Buffalo Bills: A post-draft interview discussing the Tyrod Taylor trade
We caught up with Randy Gurzi of Dawg Pound Daily to get his post-draft take on how the Buffalo Bills did in the Tyrod Taylor trade.
From the moment the Buffalo Bills traded Tyrod Taylor to the Cleveland Browns, it was clear the team was gearing up to draft the next big thing at quarterback.
That turned out to be Josh Allen, who remains a polarizing figure among Bills fans. That will remain true until he steps on the field and either proves himself worthy or falls flat on his face. Hopefully nothing as bad as the rookie debut we saw in 2017.
Opinions on the Taylor trade vary depending on what team a person roots for, so we caught up with Randy Gurzi over at Dawg Pound Daily to get his take on the trade now that the draft is behind us.
1. When the trade first happened, which team got the better deal in your opinion?
RG: What makes answering this question hard is the fact the Bills made more moves after getting the pick from Cleveland. There’s no player-for-player comp to be made.
Having said that, I think the Browns made out better. I just personally think Taylor is a viable NFL starter and took a team void of a lot of options outside LeSean McCoy to the playoffs. Anytime you can get that for a third-round pick (especially when it’s your sixth selection as was the case for Cleveland) you do it.
2. Did your opinion on this change after seeing how things played out in the draft?
RG: No. Now, I don’t like sitting the No. 1 overall pick and I think comparing that pick to other Browns’ failures is a bad way to look at it. This isn’t question-mark Manziel, a former pitcher or a second-round project. This is the guy you deemed the best. He should compete to play.
The key word though is compete. I hate that the staff is so quick to name a starter. Let them fight. And that’s where the value of Taylor comes in as he holds that rookie accountable.
If Taylor wins, great. You have a competent starter. If he loses, great. That means your rookie is really good.
3. What are Browns fans expecting from Tyrod Taylor in 2018? Will he start all 16 games?
RG: I wrote a piece before the draft called “Hello Tyrod, here’s the door.” It summed up the feeling pretty well. He’s the best they’ve had since coming back to the NFL in 1999, but a large contingency seems ready for him to be gone.
Now, I will admit I want him to compete, but I’m in no hurry to push him out the door – really that’s about looking for he best player. If that’s a year great. If it’s two, great.
There are a pocket of fans who really do like him, but there’s a lot who are ready to move on before the snap.
4. Will the Bills regret trading Tyrod in favor of getting AJ McCarron and Josh Allen?
RG: I don’t think so. While the Browns did do well for themselves in the trade, Buffalo had to move on if they weren’t sold on him. It’s sure seemed like that was the case too with Sean McDermott.
As for AJ McCarron, I sure thought he was going to Cleveland and was going to serve in the role Taylor occupies.
Next: 2018 projections for the top Bills players in fantasy football
Josh Allen is an enigma. He’s got the strongest arm coming into the league in a long time and has the tools to be good. He’s boom or bust, and if he hits that boom, no one will remember anything about the 2018 offseason besides getting him.