Buffalo Bills: 4 reasons the team should trade up for a Top 10 QB

The new Buffalo Bills regime is making moves. It is time to make the big one and finally solve the QB problem that has plagued the city for two decades.

After arriving to the postseason party this season, there is a clear need on the Buffalo Bills roster. That need is to upgrade the quarterback position.

That upgrade is somewhere in the 2018 NFL Draft. The Bills must find a way to get their guy within the first ten picks. Moving up will allow this regime to make their biggest move yet.

Here are four reasons I believe the Bills should make that move.

1) Healing for past scars

Stability, Stability, Stability.

The Buffalo Bills have not had it at the QB position since Jim Kelly retired in 1996. They have managed to go 22 years while playing hot potato with coaching staffs and the quarterbacks. Now that there is a coaching staff in place it is time to focus on the QB position.

We are all aware that since Kelly retired, the Bills have taken many shots on guys considered to be solutions at the position. During that time, those quarterbacks rarely had the support of the team and the city. The only quarterback to get a legitimate shot with backing from the organization and the city was Ryan Fitzpatrick. Safe to say, it didn’t work out.

Have the Bills taken first-round quarterbacks during that time?

Yes, the Bills have taken shots in the first round on guys like J.P. Losman (2004) and E.J. Manuel (2013), but neither were considered as talented as the prospects coming out this year. They were project passers that needed time to grow.

This new regime needs to change the perception of the Buffalo Bills. They need to get THEIR guy. This season showed that the Bills have what it takes to win. Whatever quarterback selected can help make a Bills trip to the playoffs an annual event.

2) The current quarterback situation is not going to get it done

Tyrod Taylor is a talented football player. He gets himself out of bad situations with his mobility and rarely makes the big mistake. It seems like his teammates genuinely care about him and he says nothing but the right things. If I were an NFL head coach, I would fight to have him on my football team….as a backup.

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There is no way to justify a cap hit of $18 million for a guy who threw for only 2,799 yards and 14 touchdowns. Those numbers do not portray a franchise-changing talent. It is not all his fault.

He was hampered by Dennison’s lack of motivation to go downfield. He had a coaching staff that rarely showed trust in his position as a long-term starter.

To turn the corner, the Bills staff must feel comfortable with their quarterback. That clearly wasn’t the case this year. Tyrod will succeed wherever he lands, but his time in Buffalo must come to end.

Nathan Peterman is a young player that still has a lot to learn. It’s hard to talk about his strengths with that performance against the Chargers fresh in every Bills fan’s mind. He looked NFL-ready coming out of college, but day-3 quarterbacks rarely turn into franchise-altering talents. He might turn into an asset, 2-3 years down the line, but I wouldn’t bet my job on it.

3) They have the ammo to do it

Usually when a team trades into the top 10, they must mortgage their future by trading multiple future picks. The Bills have two firsts and two second-round picks in this upcoming draft. That gives them great flexibility when moving up and down the draft board.

They also have a surplus of left tackles on the roster, which just so happens a position of great value. Cordy Glenn can be a used while acquiring a top pick in the draft. The Bills were wise to trade back last year and select CB Tre’Davious White. It would be wise of them to move up and grab their QB this year.

4) There are special talents available

The NFL has turned into a QB-driven league. Starting quarterbacks are usually the highest paid players on the team. I know there are several starter-quality players in this free agent class but like I said earlier, the Bills must find their guy. If the team stays away from paying a free agent big money, they can draft young talent and have them locked up for five years on the rookie wage scale. That gives them more money to spend elsewhere.

Who would be available?

This quarterback class is loaded. There can be up to six quarterbacks taken in the first round due to the importance of the position. I believe there are three that have immense ability and potential that can help a team right away (Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen and Baker Mayfield).

Going into the top 10 allows the Bills the opportunity to grab the face of their franchise and prove to the fan base that mediocrity will not be tolerated moving forward.

Next: Grading Sean McDermott’s first year as head coach

It certainly feels like the Bills finally have a front-office and coaching staff that have a shared vision. They made big moves that have led to a successful 2017 season. This move will allow them to get to the next level. Prior regimes have swung and missed on the quarterback position. It is time for this regime to attempt their shot.

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