Looks like he's been having a rough couple of weeks. I thought he played pretty well last year, and haven't really been following the Bills much this year, but I know that a lot of his top receivers have been hurt this year. Seems like people in Buffalo want to see him benched in favor of Cardale Jones. The Buffalo Bills forums are filled with threads of people laying the blame for their team's struggles on Tyrod. I'm hoping he stays the starter and puts together a few impressive performances to take the Bills into the playoffs.
http://www.sbnation.com/2016/12/12/13920038/tyrod-taylor-may-get-benched...
[ mod edit: title update to be more descriptive per Community Guidelines, which actually use almost an identical title as an example of what not to do ]
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The message boards should be more worried about getting themselves an offensive line that can block before they start blaming the quarterback.
It's hard to play at an NFL level when you have literally zero time to find an open receiver.
But yes Bills fans, let's blame the quarterback.
We've really come full circle. Swap "NFL" for "NCAA," "Bills" for "Hokies," and put it in the context of Glennon and you've got the whole story of how Tyrod came to be.
I'm really close to creating a second account just to give this two legs
Speaking of Glennon, I've really come to like the dude because of his podcast with Cory Holt.
I respect the hell out of the guy. From what I have seen since he left Tech, he has continued to be a great ambassador for VT even after he took a decent amount of heat while he played.
I think the handling of Glennon was the beginning of the end for Tech being able to recruit good QBs. It was clear that VT was a place where QBs go to die unless your name is Vick or Taylor. Bringing in Loeffler (spare me the hate) helped a lot with recruiting better QBs.
Ah, tis the same thing Panthers fans try to point out to Cam haters. They never listen, trust me.
Start Mark Leal! /s
Uh, you mean Ju-Ju?
Nope, he actually meant Dwayne Lawson.
Andrew Ford
I'll see your Ford and raise you Marcus Vick
Who?
Mike Jones
Thought: Can we start referring to him as Rick Mexico? Just so we don't have to see his name, but it clearly establishes who he is, pseudononymously, which is a word I think I just made up. Ron's ne'er do well little brother.
Well its a better conversation for Rex Ryan than having Buffalo fans talk about how their defense has completely failed them in a number of games this season.
Early in the year it was the OC that got the blame and the ax. Now it has to be someone else. No one seems to recognize the obvious that Rex Ryan is a dogshit head coach. Tyrod hasn't played great, but he has played well enough to give them a chance, if not for him and LeSean McCoy they might have 2-3 wins, maybe
Last week, Tyrod broke SIX sacks behind the line of scrimmage before being sacked for -5 yards if you want to know how their season is going.
Smart people are defending Tyrod, Bills fans are not. They are an awful fan base from what I can gather.
I'll embed this later when I'm not on my phone but here is Tyrod stepping up in pocket, breaking six tackles and still getting sacked.
If we're judging fanbases off of how they treat their QBs....well, a Mr. Glennon would like to speak with you
... and Logan Thomas. The blame he received for our offensive struggles in 2013 was a tad ridiculous considering the lack of talent around him. I mean there's a reason why damn near every starting position got taken over by freshmen in 2014.
The QB always get the blame if the offense struggles and the credit when they prosper. Yet, the O-line is a big factor in both situations and never share the blame or accolades. I guess that goes with the money trail.
A "tad" ridiculous?
Well some of the criticism he received was warranted, like the fact that he threw a lot of interceptions. So I'm hedging by admitting he had some issues. But the "start Mark Leal" crowd was absolutely foaming at the lips.
Sorry but Glennon treated a lot of people poorly. He brought a lot of that on himself.
Are you talking before or after fans start literally booing him off of the field? Because at that point I'd treat people poorly, too
I'm sure some fans sure went overboard on him but the guy was a jerk the times I met him and I had numerous friends say the same thing. I cannot recall if it was before or after he was being booed off the field.
There's no excuse to act like an asshole to people you come across in normal college life simply because you've been booed on the football field. I recall Bryan Randall being booed and he was as classy as they come in person.
I will say that I saw Glennon's sister get treated pretty poorly because of him and that left a very bitter taste in my mouth.
Well if all people do when they're drunk is yell at you it's kind-of hard not to get too defensive. I don't blame it him at all and asking him to be normal to regular dudes is at best incredibly tough given his situation.
I can't really defend being a jerk. I also can't speak to the experiences that you, he, your friends, or anyone else have had. But it was so, so much more than being booed on the field. Imagine this: you're the starting QB for a flawed team, your O-line can't stop anyone from touching you, and rather than acknowledge that their shortcomings the coaching staff decides to put in a true freshman over you and then can't decide whether you're back to being the starter or riding the bench. Oh and the entire fanbase turns on you at every opportunity. How would you react?
We can sit here at our computers and saw "aw he shoulda manned up, not been a jerk, and done what was best for the team" but c'mon. These players are, ultimately, human beings subject to human reactions and emotions. Me, personally, I'd probably come to resent the aforementioned situation and the people involved. I can only imagine what that has to do to a guy that has gone out there and taken a pummeling for the team. I mean, geez, it has to feel like the entire program is turning against you.
So yeah, I can sympathize with him and with you. It sucks he was a jerk to you, again a jerk is a jerk for whatever his reasons. But to sit there and say he brought it on himself when he was yanked in and out of games like a yo-yo and treated like dog crap by a very, very large percentage of the fans.......
Maurice DeShazo had his tires slashed. Tech fans have their share of no-class Aholes too, and if it were me, I'd be pretty salty about it, but Maurice stayed classy and seemed able to take it in stride. There's a lot of heat in any QB's kitchen.
Wow. There are more O-linemen standing around watching than Mike London's unused timeouts...
It's weird googling Tyrod's name and seeing all the article's speculating he should be benched when the narrative seemed to be the opposite not too long ago. Honestly, to me it seems like a desperate fan base looking for a quick fix. Case in point I found this article where the writer actually gives Tyrod an 'F' grade on a play where the tight end drops a ball that's thrown right into his hands.
http://www.buffalorumblings.com/2016/12/9/13893694/film-breakdown-of-tyr...
