said:

I agree, but when did we have 3 QB's in the mid 90's? Please excuse my ignorance...

Bills of early 90s had Kelly, Reich and Gale Gilbert

Edited February 18, 2019 by freddyjj

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

1 hour ago, WhoTom said:

Luck, followed by skill...

We’re working out a deal for Ryan Luck?!?!  Christmas 2019 comes early to OBD!!!

[LabattBlue]

The concept is good.

 

Does Allen have the talent to be the Bills starter for the next 10 years?  Who knows.

[MJS]

It will get better if Allen develops into a top 5 QB.

[Straight Hucklebuck]

You gotta be kidding me 

[Woodman19]

So what your saying is we should fire the GM and coaching staff?

[BarleyNY]

2 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

Plenty of others have had this thought, but it just struck me how well the Bills are set up at QB.  

 

They have the guy they think is their QB for the next 10 to 15 years.  They have a journeyman backup who will know the system and can step in and run things if Allen is injured.  And they have a senior journeyman to mentor the kid and even to mentor the journeyman backup, because Anderson has plenty of experience BOTH as a starter and as a backup.  

 

It would be nice to think that McBeane planned it this way, but we all saw how the Bills actually got to this position.   If they were good enough to plan those events, they should be running the country, not the Bills.   

 

The Bills have certainly improved their QB situation dramatically.  It is better than it’s been in a long time, but let’s not overstate it.  Allen has talent and potential, but he’s not a proven franchise QB - not yet anyway.  Any team with one of those is better set up regardless of who the backups are.  I like Barkley as the #2 but I’m not sure if Anderson even makes the final roster.  There are plenty of people that can be a veteran mentor that you never want to see the field. 

[TigerJ]

It could be a little more certain than it is, but I like it a lot.  When the Bills decide Derek Anderson has outlived his usefulness as a mentor, they can look for a developmental prospect to stash on their PS, and free up a roster spot for another position, but at least things are stable and looking up.  That's a lot compared with the last couple of decades.

[SoCal Deek]

Shaw...so we’re saying they only have 21 other roster spots to focus on? (Kidding). It is  indeed a welcome change to think we’re going to stick with what we have under Center this offseason. 

[LABILLBACKER]

1 hour ago, MILFHUNTER#518 said:

I agree, but when did we have 3 QB's in the mid 90's? Please excuse my ignorance...

let me rephrase...the most stable qb situation....better?

[GreggTX]

This assumes that Allen will make huge strides -- especially in the areas of accuracy and placement. I'll believe it when I see it. I fully expect that he will have some epic games given his athletic ability, but he'll need to master on-target throws on a consistent basis if we're ever going to be a SB champion. Seeing is believing and so many Bills fans, unlike the rest of the impartial country, are giving him a free pass. I hope Bills fans are right about him.

Edited February 18, 2019 by GreggTX

[Just Joshin']

1 hour ago, dollars 2 donuts said:

 

 

Anderson is going to collect, I believe, almost a million dollars to run the scout team and occasionally throw out some pearls of wisdom to the younglings.

 

...life must be sweet.

There was an article where in their SB prep, Hoyer helped the Defense prepare for the Rams by executing their plays properly.  He helped with the looks and responses because he was experienced.

 

In 2018 I thought no experienced backup was not an issue - I was wrong.

[Gugny]

2 hours ago, Chandler#81 said:

Yes. I agree the QB room is solid. Know how I know it is? I haven’t bother reading a single thread on available QBs from Trade, FA or the Draft. 

This is certainly a different off season from the norm at OBD.

 

I'm interpreting this as you wanting me to start a new thread about available QBs.  Please stand by.

[gobills1212]

1 hour ago, HomeskillitMoorman said:

Hopefully, obviously it all depends on how/if Allen progresses. We only saw a little bit from Barkley so we don't really even know if he's a reliable backup. I liked that he was willing to throw the ball down the field in that game but it's yet to be seen if he's a quality #2, although hopefully we won't have to find out. 

 

I'm not the biggest fan of Derek Anderson being on the roster. It's fine that he's a mentor but he looked horrific on the field. If they consider him that valuable they should just see if he wants to coach and pay him whatever he's making now for it. Better than him taking up a roster spot. I would much rather have a young developmental guy for the #3 spot. 

 

I get it BUT you are a player OR a coach. Officially of course. The days if having player-coach designations have long passed. At this point, DA still fancies himself a player. The team gets the benefits of having a 'player' at this stage in his career. I get why people say this, but its easier said than done and not really how things work.

 

 

In response to the OP, sure - AT THIS MOMENT this may be true. That said, this is the NFL and things change in an instant. At one point last offseason our qb room looked good. A promising rookie, a vet who many thought just needed a chance to prove himself at a nice price, and NP, who was entering his 2nd yr looking to make strides. 

 

Im happy with how the room looks now but all it takes is a freak camp mishap for the starter,  subsequently a journey man getting exposed for what he is and then all of a sudden everyone is back up in arms that they were unprepared bc DA is all thats here. So, RIGHT NOW everything is rainbows and sunshine but things can change quick so dont rest on what a great job was done 'building' the room. 

