The Buffalo Bills had their best year in ages en route to their first playoff appearance in 17 years. A defense that was elite throughout the year and a rushing game that did just enough to pick up 9 wins during the year. A big question mark during the 2017 season was the passing game, which ranked close to last in the NFL partially thanks to offensive coordinator Rick Dennison's scheme. But there was another issue that Buffalo will be talking about in the offseason: Tyrod Taylor
Playoff Game against Jaguars
Jacksonville defeated Buffalo 10-3 in a hard fought defensive battle on the road.
The Bills seemed inept on offense, punting on almost every drive, and turning the ball over once. Taylor was just 17 of 37 for just 134 yards and one interception during the game, and Nathan Peterman looked terrible, throwing the interception that ended the game. The current quarterback situation is going to change after that game, so let's take a look at the best possible replacements:
1. QB Kirk Cousins
The Redskins don't seem willing to commit to a guy that can't get Washington to the playoffs consistently. But the statistics tell us Kirk isn't really the problem:
- 4,093 passing yards
- 27 touchdowns
- 13 interceptions
- Average 93.9 quarterback rating
The interception numbers aren't great, but the other numbers are.
Cousins is a quarterback who stretches the ball downfield and is capable of making accurate throws. The biggest questions for Buffalo are whether or not he will be available on the free agent market and how much it will cost to get him. Right now, he's the best option out there.
2. QB Alex Smith
If Buffalo does draft a quarterback, it only makes sense for them to have a veteran leader at the position.
Smith has been that guy in both San Francisco and Kansas City, and he will be a free agent in 2018. Here are his statistics for Kansas City in 2017:
- 4,042 passing yards
- 26 touchdowns
- 5 interceptions
- 104.7 quarterback rating
Those are excellent statistics, and Smith was on a tear for the first half of 2017. He's an accurate passer, and he's a great stopgap quarterback while a newly drafted quarterback learns the ropes.
3. QB Lamar Jackson
Of course, Rosen would be a better prospect, but unless the Bills trade up, he will not be available. Someone who actually could be drafted is Jackson, who has a similar style to Tyrod and would likely fit in the Bills offensive scheme without too many issues. It's not hard to believe that Buffalo would spend a first round draft pick on a guy like Jackson or Mayfield, but it is hard to believe that either guy would have tremendous success in their first year, especially with Rick Dennison calling plays and the current talent on the offensive roster.
4. QB Tyrod Taylor
The fact that Taylor was able to lead Buffalo to the playoffs meant nothing for his job security. He made some incredible plays during the 2017 season, and it's hard to describe just how valuable his escapability is.
However, Tyrod holds onto the ball forever and takes too many sacks as a result. In addition, he misses open receivers all the time and fails to make throws over the middle. Still, Taylor did not turn the ball over much and he did give Buffalo enough chances to win games to get the team into the playoffs.
5. QB Nathan Peterman
The Pittsburgh graduate fits Rick Dennison's scheme more than Taylor, and if he can develop in the offseason, he could easily be the starter for the first game in 2018. Yes, Peterman was a disaster in the Chargers game. Yes, he threw five interceptions in one half. And yes, he looked bad in 3 plays against the Jaguars. But he did help lead the Bills to a win against the Colts in the snow, and he made some great throws to Kelvin Benjamin in that one. He hasn't had the games to prove himself, and he will likely get that chance in 2018 if Buffalo doesn't draft a quarterback.