Whether Tyrod stays or goes I hope he can find a home where he has some offensive weapons to work with, because in my possibly biased opinion, he hasn't been the source of the team's problems.
When did Tyrod move to the defensive side of the ball AND become the DC?
I strongly suspect that Cardale Jones will be a lower priced, but still expensive, JaMarcus Russell. He had 2 good games when anOSU was on fire. Even then it was more about great OL play, Elliot running the ball and WR's getting wide open. Besides that I haven't seen anything from him that made me think that he could make it as an NFL QB. Great measurables but nothing between the ears.
Maybe he should have played a little bit of school.
So his natural position in the NFL is TE? /s
I hope they do put Jones in there so they can see what happens when you drop in a QB that can't place at the NFL level. I don't care how big he is. As soon as any team sees him under center they are going to load the box with 11 - #number of receivers men and dare him to pass. He will go 0-X with X/2 interceptions in the NFL.
Everyone is well aware of the work ethic requirements to succeed as an NFL QB, but I don't think people understand the smarts required to play the position. Any guy who's complaining about taking the minimal courses to stay eligible, likely doesn't either have the smarts or work ethic (or both).
Rex Ryan is a terrible coach. That is there number 1 problem. Then it's the offensive line and then the putrid defense.
I was going to say the same thing. Rex Ryan sucks, and he is bringing Tyrod's career down with him. Overrated coach, talks a bunch of trash and then usually gets steamrolled. Terrible defenses as of late too. I love how he fired his offensive coordinator in a game where they scored 31 and the defense gave up 37. Of course he can't fire his equally incompetent brother who is the DC. The ground and pound is a joke and doesn't work in a pass-happy league. Tyrod has undoubtedly struggled this year, but Ryan has set him up for absolute failure. I hope he gets a shot somewhere else under a good offensive staff next year.
Sammy Watkins absence definitely did not help matters
Watkins was a dumb pick for 3 reasons - and I told my excited Bills friends that at the time. One, he had injury issues in college. Two, you've got to be otherworldly good as a WR to go that high in the draft IMO - and he wasn't nor isn't. Three, they traded up to get him in spite of #1 & #2.
You'd think Bills Mgmt & fans would have avoided the sequel after drafting CJ Spiller...
TheI kicker has been awful too. Missed PAT's and FG's have thrown them off as well.
Buffalo isn't all that far from Columbus. I'm sure that has a bit to do with it.
Hey Bills fans...
Their WR core is a joke as is their D-line but they're right, it's tyrods fault /s
The bright side is there are a number of teams that will need a starting caliber QB next season. If they want to let Tyrod go after one year of solid play with numerous other problems facing that team, he will get a check from someone.
houston?
Guys, I hate typing this, I really do. Check my profile - Tyrod is listed as my favorite Hokie. Having said that, I've watched more Buffalo Bills games than anyone in the state of Georgia. I loved how his game developed last year. Lots of swings and curls, then huge play action passes down the field to Sammy.
This year has been a bit different. Struggles in the first few weeks, then really finding a groove over the next few weeks. Then around the Miami game, it really seems like he's lost his confidence. He flat out isn't throwing the ball in time. I realize his oline isn't great, and I realize his receivers have struggled and have been injured, but he isn't trusting his arm right now. He isn't getting the ball out on time, isn't throwing his receivers open, isn't mechanically sound, isn't throwing over the middle of the field (which he rarely did even when he was playing well).
Going to Buffalo was great for Tyrod, because he got the opportunity to compete and ultimately win the starting job. However, it was bad for him in the sense that Rex QB killer Ryan has kind of ruined him this year. His supporting cast isn't very good, but Tyrod IS NOT playing well and isn't doing the little things he needs to do to be a successful starting QB. I hope that he gets a shot next year in Buffalo without Rex or another chance for another franchise. I pray Rex hasn't irreversibly screwed Tyrod up like he did with Mark Sanchez.
Russell Wilson trusted his arm and ended up with 5 INts in one game. That's what happened when balls are bouncing offs receivers' hands. I don't hear people saying to bench Russell Wilson.
No one does with less around him than Tyrod. The guy has been putting up over 20 points regularly, it's time for the defense to step up.
Doesn't throw interceptions with any regularity, and the games I've been able to watch (we don't get many Bills games in NY, seriously), he's been the most electric/effective player on the field.
2016 6 INTs, good for 25th, with a comparable percentage
2015 6 INTs
FTFY
Makes sense, Boston and NYC are both closer geographically, and it seems like there's about an even split between Bills, Pats, and Giants fans around here, so if the Bills are up against the Pats for a TV slot (which is a regular occurrence, generally CBS at 1PM) they usually go with the team that's actually a contender.
I think someone explained it to me last year, but that right there is the problem. Why put three NY teams on at the same time so often?
Gonna try to keep this short...
For the first 16 weeks of the season, CBS and FOX combine to show 3 games each Sunday afternoon, with the two networks rotating which one gets a doubleheader. Generally, the conference of the away team determines which network their games are shown on: if the away team is from the AFC, their game is usually shown on CBS. If they are from the NFC, their game is usually on FOX. Generally, games played in the Eastern or Central time zones are given the early slot (1PM), and games played in the Mountain or Pacific time zones are given the late slot (after 4 PM). The NFL makes the schedule so that most games are at 1 PM, each affiliate station for the network with the doubleheader has a few games at 4:25 PM to choose from, and each affiliate station for the network showing the single game has at least one game at 4:05 PM due to local blackout rules. There are times when FOX and CBS swap a couple games for whatever reason, but this seems fairly rare.
Essentially, since the Pats and Bills are both in the AFC and therefore play 12 games against AFC opponents and 2 of the other 4 on the road, there are 14 weeks where they are almost guaranteed to appear on CBS unless they have a primetime slot, and since they both play in the AFC East most of their games are in the eastern US and therefore kick off at 1 PM (again, when not in a primetime slot).
