Buffalo Bills: No need to consider signing AJ McCarron
AJ McCarron has been granted free agency, but that doesn’t mean the Buffalo Bills should consider signing him for the 2018 season.
Buffalo Bills fans can add another name to the quarterback search this offseason after AJ McCarron hit the open market.
McCarron was granted free agency after winning a grievance against the Cincinnati Bengals.
The news was made public on Thursday.
Bengals’ QB AJ McCarron won his grievance against Cincinnati and now will be an unrestricted free agent, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 15, 2018
McCarron will likely be linked to the Cleveland Browns after the team tried but failed to execute a trade for the quarterback during the 2017 season. However, it isn’t a done deal in any sense.
The Bills have a decision to make in how to attack the quarterback position. One popular option is to use one of the two first-round picks to trade up and draft a quarterback, whether that be Josh Rosen, Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield, Josh Allen, or even someone else. Even if Tyrod Taylor remained in town, he could serve as a mentor to the young player while starting.
The problem is that Taylor could be on his way out, which actually excites a portion of the fan base.
When looking at McCarron, he doesn’t stand out as a franchise guy, and that is what the Bills are likely looking for.
The 27-year-old has started three regular season games in his career, including one postseason start back in 2015. His career has been spent backing up Andy Dalton, which doesn’t make him stand out as someone worth gushing over.
The Bills could bring McCarron in to serve as a mentor to a young quarterback, whether that be a draft pick or Nathan Peterman, but that is a lateral move compared to keeping Taylor. It may even be a move in the wrong direction.
McCarron could turn out to be a solid player, but the Bills are in no position to offer him a multi-year contract when Taylor is already here. If the team wants to move on from Tyrod that’s fine, but don’t bring in someone who doesn’t stand out as a far better player.
Next: Top 5 head coaches in franchise history
McCarron remains an option, albeit a slim one. The Bills would be far better off investing in a young quarterback or even going after someone like Sam Bradford or Case Keenum who have some proven success in the NFL. Giving McCarron a deal in this current market could hurt the team for years to come.