Edited February 18, 2019 by gobills1212

[CodeMonkey]

If the kid doesn't progress and is the same the next few years as he was this past year, then yes, the Bills could be better setup at QB. 

If, however, he does progress and grow into a solid NFL starter or more, then the Bills are certainly sitting pretty at that position.

[Shaw66]

7 minutes ago, CodeMonkey said:

If the kid doesn't progress and is the same the next few years as he was this past year, then yes, the Bills could be better setup at QB. 

If, however, he does progress and grow into a solid NFL starter or more, then the Bills are certainly sitting pretty at that position.

No one can predict the future.  All we can do is comment on where things are right now.  The only way things could be better would be to have Luck, who is the only mature QB in the game who looks like a star and who isn't in the tail end of his career. 

55 minutes ago, GreggTX said:

This assumes that Allen will make huge strides -- especially in the areas of accuracy and placement. I'll believe it when I see it. I fully expect that he will have some epic games given his athletic ability, but he'll need to master on-target throws on a consistent basis if we're ever going to be a SB champion. Seeing is believing and so many Bills fans, unlike the rest of the impartial country, are giving him a free pass. I hope Bills fans are right about him.

I didn't assume anything. The Bill's have the guy they've identified as their QB of the future.  No team knows if their QB of the future will succeed.  The Bills are no different.  

 

Under the circumstances, the most the Bill's could hope for is exactly what they have. 

[eball]

2 hours ago, stuvian said:

Pat Mahomes still haunts us. I understand that you don't have your outgoing GM picking your franchise QB but was there any scenario in which Mahomes would not have been a fit?

 

Meh -- he doesn't haunt me.  McD made an evaluation that I think a lot of personnel people would have agreed with at the time -- and he got a great player in Tre White along with additional draft capital.  Hindsight is always 20/20 but the Bills got their QB the following year and there's no looking back.  Let's see how Allen pans out.

[WhoTom]

36 minutes ago, gobills1212 said:

I get it BUT you are a player OR a coach. Officially of course. The days if having player-coach designations have long passed. At this point, DA still fancies himself a player. The team gets the benefits of having a 'player' at this stage in his career. I get why people say this, but its easier said than done and not really how things work.

 

One big difference is that DA the player can work out with Josh as often as they both want, where DA the coach would be limited by the CBA. I think that's worth a 3rd string roster spot.

 

 

 

 

[gobills1212]

12 minutes ago, WhoTom said:

 

One big difference is that DA the player can work out with Josh as often as they both want, where DA the coach would be limited by the CBA. I think that's worth a 3rd string roster spot.

 

 

 

 

Among other things, sure. Which, is why when people say he should be a coach its like... uh, hes a player and still has value as such. You have forever to coach, but a relatively small window to be a player. Its no accident things are how they are

16 minutes ago, eball said:

 

Meh -- he doesn't haunt me.  McD made an evaluation that I think a lot of personnel people would have agreed with at the time -- and he got a great player in Tre White along with additional draft capital.  Hindsight is always 20/20 but the Bills got their QB the following year and there's no looking back.  Let's see how Allen pans out.

Same here. Hell, the kid could have come here w no weapons and be an int machine and we wld be discussing if we should be drafting another qb already. 

My coping mechanism with allen after the draft was that i really wanted mahomes the yr before. I figured if i wanted the rocket arm developmental player last year i shouldnt be upset with this years version. Its silly, but after yelling for a day it wasnt rosen... that thought really helped me come around

[John from Riverside]

Oh I dont know I would feel better if our OL was all pro right now hitting the ground to protect the investment

 

but that is just me

[Bleedbuffaloblue]

I totally agree the Bills are in the best QB situation in quite some time. The one thing they still need IMO is a developmental QB for their PS. I would love to see them go after a kid like Eric Dungey from Syracuse. Don’t know if he will be a very late round pick or could be had as an UDFA. Minus the cannon for an arm Dungey has the size, strength and running ability along with a lot of the intangibles of Josh Allen. Take this kid, stash him on the PS for a season or two and you might be able to develop a backup for J.A. that could come in when needed and the offense would hardly skip a beat.

[nedboy7]

is hindsight really 20/20 or do wise people look back at their mistakes to learn from them.  It’s so easy to throw around lame cliches to cover up lame decisions. 

[Shaw66]

52 minutes ago, Bleedbuffaloblue said:

I totally agree the Bills are in the best QB situation in quite some time. The one thing they still need IMO is a developmental QB for their PS. I would love to see them go after a kid like Eric Dungey from Syracuse. Don’t know if he will be a very late round pick or could be had as an UDFA. Minus the cannon for an arm Dungey has the size, strength and running ability along with a lot of the intangibles of Josh Allen. Take this kid, stash him on the PS for a season or two and you might be able to develop a backup for J.A. that could come in when needed and the offense would hardly skip a beat.

I prefer the journeyman backup.   Your backup is never going to be as good as you starter; what you want in a backup is someone who's not going to screw things up while you're waiting for the starter to returner.   The developmental QB is a bigger risk as a backup.   IF Allen turns out to be a keeper, developmental QBs just take a roster or PS spot that would be better spend on an extra DB.   If your developmental QB is any good, you lose him in free agency.