I'm not saying bench Tyrod, but I'm also not mad at Bills fans for being frustrated. I've watched almost every game these past two years, and he hasn't played well over the past 7 weeks. I know he doesn't throw interceptions, but the reasons are different from last year. Last year was because (and I stated this in my last comment) he threw swings and curls, then PA down the sideline. This year is because he's NOT THROWING THE BALL. He isn't throwing timing routes. He hasn't been throwing the ball before his receivers break. Most of his passes are after the routes have been run, then a scramble, then find an open receiver. While this leads to a lot of exciting plays, it's not conducive for an NFL offense. The Bills have been struggling this year and part of the reason is Tyrod. He looked much more comfortable in 2015. Again, I love Tyrod (hence why I watch Bills games) and I hope he finds success again, either in Buffalo or elsewhere.
I'm guessing these have 100% to do with the injuries on the WR corps. It's hard to develop the chemistry and confidence needed for timing routes when you're throwing to guys who wren't even there in training camp. Same thing with throwing before the break...the ability to do that well with a particular WR comes from reps, hundreds and hundreds of reps. Otherwise you end up throwing a pick because the free agent pickup WR ran a rounded route that you didn't expect.
Yes, I've acknowledged the injuries to the wide receivers. Robert Woods has been available most of the year, Justin Hunter has really stepped up, and Sammy has been back for the last three games. Unfortunately, Tyrod still hasn't played well these last three weeks. IMO the best he's looked all year was the Seattle game, which ironically was a loss. This was a nationally televised game, more viewers than usual, and I think that's why a lot of people outside Buffalo think Bills fans are overreacting.
I'll refrain from commenting further because I feel like I'm arguing that Tyrod isn't very good. I think he has a ton of potential, but needs to work on his footwork, throw his receivers open, and use the middle of field. I love Tyrod and hope he proves all his doubters wrong.
Don't get me wrong, I'm with you...I've watched every snap Tyrod has taken for the Bills. He's far from perfect, but his play isn't even in the top 5 things wrong with the team. The OL is great at run blocking, but the pocket collapses very quickly. The defense has been atrocious. Clay has been a shell of what he was supposed to have been at TE. And, to me, the playcalling is suspect at best. I wondered for the longest time whether Tyrod's "one read and run" was a result of his tendencies or it was him doing what the coaches have asked him to do and I've waffled between those thoughts for this whole season. At times, it sure looks like he's there to do the latter...and it also looks like he's been told to never make a risky throw. If that's the case, then it's on Rex for his style of play. All I know is that based on him at VT, he's capable of doing more in the passing game than what he's shown in Buffalo and I find it hard to imagine that he's regressed. I think the simpler theory is that he's doing what they want him to do. Whether or not what they want him to do is the best thing for the team is what I question.
Tyrod has at least been giving them a chance to win.. I love watching their games just because of Tyrod. If it were a Fitzpatrick/Bortles at QB, there would be no chance of me watching.
Tyrod isn't close to the best quarterback in the league, but if he could have a defense half as good as the one Sanchez had when the Jets made the AFC championship game, he'd be looking a lot better.
The situation Tyrod has been thrown into this year is terrible. He had no o line and then the only skill position players that are any good have been dropping like flies. That defense is the type that gets anyone fired, let alone a supposed defensive "expert."
Hope Tyrod heads to Denver in the offseason.
As a Denver fan...Unnnnnnnnnnnnffff
OT within the OT: Fuller was benched this past weekend
and the redskins almost paid for it. Breeland has looked average at best all season and Fuller's backup has looked AWFUL. Learn from the mistake you made with amerson BE PATIENT GOOD THINGS WILL HAPPEN.
Yeah he'll be back on the field, slot is incredibly difficult to defend, especially with adopting more spread concepts to attack with your best players vertically from the slot.
He's simply playing the wrong position. He needs to be outside where he gets help from either the sideline or form a Safety. He simply isn't athletic enough to cover the slot in the NFL.
Edit: And what I mean by "athletic enough" is that his hips aren't moving well and he seems physically slow at responding to WR moves. I think he would thrive on the outside.
On the game broadcast, after watching Breeland get abused yet again, Dick Stockton pointed out to Chris Spielman that they benched Fuller to put in Breeland and Spielman's immediate reaction was, "They benched the wrong guy!"
I'm a Bills fan. I wasn't too happy when he got the contract that he did last year, because I didn't think he could stay healthy but thankfully he hasn't missed games.
Tyrod hasn't played as well this year as he did last year but missing Sammy really hurt. While McCoy gets a lot highlight plays, he also runs for losses on too many carries. I think the offense has a whole is missing the play of Karlos Williams - a huge downhill running back that kept the team on schedule. This year there's been a ton of 2nd and 3rd and longs which has led to way too many 3 and outs.
His consistency has to improve, and I don't think he's ever going to put up 300+ yard games. But that's okay because of his contributions to the ground game.
The biggest problem with the team is Rex Ryan. I HATED the hire at the time and it's only gotten worse. The most annoying thing is that as a defensive coach he took probably a top 5 unit and one of the best pass rushing units in the league under Pettine/Schwartz, changed the scheme and turned it into the crap that we have now.
His contract is EXTREMELY team friendly, you should have no issue with it. They are only on the hook for 9.5m if you don't pick up the second option. Additionally, better than the Ravens who are paying Flacco 22m a year for a guy who hasn't set his feet to throw in like three years.
Shady runs for losses on too many plays?
Welcome to being an Eagles fan...
Chip Kelly screwed up a number of things, but his dislike of Shady for specifically that reason was not one of them
The only flaw I see with Tyrod is missing a few throws here and there on out routes. I have used him all season in fantasy and he has been great in consistently getting me points. I think the Bills record would be much worse without him under center. Like others have said the defense is terrible and there lies Buffalo's main issue.
Also until he got Watkins back like two days ago, they had a misfit group of receivers. Probably the worst in the NFL.
I love Tyrod, but realistically ... Rex Ryan is going to be fired which means Tyrod is going to be playing somewhere other than Buffalo next season. While the Bills have a lot of issues that are not Tyrod's fault, he also hasn't played well enough that a new HC is going to come in and go out of his way to keep him as his starting QB. Hopefully he finds another shot to start somewhere, although IMHO it's more likely that he'll need to sign somewhere as a backup. Would love to be wrong, but to me it's the most realistic outcome. Hopefully he can find a situation similar to the one he walked into in Buffalo in 2015 where he has a legit chance to compete for the starting job. On a positive note, he's made $13M in his career and there's no reason he shouldn't be able to hang around in the league for awhile longer as at least a backup, even if he never winds up as a fulltime starter again. Would love to see him blossom into a perennial pro bowler, but if he ends up just carrying a clipboard for another 6-8 years and earning a few mil per year to do so, that would not be an awful life. Will be rooting for him wherever he lands.
