Assuming he plays the entire game against the Patriots tonight, Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor should ensure that he plays at least 50% of Buffalo’s offensive snaps this season, notes Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). And if Taylor meets that 50% threshold this season, it means he could end up spending one less year in Buffalo.
When Taylor signed a three-year contract with the Bills in the offseason, the pact included a clause that allowed it to void after two years if the ex-Raven played at least half of the club’s snaps this season. At the time, with Taylor projected to be a backup, those terms didn’t appear significant, but they certainly do now. Barring an injury tonight, Taylor will now likely be eligible for unrestricted free agency following the 2016 season.
Let’s round up a few more items from around the AFC East….
- Schefter also examines another notable contract, tweeting that Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman will lose about $47K each week in per-game roster bonuses while his foot injury keeps him out of action. If he misses the rest of the season, Edelman will lose out on about $328K, so the injury is a costly one for both the player and the team.
- After falling to 4-6 on Sunday, the Dolphins need to start looking ahead to 2016, writes James Walker of ESPN.com. While players and coaches still insist the club is capable of running the table and vying for a playoff spot, the franchise needs to start considering who the head coach will be in 2016, and what personnel changes must be made in the offseason.
- Dan Campbell‘s performance in relief of Joe Philbin is “obviously enough to earn him a legitimate interview” when the Dolphins hunt for a permanent head coach after the season, says Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. However, Salguero believes Miami needs to target someone with more extensive head coaching experience, identifying Sean Payton and Chuck Pagano as potential candidates, if they’re available.
Certainly no harm in interviewing Campbell, but unless something dramatic happens down the stretch, I don’t think he will be getting the job on a permanent basis unless Miami can’t land anyone else with prior head coaching experience. Sean Payton, of course, is their fantasy hire, but given that the Dolphins, after their brief 2-0 surge under Campbell, have sputtered the last three weeks, I think Campbell will be a Plan E or F.
Even if Taylor’s deal voids after 2016, the Bills deserve credit for this signing. Acquiring a quarterback who can go 5-2 for a $750K base is rather incredible considering what the other teams mired in QB purgatory are paying for their starter and what they’re paying them. Taylor’s unconventional and may not be the long-term answer, but for a team that’s never in the playoff discussion, the fact that a near-league-minimum player has them strikes a blow for the have-nots at a position where falling into that category generally correlates with losing.