Every season, players from all NFL teams get injured, some more severe than others. Virtually no position is immune from injury, but the frequency and long term impact may vary. Teams successes or failures can be attributed to the health of particular positions. Today’s post will look at the 2017 Buffalo Bills at the quarterback position.
Quarterbacks that suited up for the Buffalo Bills during the regular season included Tyrod Taylor, Nathan Peterman, and Joe Webb. Due to injury and performance, all saw meaningful snaps which propelled the Bills to their first playoff berth this century. Unfortunately, all experienced some degree of injury during the course of the season.
First up is QB Joe Webb who only sustained an ankle injury during the season finale against the Miami Dolphins which did not force him to miss any time. Webb most likely sustained a minor sprained ankle on special teams where he accrued most of his playing time this season. The 3rd string QB’s only significant playing time came in the memorable snow game against the Colts in which he stepped in for the second half and set up the Bills for the memorable win. Stat wise, he had 7 attempts for 2 completions and 35 yards with one interception. Injury wise, Webb will not be a liability coming back next season and a 2017 salary of $900,000 is not breaking the bank. However, a quarterback with 8 years in the league making nearly one million dollars may not be in the long term plans with the front office reshaping the roster.
Next is QB Nathan Peterman who had a rather forgettable rookie season. Injuries sustained to Peterman this year consisted of a concussion sustained during the 1st half of the Colts game. Concussions are always uncertain in regards to recovery and long term recovery but in Peterman’s case, he was able to return to action after missing one game. Total playing time for the rookie involved 4 regular season games with 2 starts and 1 playoff game. Most remember his atrocious start against the Chargers in where he threw 5 interceptions in the first half alone. Overall his stats read as: 50 attempts for 25 completions, 266 yards for 2 TD’s and 6 interceptions. As Peterman sustained minimal injury along with a rookie deal of $465,000, his salary and potential ability to grow as a quarterback are team friendly. Depending on what new OC Brian Daboll plans to do will determine whether he has a place on the roster next season.
Finally, QB Tyrod Taylor who has been one of the more polarizing players in recent Bills history. His overall stats: 420 attempts for 263 completions for 2799 yards plus 14 passing TD’s and 4 interceptions. He also added 427 yards and 4 TD’s on the ground. His play has been critically analyzed and never quite what the team or fan base has been looking for. The 6th year signal caller avoided major injury this year, starting 14 games while only missing one game to a patellar tendon contusion sustained in the first Patriots game. Taylor sustained a concussion in the preseason which landed him on the injury report for Week 1 and ended the season what appeared to be a rather nasty hit to the head in the playoff loss to the Jaguars which forced him to exit the game early.
Taylor’s injuries do not appear to be lingering for next season as he has shown he heals fast and is not out for long periods having only missed 3 games over the past 3 years. Unfortunately, the team appears to be questioning whether Taylor is in the long term plans. While he did deliver the playoffs, that may be his ceiling and unable to grow into a franchise quarterback. Factor in his mobility which increases the risk for future injury along with a salary of $7.5 million plus roster bonus makes him potentially unattractive for long term. I believe that he is appropriate to play out his contract as a bridge quarterback until a new heir is ready.
Thankfully, the Bills are not forced to make decisions based on injuries compared to what the Vikings, Dolphins, and Colts are forced to deal with this upcoming off season. The Bills are in a good financial position along with draft capital to prevent them from reaching or missing out on the quarterbacks they covet. This will undoubtedly usher in a new starting quarterback for the Bills next season.
Continue to check back with me for further updates on Bills injury news. Follow me on Twitter @kyletrimble88, thank you for reading and GO BILLS!!