He will likely get another chance to start somewhere. He would flourish in several systems currently in the NFL. For example, Andy Reid's system would be perfect. I also think he would do well in Denver. Not saying he'd unseat Alex, but he would do well there.
Anyone else want to see Tyrod in a Chip Kelly offense?
Not if it means seeing Tyrod in a 49ers jersey!
Not saying he wouldn't be a fit on a number of teams, but neither KC nor Denver is going to give him starting QB $ (KC because they're fully invested in Alex Smith and Denver because they just spent a 1st round pick on Paxton Lynch this year).
I do think he will get a chance to start again (if not in 2017, at some point before his career is over). I'd be surprised if he never starts a game again after this season, but I'd also be really, really surprised if a team signs him to starting QB money on the open market as a FA.
Plenty of teams will be interested in offering him backup $, but if he really wants to start, I think he will need to follow his own blueprint from 2015: find a team who has a new coach and no firmly entrenched starter, sign a backup QB contract, and then try to win the starting job which can be parlayed into a bigger contract.
I honestly think his best option will be going somewhere like Jacksonville. They'll almost certainly fire Gus Bradley, and the new coach will have leeway to reshape that roster, starting with QB. Due to the cap hit they'd take by cutting him, I think Bortles will still be in Jacksonville in 2017, but the new coach won't be tied to him as tightly as Bradley, and there's a real possibility someone else is starting at QB for the Jags by the second half of 2017, with the Jags then letting Bortles walk in 2018 when he's a FA.
I'd love to be proven wrong and see Tyrod get $50M to walk into a starting job. I personally just don't see it happening.
And sadly, the fact that his contract negates a lot of his guaranteed money if they cut him next month gives the team a lot of reasons to cut ties with Tyrod.
He has been hampered by running ineffectively a lot putting them behind the chains, a worse Oline than Glennon had to try and play with, and having Rex Ryan as a coach. Rex who fired the OC when the offense was doing well, rather than can his brother.
That's probably a good thing. He'll have a chance to catch on somewhere else that can actually build a team around him.
We said the same thing about Logan the first 3 times he was cut...
Not saying that Tyrod = LT, but the NFL is a brutal business, and if you get outright cut as a starting QB, its very difficult to regain your footing elsewhere.
But you are comparing LT to Tyrod. And there is no comparison. LT looked awful in the NFL. Tyrod has looked slightly above average. Someone will pick him up.
Guaranteed money that isn't guaranteed? What the hell is going on in the NFLPA for these bullshit contracts to happen?
I've been on my soapbox about this many times. You should never, ever side with the NFL team or management when it comes to player contracts. They are almost always designed to allow the team to weasel their way out of paying these guys risking their long term health what they deserve.
Long story short, they don't have the leverage to fight for a better CBA. The ownership are millionaires and billionaires and while the NFLPA holds out, they don't get paid. Eventually they are forced to compromise more than they should.
Tyron's drop off in play this year (acknowledging the gutted WR position) hasn't helped Tyrod's case. This is unfortunate because things were supposed to get better this past off-season with him being able to work with the WRs as the known starting QB. Not having those same guys has hurt. Was there maybe a slacking-off because the starting job was "secured"? I don't know. All I know is I was ready to switch from being a Dolphins fan to being a Bills fan because of #5, but this season has been a disaster. Would love to see Tyrod replace Tannehill on the 'Fins.
I have many thoughts on this.
This is the big problem, what in the hell makes people think this team is much better than 6-7? The defense has been inconsistent at best, downright atrocious at it's worst. It was 6-5 before losing to back to back playoff teams. They have arguably the worst receiving corps in the NFL, especially without Sammy. Their O-line has been bad and the OC is committed to trying to run a ground and pound offense and then expect Tyrod to make timing throws on third and long consistently, and switch gears when the defense blows leads and/or falls behind.
This is truly a case of "the team has been bad for years but now suddenly its all our QB's fault (who still has a winning record as a starter)" fans are always quick to blame the QB.
I have never seen any account from coaches, players, people within the organization that he is anything but one of the most dedicated and hardest workers on the team.
when has a QB ever flourished under Rex Ryan? He's a QB killer
I hated that hire more than anything...I want Tyrod to get the hell away from Ryan as fast as possible.
Well, if we redefine "flourished" to somehow mean the ability to butt fumble.....
Well, Rex Ryan was already the coach when Tyrod signed with the Bills. Considering he's the only NFL Head Coach who has given Tyrod a chance to be a starting QB, I find it hard to place blame much blame on him, at least directly.
I don't think it's fair to call him a "QB killer"... Rex's background is on the defensive side of the ball. He has far less involvement on the offensive side than someone like Andy Reid or Mike McCarthy (or Justin Fuente at the college level). Unlike the other examples I mentioned, Rex is not hands on with coaching QBs and he's not calling plays on offense. You can blame him indirectly if you dislike his QB coaching hires, but he's not directly influencing QB development (or the lack thereof). To me, the biggest share of blame one could place on him (still indirect) would be related to personnel. Ultimately that responsibility falls to the GM (which is a title Rex does not hold, unlike Bill Belichick or Chip Kelly during his time in Philly) but Rex obviously provides the majority of the input to Doug Whaley, so if Tyrod's supporting cast isn't good enough, it's fair to levy some of that criticism on Rex.
Full Disclosure. My Mother-in-law was born and raised in Buffalo and is a big Bills fan....so by extension, I'm a Bills fan...and so I hated when they hired Ryan before Taylor was there. But now, I want Taylor the hell away from Ryan.
Fair enough! I'm pretty sure Rex is on his way out in Buffalo. But Tyrod is almost certainly on the way out too unless the incoming coach wants him to be his guy and Tyrod is willing to restructure his contract. Hopefully Tyrod lands on a team with a good QBs coach.
