Buffalo Bills: The proper expectations for AJ McCarron

The Buffalo Bills seemed to sign AJ McCarron to be the starter while Josh Allen learns on the bench. But that is in question as of right now.

The expectations surrounding AJ McCarron vary on who you talk to. Some Buffalo Bills fans are behind him to be the starter for the entire 2018 season, while others don’t want to see him on the field at all.

That is the danger with expectations. Setting them too high could lead to some unnecessary disappointment. But without them, being a sports fan is far too boring.

A recent article on Bleacher Report written by Doug Farrar listed McCarron as one Bills player who could disappoint in 2018. The way I see it, the only way that is true is if fans are expecting him to be the next big thing at quarterback.

McCarron saw his value plummet this offseason, as he likely went in thinking he could get some major money. Instead, he waited and ended up signing in Buffalo for $10 million over two years. That is more money than I will ever make, but it couldn’t have been what he was expecting.

That is backup money right there, which may signal what the front office thinks of McCarron. He wants to prove he is a starter, and he sure would be on a team-friendly deal if he pans out.

The clear plan is for Josh Allen to be the team’s next franchise quarterback. And even if the rookie is still third on the depth chart now, I still think he will play his way into the starting role Week 1, eventually by default.

If Allen does win the job and McCarron is the backup, that doesn’t necessarily qualify as a disappointment. It may just be McCarron’s ceiling as a player. And if the unthinkable happens and Nathan Peterman wins the starting job, McCarron’s fate as a career backup is sealed.

Next: 3 reasons why Josh Allen will start Week 1

Fans shouldn’t have high expectations for McCarron, but there sure surely some out there who will follow Farrar’s thinking and be disappointed by McCarron if he doesn’t play great, or at all, in 2018.