The Bills are currently in a fairly nebulous state. Questions about which players the team will retain in free agency remain. The Tyrod Taylor debate has raged since the last game of the 2016 season. But there's one question that isn't on the mind of many fans: Who will the Bills have has a Backup in 2017?
Potential Current Options.
Before going any further, we can discount Tyrod Taylor as a backup option. He's good enough to play as a starter for several NFL teams including the Cardinals, Browns, and 49ers. And Buffalo isn't going to spend a ton of money to sit a player like Tyrod on the bench.
The primary option at backup Quarterback for the Bills right now is Cardale Jones. Buffalo drafted Cardale in the fourth round so that they would have another player to compete for the backup position. At 6 foot 5, Jones had a build similar to E.J. Manuel and a similar skill set as well. The organization didn't get to see much of him beyond some preseason action, so his level of talent is still yet to be determined.
E.J. Manuel will be a free agent in 2017 and is free to sign with any other team. It's hard to see Buffalo signing a man who played so poorly for them again, but he would be a potential backup option that the team does have some familiarity with.
Brian Hoyer has also been floated around as a potential option, but he probably wouldn't come to the team without a decent payday.
Quarterbacks in the Draft.
Doug Whaley has recently preached a strategy of consistently drafting quarterbacks to try and find that diamond in the rough. If the Bills don't sign Tyrod, they will obviously need to draft a player like DeShaun Watson to fill the void. But even if Buffalo does sign Taylor, the front office can still choose to draft a quarterback in the later rounds to not only compete with Cardale Jones for the backup spot but also compete with Tyrod Taylor.
Why It's Important to Address the Backup Position.
The Bills need to recognize that all of the quarterbacks on their current roster are mobile enough to get injured at multiple points during the season. That means Buffalo should always have a capable backup ready to come in and compete at a high enough level to give the team a chance to win.