I wouldn't call Ryan a QB killer... he's just drawn to QBs who are good on their feet, so to speak, and has a tendency to ignore things that are important, like OLs
Benching Tyrod for Cardale Jones is silly but its not unreasonable to task if Tyrod should be the QB going into next season. I love Tyrod, you love Tyrod, but if we take our fan hats off for a second, the question does have some merit. I'm not a Bills fan but I've gone out of my way to watch as many Bills games as I can since he got there and he's regressed (or maybe more accurately, not developed) this year. His positives are that he doesn't turn the ball over and he's got a great deep ball, but at the same time, he misses a lot of middle field throws and reads that would keep drives alive. It is absolutely true circumstances are doing him no favors this year as well. He's throwing to guys that are barely hanging on to NFL rosters due to injuries and while his OL is great at run blocking, they can't pass protect worth shit. But some of those struggles are on him as well. If you're the Bills, it is worth looking around the league and in the draft and ask if there's any chance they can improve at the QB position. Putting all bias aside, unless they can somehow get Tony Romo, the Bills should just roll one more year with Tyrod. His contract is team friendly enough to where if they pick up the option, they won't have a ton of money sunk into him if he busts. And when you look at the draft, its no sure thing that Deshawn Watson, Brad Kaaya or any other QB prospect would be any better.
Here's what I'd do if I were the Bills: Fire Rex Ryan, hire an offensive minded coach (like Josh McDaniels), and see how Tyrod does with him before deciding to move on
Tony Romo? He's broken a bone in 3 of the last 6 games he's played. I can't imagine he'd fare any better behind a Bills OL that would likely be depleted even further by Romo's cap hit.
All of which probably means he'll end up on the Bills.
Josh McDaniels told the Rams heck no. I am not sure he would be interested in the Bills even if they fire Rex. He failed at a HC before and has gone back to what he is GOOD at.
McDaniels had one HC job while being extremely young. He's earned another crack at one. It was never an Xs and Os thing with him but a management issue, which could be linked to him just being not being mature enough at the time. Just because you fail at one spot doesn't mean you'll always be a failure. Belichek, Carroll immediately come to mind among others.
(Also, every coach is going to say "no" to the Rams right now while the season is still going strong. And its not like every job is created equal. Even if he does mean "no", it could be because he just personally doesn't get along with the people that run the Rams and would prefer coaching elsewhere)
They also traded Cutler (in his 'prime' if you could say Cutler ever had one) away for Kyle Orton. Then the whole Tebow fiasco. McDaniels got shafted. I'm glad for him that it's looking like he's going to get a 2nd chance somewhere.
Rex needs to go. Just like when he was in NY, he doesn't have head coach leadership-ability. He's just can't handle it all. The defense is so underwhelming at times, it's sickening. There is way too much talent on that side of the ball to be that ineffective. It's first and foremost on his brother, but it's also on him. His defenses have underperformed since he got there.
Here's the rub:
Rex Ryan is the only NFL HC that has given Tyrod a chance to start. So we can dislike him and want him fired, but the chance of the Bills bringing in a new HC who wants to keep Tyrod is really small. Especially given his contract structure which allows the Bills to walk away for free at the end of this season.
Even if Rex did miraculously get retained, there's still zero chance Tyrod is on the Bills roster next year if he doesn't redo his contract. The Bills have a $15.5M team option for 2017. Tyrod's base salary for 2017 is $12M which right now is not guaranteed, but it becomes fully guaranteed if they exercise the option. So if they pick up the option, Tyrod's guaranteed money for 2017 goes from $0 to $27.5M. Not going to happen. The only possible outcomes are restructuring the contract (either to stay or to facilitate a trade... no team will be willing to trade for him with his current contract) or getting cut. If he gets cut, he becomes a FA, which might be the best thing for him.
He's only played for two HCs, so I think that's a bit disingenuous.
In what way? Tyrod was an unrestricted FA two years ago and had the opportunity to sign with any team in the league. If there was a coach willing to make him a starter then, he would've signed with that team.
Do we know what other teams made offers to him back then though?
I seriously don't know, which is why I ask.
Elway made him an offer to join the Broncos. Supposedly, Tyrod chose the Bills because he wanted the opportunity to start immediately, as opposed to waiting until Peyton retired.
I'm not 100% sure what teams were interested, but there weren't any teams willing to give him a starting contract, so he signed with the Bills for backup money (about $1M including the signing bonus) and a chance to compete in year 1 of the contract.
Now that he has some starting experience (as compared to last FA go round where he'd only thrown 5 passes in 2 seasons), he will get more interest- either thru a trade w/ contract restructure (I'm certainly not ruling this out after Sam Bradford was traded 2x in 2 seasons, once for a 2nd round pick and once for a 1st round pick) or on the FA market if he gets cut. Even if he has to sign somewhere as a backup again, he'll command a lot more money than during his last FA. Absolute worst case he could get a 1 or 2 year deal as a backup for $2-3M/year. With his starting experience and the rising salary cap, getting $5-6M/year as a backup is entirely possible.
Late to the game on this topic. Stupid field work.
I'm a lifelong Bills fan and a Hokie, and have watched every minute of every game this year. There is a lot at play beyond Tyrod's control that is impacting his performance but he also deserves a good bit of the criticism heaped on him.
Injuries, and the timing thereof, to the skill players and offensive line has kept the offense from developing a rhythm and cohesiveness. This is the biggest issue that is impacting Tyrod. He doesn't have consistent time in the pocket, no clear throwing lanes, players aren't creating separation, timing with routes is off, etc.
Tyrod has to make quicker decisions. I understand the above factors are playing into his holding onto the ball but he has to throw the ball sooner. He's always had a tendency to try to buy time either for himself or for his skill players but the time isn't there. Not even a half second.
He has to find the long completion again. Also impacted by above issues but anything beyond 10 - 12 yards is just a joke. When he unleashes a longer throw, i have zero confidence that it'll be completed.
