Sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL Media that the Bills haven’t decided if they’ll pick up QB Tyrod Taylor‘s option that would come with a $27.5 million financial commitment for the 2017 season.
Rapoport’s source explained that the Bills’ decision to hold on a decision until after the year essentially gives them “another season to evaluate” him as their quarterback.
While the two sides negotiating the current deal that is really just a one-year, $9.5 million contract and $27.5 million option, Rapoport says that they could possibly restructure his contract next year, which would come with a more reasonable payout.
In total, Taylor’s extension would pay him $112 million over the course of six seasons.
If Buffalo elects to move on from Taylor next year, Rapoport says they could be active players in the veteran quarterback market and target someone like Tony Romo, Jay Cutler or Colin Kaepernick.
Earlier in the week,ย Bills GM Doug Whaley mentioned that they will give Taylor the season before evaluating whether they think he can be their starting quarterback long-term.
“No, no, no,” Whaley said when asked if any decision had been made about retaining Taylor for 2017, via ESPN.com. “We’ve said from Day 1 that we’re going to give him this whole season, and after that, we’ll sit down with the coaches, the ownership group and make the decision.”
“You got to look at the whole season,” Whaley said. “He’s got four more games to write this chapter. And then after this season, like everybody on the team, we’re going to do the evaluation, and we’ll go from there. But this season is one of those things where he’s done some things really good to get us to six wins. But just like everybody on the team, there are some plays that he wishes he could do over.”
Taylor, 27, is a former sixth-round pick of the Ravens back in 2011. After four years in Baltimore, the Bills signed him to aย three-year, $3.35 million contractย that included justย $1.2 million guaranteed last year.
However, the third year of his contract actually voided after heย surpassed theย snapย limitย last year. The Bills later signed him toย six-year, $92 million contract but the deal is really a one-year, $9.5 million agreement with a $15.5 million option on 2017 to go along with a $12 million base salary
In 2016, Taylor has thrown for 2,292 yards while completing 60.6 percent of his passes to go along with 11 touchdowns and five interceptions. Taylor has added 469 yards rushing and six touchdowns on the ground. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 20 quarterback out of 35 qualifying players.
We’ll have more regarding Taylor ‘s future with the Bills as the news is available.
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