2016 NFL Draft: 3 reasons Buffalo Bills should consider Memphis QB Paxton Lynch – NewYorkUpstate.com
Orchard Park, N.Y. — The Buffalo Bills are going to add a quarterback to the roster on draft weekend. How exactly the team adds said quarterback remains to be seen.
General manager Doug Whaley has done his best to convince people the Bills would draft any position in any round, which includes the possibility of drafting a quarterback in the first round. As ambiguous as Whaley has been and will continue to be leading up to the draft, the interest the Bills have shown in the top quarterbacks is real.
10 most likely Buffalo Bills picks in round 1
When Memphis held its pro day, Bills offensive coordinator Greg Roman reportedly had dinner with quarterback Paxton Lynch the night before the workout. Did he dine with Lynch simply to enjoy the young man’s company, do some due diligence and make others believe the Bills are serious about their quarterback interest? Maybe.
More than likely, Roman wanted to see if Lynch was the type of quarterback the Bills could build around. He wanted to get to know Lynch in case he’s the highest graded player on the board when the Bills are on the clock.
Tyrod Taylor is in place as the starting quarterback for 2016, so there’s no immediate pressure for Buffalo to draft a quarterback. However, if Lynch is a franchise caliber prospect, which he appears to be, the Bills have to consider him at 19.
1. Uncertainty surrounding Tyrod Taylor
Tyrod Taylor is entering the final season of his contract, and it’s clear the Bills want to see more before handing him a huge deal. He threw for over 3,000 yards, 20 touchdowns and six interceptions in his first year as a starter, but Taylor has to follow up his debut with an equally impressive showing before the Bills’ front office will open its check books.
If the Bills aren’t 100-percent sold on Taylor as a franchise quarterback, as their unwillingness to extend him suggests, what would hold them back from taking a potential franchise quarterback with their first-round pick? A quarterback won’t make the immediate impact a defensive player might, and the Bills are under a lot of pressure to win in 2016, but there’s nothing wrong with making a long-term investment.
2. They haven’t drafted many quarterbacks
The Bills have only drafted four quarterbacks since Jim Kelly retired. When discussing why the team has struggled to find a true franchise quarterback, it’s tough to ignore how infrequently the team has used draft picks on the position. EJ Manuel (2013), Levi Brown (2010), Trent Edwards (2007) and J.P. Losman (2004) are the only quarterbacks the team has drafted since 1995. It’s time to invest in the position. Just because Taylor is in place doesn’t mean the Bills should shy away from using a first-round pick.
3. Paxton Lynch is actually good
Buffalo is not in a position to draft a quarterback for the sake of drafting a quarterback. However, Lynch is worth the gamble if he falls to No. 19. He comes from a spread offense but has the foundation to be an impact player in the NFL. For starters, Lynch has the size at 6-feet-7-inches tall and 240 pounds. He’s also an impressive athlete who not only shows the ability to make plays with his legs but can evade pressure in the pocket and keep plays alive.
At Memphis, Lynch didn’t challenge defenses with vertical passes often. When he did, Lynch showed impressive touch and a willingness to take calculated risks. He will have to learn how to handle more in an NFL offense, particularly before the snap. The idea that a quarterback can’t transition from a spread offense is a bit antiquated, though. Derek Carr and Marcus Mariota have had success early in their careers and played in similar, although not identical, schemes to Lynch.
Lynch checks a lot of boxes. He’s big and has a strong arm. He’s both tough in the pocket and mobile enough to make plays with his legs. He also made a lot of smart throws within the construct of the Memphis offense and was only intercepted four times as a senior. Lynch has room to improve, but all signs point to him having the capacity to grow. The Bills would be able to give Lynch a chance to sit behind Taylor for at least a year before throwing him to the wolves, which may be the best case scenario for the Memphis product.
Buffalo Bills 7-round mock draft
Listen to the Mocking the Draft podcast with New York Upstate’s Matthew Fairburn and SB Nation’s Dan Kadar. On this episode, the two discuss the possibility of the Bills taking a quarterback in the first round among other NFL Draft topics.