IMO, he is still the best person on the roster to play QB. Manuel does not have any skillset that is better than Tyrod that will overcome the above issues. His only advantage is 2 extra inches of height and that may be helpful but he's deficient everywhere else. Reports are that Jones can't even manage a huddle on the practice squad and does not grasp the offense. Putting him into the fire at this point will be an even bigger dumpster fire, despite his huge arm.
on top of it all, the staffing carousel just complicates matters. it's a shitty position for Tyrod and isn't really set up for success right now. I'm glad he got the money because he's going to need it for therapy after dealing with this shit show.
I love Tyrod. Favorite player of all time. By far.
I'm also a Jacksonville fan. We need a QB...however...I wouldn't want that for Tyrod. He deserves better.
it's definitely made for some tough and complicated reactions as a fan of the bills and of tyrod as a hokie and a person.
They fired their offensive coordinator too. #dontBlameitallonTyrod
Just to weigh in on the comments about Tyrod possibly getting benched (which it sounds like Rex is not going to do) ... Regardless of whether you agree it makes sense to bench Tyrod from a performance perspective, it 100% makes sense from a financial perspective. The Bills really have nothing left to play for at this point and are playing out the string for what is almost certainly a lame duck coach. The last thing they need is for Tyrod to get injured. Right now, they can cut him in the offseason up until the 3rd day of the new league year and owe him $0. But his contract is guaranteed for 2 years for injury. If god forbid he tore his ACL in one of the last 2 games, it would cost the Bills $27.5M.
So you're saying it would be to financial benefit to get injured?? That's crazy ( in a major effed up way) that his deal works like that!
Typically having an injury clause that triggers a guarantee in a contract is considered a good thing. It serves to protect the player from loss of earnings as it essentially removes the financial incentive for a team to cut a player due to a major injury.
This is an odd contract situation because Tyrod has no guaranteed money beyond this season and the 2017 team option is much larger than what he'll be able to get on the open market.
They don't deserve Tyrod. Let him sign with the Skins and lead us to the Super Bowl.
Steelers, no question
I'd say great game today, but Cleveland, so I don't really know.
o/t: I noticed a new TKP feature where you can see what your post will look like as you type it. Cool. If someone has already mentioned it, not really something that's easy to search for. I'm drinking coffee.
Another great feature brought to us by Joe and The Key Players Club could use some more supporters to keep it going.
How do I get rid of this feature? For me it accomplishes little other than take up real estate on my iPad.
More on Taylor's day: the linebacker in question was Cam Johnson. I feel this is LOLUVA worthy.
And then just looking ashamed of him for failing so hard. LOL. Great laugh to start my morning. Thank you.
Tyrod Taylor: "Really, man? You serious right now?"
LMAO, after the way this morning started, I needed that
Beautiful.
After watching repeated times, the best part is definitely the look of disappointment/pity that Tyrod shoots the LB
Kinda like
I've watched this on loop an embarrassing number of times. And I laugh every time.
Really good summary of Tyrod's contract situation:
"The structure of Taylor's contract leaves the Bills with four choices:
1. Exercise his option by March 11 for the 2018-21 seasons, reducing his 2017 cap number from about $29 million to $15.913 million.
2. Decline to exercise his option but keep Taylor on the roster past March 12 at a fully-guaranteed salary and cap number of about $29 million.
3. Release Taylor prior to March 11, carrying about a $3 million dead-money hit against the 2017 cap but opening significant cap space.
4. Renegotiate Taylor's contract prior to March 11."
http://www.espn.com/blog/buffalo-bills/post/_/id/26976/dont-bet-on-bills...
I understand Tyrod has growing to do, but I don't believe the Bills' problems start with him. I was disappointed in Rex's noncommittal attitude about Tyrod for the last couple of weeks. Feels like he's a bit of a scapegoat.
Tyrod just led a huge comeback, including a clutch touchdown pass with Ndamukong Suh bearing down on him.
But the Bills still are blaming him for their struggles this season. Makes no sense.
Almost like the Nebraska comeback with the same defender bearing down on him, minus the end result :-/
After that TD drive to take the lead, scoring on 4th down inside of two minutes, Tyrod says "Sup."
Tyrod leads several scoring drives including go ahead win or lose drive to take lead. Bills kick coverage allows a 50 yard return and then somehow Miami ties this game with a rushed 55 yard field goal. Truly unbelievable. If they don't win this game, you can guarantee once again people will blame Tyrod, even though he has been spectacular.
UPDATE: Tyrod led them down the field in OT and in the RZ they lost yards on stupid running plays followed by a Dan Carpenter miss of a makeable field goal. After a few head scratching coaching decisions from Rex to play for a tie despite a tie eliminating them from playoff contention the Bills D has all but broken down. They are almost certainly going to lose in OT despite Tyrod leading the offense to almost 600 yards.
UPDATE 2: They lost, I'm furious.
Yeah that was infuriating. Crappy bills defense that has underachieved all year and their O-Coordinator is garbage. Hopefully Tyrod can get in a situation where they gove him the opportunities to make plays instead of running 65-70% plays. With better wideouts (excluding Watkins coming in the past 3 weeks) and a competent OC, Tyrod can lead a team to the playoffs.
If I'm Tyrod, I'm definitely furious.
Bills path forward could include Taylor and not Ryan
Rex and Rob just got canned. Guess it wasn't Tyrod's fault afterall...
Would not be surprised if Tyrod isn't in the plans for whichever coach comes next.
Hope so. He deserves better. If Palmer retires, than Arizona with Arians is a near perfect situation for Tyrod.
Respectfully disagree. Bruce Arians system requires an elite downfield pocket passer, which is why many questioned the Logan Thomas pick and also why he flamed out in Arizona. Cardinals are down the list in terms of fit for Tyrod.
Tyrod was statistically elite (top 5 [first in some] of many downfield passing statistical categories) last year as a downfield passer. This year, his downfield numbers have taken a step back as a result of injuries and lack of talent at receiver and a poor OL. I agree he isn't a perfect fit, but I wouldn't put someone with his natural of a deep ball and ability to make outside throws in the bad fit category. I think he would develop into that system over time.
