Nathan Peterman, quarterback, Buffalo Bills
The events that transpired in Buffalo this offseason surrounding Tyrod Taylor prove without a shadow of doubt that he’s not viewed as a long-term answer. This was amplified further when head coach Sean McDermott made it clear the starting quarterback job was an open competition heading into offseason workouts.
Taylor will be competing with both Peterman (drafted in the fifth round) and Cardale Jones, who was a fourth-round pick in 2016. Jones wasn’t all that impressive in limited time last year, completing just 54.5 percent of his passes with no touchdowns and one interception. He was seen as a huge project to begin with, whereas Peterman enters this competition as the most pro-ready quarterback of anyone taken in the draft this year.
At least, that’s the opinion of Jon Gruden, former NFL quarterback whisperer turned ESPN analyst.
A two-year starter at Pitt after transferring away from Tennessee, Peterman displayed reasonable accuracy and excellent judgement playing in a run-first offense. He completed 61.1 percent of his passes while throwing 47 touchdowns and just 15 interceptions for the Panthers.
Though we don’t expect Peterman to beat out Taylor this summer, he could be the first man off the bench if Taylor gets hurt. And at the least, he’s a very intriguing option going forward in 2018 and beyond.