It’s not a secret that Buffalo Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor is looking for a long-term deal. Coming off a solid 2015 season, his first as a starter in the NFL, Taylor is set to earn just $3.1 million in the final year of his deal.
While the sample size itself is small, Taylor’s performance last season suggests he’s worth a whole heck of a lot more.
After playing the part of a clipboard holder in his first four seasons, all with the Baltimore Ravens, Taylor finally got his shot in Western New York. He responded by putting up over 3,600 total yards with 24 touchdowns compared to six interceptions in 14 starts.
Now, with about six weeks remaining until Buffalo kicks off its 2016 season, it looks like the team could lock up its franchise quarterback.
“The Buffalo Bills are continuing their efforts to sign Tyrod Taylor to a long-term contract extension, and reaching an agreement before the start of the regular season is a possibility, The Buffalo News has learned,” Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News reported on Thursday. “According to a source close to the team and the negotiations, the Bills and the quarterback’s agent are talking “relatively frequently” and have maintained “open lines of communication.”
The Bills beat writer then went on to indicate that a deal could very well be worked out between now and Week 1 in mid September.
It is most definitely a tricky situation here. There’s no doubt that the Bills’ brass would admit that Taylor’s $3.1 million salary for the upcoming season isn’t representative of how well he played last season.
Then again, we’re talking about a 14-game sample size — a small amount of action to justify a huge long-term deal.
Buffalo could decide to rework Taylor’s contract for the upcoming season, guaranteeing him a pay increase while still allowing the quarterback to become a free agent next March. That would show some good faith on the part of the organization.
Outside of that, it seems to be a bit more convoluted than most contract negotiations. Based solely on last year’s performance, Taylor’s market should have him at $15-plus million per season.
On the other hand, it doesn’t seem to make much sense for Buffalo to dole that out to a quarterback that’s started 14 games in five NFL seasons.
So while something could very well get done here soon, both Taylor and the Bills are better off waiting until March.