Agree Chris, let me clarify. Arians offense contains a lot of deep passes over the middle, which is something we haven't seen from Ty in Buffalo. Tyrod is elite down the sideline.
True, he hasn't done much of that in Buffalo at all. The post pattern was a popular TD play for him at VT, but the Bills offense hasn't featured the middle of the field in the passing game much at all. It would certainly be a schematic shock, but he's not completely foreign to it.
Tyrod benched in business decision. He gets 31m if he gets injured.
FUCK
THE
BILLS
Link to Story
They want their new coach to have some flexibility in making decisions. If Tyrod got hurt, the Bills are on the hook for his next two seasons. Redskins did the same thing with RGIII a few years ago to prevent having to pay him another year. Still not a vote of confidence from the Bills ownership regardless.
Well it looks like...
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2603495-rex-ryan-fired-by-bills-lates...
Edit: Just realized this had already been posted. Carry on.
I hope he gets out of that goat@#$% of an organizations has an op somewhere where they at least put themselves in a postion to succeed.
The LA Chargers hired Anthony Lynn (former Buffalo OC) as their new HC. He is a Tyrod supporter, and it's also not out of the realm of possibility the Chargers will look to move Rivers this offseason. So, count them as a darkhorse for Tyrod in 2017.
My pitiful Browns sure could use a QB...
The Browns have the 1st and 12th picks- there's a good chance they'll move around in the 1st round but I'll be really surprised if they don't draft a QB. Even so, they will want a veteran QB to give them the flexibility to sit their rookie QB for a year, or at least bring him along slowly. RG3 is under contract for one more season at a reasonable salary, but they could also cut him and take only a $1.75M cap hit, if there was another veteran they want to bring in. So, they have some flexibility to go in a few directions.
RIP Deshaun Watson
This is about how I see it going. RG3 is the placeholder to allow the drafted QB to get his feet wet. I think they will actually use the 1st pick on Myles Garrett out of TAMU because they need DL help sooooo badly. I don't know if QBs will fly off the board in this draft so I could see them trading the 12 spot down to plug some holes on the OL as well as find a QB. The rest of the draft is a complete crapshoot as it seems like they need help at EVERY position.
They could, but I'm sorry, it's really difficult not to downvote anything that implies Tyrod should go to the Browns under any circumstance
If you think that is difficult, try being an actual Browns fan. The only good memory I have was my Browns beating the Giants on MNF one of the years they won the Super Bowl and that was only good because I got to rub it in my loudmouth upstate NY (but not a Bills fan - BANDWAGON!) friend's face. Other than that, the season peaks at the draft and is all downhill from there.
Just curious, where in 'Upstate' is your friend from? I grew up near Albany ( ~ 4 hours to Buffallo, ~ 5 hours to NY City, ~3 hours to Boston). We didn't really attach ourselves to specifically to NY teams growing up. Heck I was a SF 49ers fan during those times. (Plus all the diehard Bills fans will tell you its WESTERN NY. /s)
Can confirm. Live near Albany right now, and it seems about an even split between "local" teams and other teams, and the half that follow "local" teams are about evenly split between the Bills, Giants, and Patriots. No love for the Jets here though.
Also, depending on where in NYC you're trying to get to, it's more like 2 to 3 hours, plus traffic. I've made it to JFK within 2.5 hours before, but another time it took over 4.
Good catch on the time to travel to NYC. I grew up 45 minutes west of Albany and went to school out on the end of Long Island (Southampton) and just remembered that my 5 hour trips included going out to the Hamptons.
Binghamton I believe
Tell me, why do you want Tyrod's career to end so quickly?
Oh crap. I was afraid of this. T Mobile to the city of a burning river? Rumor mill.
http://fansided.com/2017/01/17/nfl-rumors-cleveland-browns-pursue-tyrod-taylor-cut-buffalo-bills/
I hope Tyrod is all like:
I saw this on twitter last night, please no :(
please God, nooooo
They can pursue him, but as I recall, Tyrod is pretty shifty and fast.
Wearing #5 has been a good indicator of shiftiness when pursued in the post-college years.
Ugh why can't they just go and ruin some rookie's career next.
I hear Jerod Evans is going to be a rookie next year.
How is this going to impact Durkin's chances of transferring?
Relevant, good read.
Reading that article, it makes a lot of sense that the Browns are interested in Tyrod. PFF focuses a lot on analytics, and while this has become really common in some sports- most notably baseball- the NFL in general is lagging pretty far behind in its acceptance of analytics as a primary tool in coaching and personnel decisions. That said, the Browns brought in Paul DePodesta last offseason as their Chief Strategy Officer (he's now their de facto Team President, as their President stepped down and has not been replaced). DePodesta is a Moneyball disciple that came over from MLB. The entire reason he was brought in was to push the Browns ahead of the wave in using analytics. And while the Browns deservedly got a lot of attention for how bad they were on the field this season, what got a lot less attention was the fact they have been working to clear the deck and pave the way for a complete overhaul of their roster-- one that you can be assured will be built using advanced analytics (and like the A's in the early days of Moneyball, get ready for some of their FA moves to be highly questioned). They have multiple first round picks this year and very little money tied up in guaranteed contracts. They are going to have an unprecedented amount of cap space available this offseason-- right now they are projected to have $108M available. This will make them major players this offseason, and while it's really unlikely they will suddenly become a playoff team in 2017, they have 2 things they can offer that will be attractive to players like Tyrod: a starting position and $$. That said, I believe they will draft a QB with one of their 1st round picks, so their offer to Tyrod would likely be 2 seasons. Still, they are in position to pay him more than anyone else will offer, and if they theoretically offered Tyrod something like $40M for 2 seasons with $25M guaranteed, it would be virtually impossible for him to turn it down, even if it is Cleveland.
I would say it would depend on the other offers that might come. 2 Years ago Denver wanted Tyrod, offered more than Buffalo did, but he would have to sit behind Manning (now we know he would have only had to sit behind him 1 year, and I do believe Tyrod would have gotten the nod over Semians).
Say Denver calls again, offers Tyrod less than what Cleveland's theoretical offer is, but still a competitive offer. If I'm Tyrod, I take the Denver gig in a heartbeat.
