Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Buffalo's QB quandary
By Tim Kavanagh
We know that the Buffalo Bills will be adding some QB talent to the roster this offseason -- Ryan Fitzpatrick is the only current Bills QB signed into 2013 -- whether it's the draft or a veteran in free agency (or a trade) remains to be seen, and their actions regarding those veterans could give us a clue as to what they'll do in late April.
Buffalo is in possession of the No. 8 overall selection in the first round, which would seem to be high enough for them to take just about any QB they so desire. However, there are some who feel that this year's crop of QBs are not worth that high of a selection, and that the Bills would be better off going with another prospect before grabbing a QB in Round 2 or later.
Dane Brugler of NFLDraftScout.com published a mock draft recently (via CBSSports.com) that saw the Bills take a QB at No. 8 -- USC's Matt Barkley -- and he was actually the third passer off the board, behind WVU's Geno Smith at No. 1 to Kansas City and NC State's Mike Glennon at No. 7 to Arizona.
Maybe things work out this way at the top of the draft -- and the Tennessee Titans set a new record for getting their pick in to the Commissioner if Chance Warmack is on the board for them at No. 10 -- but some believe that the Bills are more interested in hitching their wagon to Ryan Nassib. The Bills' new HC Doug Marrone, as well as OC Nathaniel Hackett both worked with Nassib at Syracuse, and he'd have an accelerated learning curve in their offense, as was the case for Ryan Tannehill reuniting with Mike Sherman in Miami. The remaining events in the draft process (including the scouting combine) will provide some additional clues.
If the Bills are interested in adding Nassib to the mix, ESPN's John Clayton doesn't believe they'll have to use their first-rounder to get him:
John Clayton
The Professor's Mailbag"I do think the Buffalo Bills are looking at Ryan Nassib -- not in the first round but in the second round. They need to get a young quarterback and there is no doubt coach Doug Marrone knows him well from their days together at Syracuse."
