While Buffalo Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor is appearing in this season’s Pro Bowl, it’s not keeping the team from scouting other quarterbacks. General Manager Doug Whaley was asked if the team would consider selecting a quarterback early in this spring’s NFL draft and he didn’t hesitate to say yes, per Tyler Dunne of the Buffalo News:
“We’ll do it because if you look at it, unfortunately we have two quarterbacks on the roster and both of them are entering the last year of their contract,” he said. “If it presents itself, it makes sense and it’s a guy we like, and we believe in, absolutely.”
Taylor just completed his fifth NFL season, and his 14 starts in 2015 were his first. Prior to 2015, Taylor was a backup to Joe Flacco and the Baltimore Ravens.
Taylor finished the season completing 242-of-380 passes (63.7 percent) for 3,035 yards, tallied a 99.4 passer rating throwing for 20 touchdowns against only six interceptions. He also rushed for 568 yards, which was second only to Cam Newton’s 636 among quarterbacks, while his four touchdowns were behind only Newton’s 10, Jameis Winston’s six, and Kirk Cousins’ five.
Logically speaking, a quarterback would likely be picked after the first round. Taylor and E.J. Manuel are both under contract for 2016. It would make more sense for the Bills to fill other gaps in the first round and take a quarterback later.
Also, barring a trade, the Bills are unlikely to be in position to select one of the best quarterbacks in the draft, as Cal’s Jarred Goff, Carson Wentz out of North Dakota State and Paxton Lynch from Memphis could all be gone by the time the Bills’ first selection comes up at No. 19.
In total, the Buffalo Bills presently have six picks in the 2016 NFL Draft, picking once in each of the first six rounds.