Agree, if the money is close somewhere else, he might choose somewhere else to avoid Cleveland. I have significant doubts Denver will be interested in giving Tyrod starting QB $ for several reasons. First, they invested a 1st round pick in Paxton Lynch last year, which makes them very unlikely to spend $20M/year on a starting QB. Secondly, Denver has a different coaching staff now than in 2015 (last time Tyrod was a FA). Rewind back to 2014-- Tyrod was in his last year on the Ravens as their backup QB. Gary Kubiak was their OC and Rick Dennison was the QBs coach. In 2015, Kubiak was hired as Broncos HC, Dennison became the Broncos OC, and Tyrod was a FA. They knew Tyrod well and were interested in bringing him along (see also: Doug Pederson bringing Chase Daniel along with him from the Chiefs the Eagles in 2016). With Kubiak and Dennison now gone in Denver though, Tyrod's connection to the Broncos coaching staff disappeared.
All that said, keep an eye out to see what happens with Rick Dennison. If he lands a job elsewhere as an OC or QBs coach, that team will definitely become a darkhorse for Tyrod, at least in offering a high-end backup QB contract.
Yeah circumstances have changed, I was just using them as an example. If any other team that is somewhat competitive calls, even for less money, I would give them a more serious look than going to Cleveland.
In a perfect world, without outside variables. I think Denver and KC would be perfect options. I think he would excel with either of those teams, and would have a strong defense necessary to make a legitimate championship/playoff run. Unfortunately, the timing isn't perfect in KC, if Alex Smith was guaranteed done after this year, it'd be a no-brainer and as mentioned above, the QB situation and coach connections in Denver are no longer as favorable to make them realistic landing spots.
I agree, if the money is close, there are definitely reasons to avoid Cleveland. As I've said before though, I unfortunately don't forsee teams lining up to give Tyrod starting QB $. As the PFF article kind of gets at, most teams are obsessed with the idea of finding the next Aaron Rodgers. This is why teams will throw huge money at Matt Flynn, Matt Cassel, and Brock Osweiller when they come available. Those guys had just enough tape for at least one team thought they could be the next big thing, but not enough tape to really know their ceiling. So teams gamble and go for the homerun. IMO, Tyrod is in a tough spot to land a big contract because there's a lot of tape, and that tape shows he's a capable starter, but unlikely the next Aaron Rodgers. That is going to limit the # of teams interested. In the NFL, hope springs eternal, and a lot of teams would rather gamble on landing the next Rodgers thru the draft or trading for a backup with a perceived high ceiling (Jimmy Garrapolo is on Line 1). I hope I'm wrong and hope Tyrod gets his pick from multiple teams.
Interesting turn of events, lol
Tyrod's QB coach from 2014, who wanted to sign him in Denver that offseason after he became the Broncos' OC? Maybe there's a chance my TT Bills jersey from last Christmas isn't obsolete after all...
Maybe the Bills realize they are gonna have to pay him the $30mil either way and the new OC can convince them that he can help them win in the meantime. Use those draft picks for something other than a prayer at QB.
Got one as a gift from my Dad for my birthday during the 2015 season, would hate for it to already be irrelevant. That said, after all this stuff the last few months, I'm not so sure I want him to be around the toxic Bills organization anymore.
As someone who owns a Tyrod Baltimore Jersey, Rock it even if he leaves.
I certainly will wear mine regardless, it was the last Christmas gift I got from Mom. And it has even more meaning, as we saw him at the Burger King off of I-64 Exit 136 while he was en route to a December recruiting trip and he and Mom chatted for a good 10 minutes or so. He was her favorite Hokie athlete from that point on, and remains mine.
Yes. Wow. This is a huge turn of events for Tyrod's future. It goes from a foregone conclusion that Tyrod would be cut to now being extremely likely that he'll be the Bills starting QB in 2017. I would be floored if the Bills brought in Dennison only to send Tyrod out the door. After all, I have to believe Tyrod is one of the main reasons Dennison decided to come to Buffalo. They may rework his contract, but the Dennison hire is $$$ for Tyrod.
This is also the reason PFF gave Cleveland an A rating for the 2016 draft. Being an analytics/statistics fiend myself, I like the DePodesta experiment. He can't make them worse right, so why not break the shitty old mold.
I don't follow Pro Football but saw this article about how Tyrod and the Bills are gaming out his contract:
http://www.economist.com/blogs/gametheory/2017/01/contracts-american-foo...
i'm hoping Tyrod cleans them out in arbitration.
Nice read, thanks for posting. Sounds like the owner screwed the pooch, hopefully arbitration goes T-Mobile's way.
Hope he lands a starting job next year. If it is Cleveland, I hope they pay really well.
This is more my speed I knew Denver will be looking.
From this article. Maybe Denver
My best man's wife is a big Broncos fan (though, I'm not actually sure why) so that would be a welcome addition to the Broncos from their perspective. As a Bills fan by association my take is that if Taylor leaves I could handle him going to the Broncos...
Rick Dennison has been hired as the Bills OC. Dennison was Tyrod's QB coach at Baltimore (2014), and was OC at Denver when the Broncos were courting Tyrod. I would think this has to be good news for him, if he has any desire to stay in Buffalo.
He has 30 million reasons to stay in Buffalo. He doesn't have a bad contract. There is room for it to go up if he continues to do well there. How much of the potential cut stuff is from the media and not the coaches/owner? It will all shake out and he will have a job next year.
Worst case for Buffalo is in March they cut him and lose the arbitration as he fails the medical at that time. An good arbitration is going to hammer the Bills as they have a history of cheating on contracts. They have to pay him and he gets a new contract somewhere else.
30 has nothing to do with opportunity cost of signing somewhere else... i thought the yearly value of Tyrod's contract was lower half of QBs while his play has been arguably top half to top quarter
if he finds a decent situation where they allow him to get paid more annually, more guaranteed money, etc... the bills have show themselves to be one of pro football's worst franchises
the Bill GM and the other moron front office guy will f*** up the best of situations
then there is the Jim Kelly thing....
Dennison and the head coach better run roughshod over the GM otherwise... I"m hoping Tyrod finds his way elsewhere