EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the next in a series examining the Buffalo Bills’ free-agent possibilities at key positions. Today's installment looks at quarterbacks.
There’s a scene at the end of "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" in which Will Smith looks wistfully around a large, empty room, his hands in his pockets, fully alone. If Josh Allen were to look around the Bills' quarterback room right now, it would be the same scene.
The Bills are proceeding under the assumption that backup Mitchell Trubisky will not return to Buffalo. Looking at last year's group of quarterbacks, a certain theme emerges.
Trubisky might head to the Giants. Davis Webb is with the Giants. Jake Fromm was signed off the Bills practice squad in 2021 by … the Giants.
When General Manager Brandon Beane and coach Sean McDermott have talked about Ken Dorsey's promotion to offensive coordinator, they each revealed a bit of what they might look for in adding backup quarterbacks. Certainly, a large part of it is security at the premier position, and Beane especially has been candid about having a plan were Allen to get injured. But they have less tangible goals as well. Continuity around Allen, as well as his opinions, gave way to Dorsey’s new role.
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“More than anything, I wanted Josh to be comfortable,” McDermott said.
Beane has noted again and again calling Allen to get the stamp of approval on Trubisky before finalizing the decision to sign him last offseason. The Bills aren’t just looking for someone to plug in and execute if Allen can’t play.
Still, Allen’s comfort level shouldn’t disproportionately outweigh other factors. With four years, a big leap and multiple playoff wins under his belt, he owns this offense. Accounting for chemistry with his backups is more of a bonus than a necessity. Either way, the last season with Trubisky has shaped how the Bills will approach the search for QB2.
“We're going to look high and low,” Beane said at the scouting combine. “But we definitely need to find that piece, because we know how Josh plays.”
In house: Unless there’s a diabolical plan to revert tight end Dawson Knox to a quarterback, there are no in-house backup options.
Top of the pile: Ryan Fitzpatrick, Washington Commanders; Jameis Winston, New Orleans Saints; Andy Dalton, Chicago Bears; Teddy Bridgewater, Denver Broncos.
Well, the elephant in the room here is actually the burly shirtless man in a below-freezing open-air stadium. When Fitzpatrick not only came to watch the Bills-Patriots Wild Card game in Buffalo, but watched it in the frigid stands, took pictures with fans and cheered so intensely that he nearly combusted, it naturally prompted the question: Does this man belong in Buffalo?
Coming off an injury, Fitzpatrick is saddled with lingering questions. His hip at age 39, his desire to keep playing and his price tag all could prevent a return to Orchard Park. But chemistry is a huge factor, and if we’re ranking free-agent quarterbacks solely by “most likely to crush Blue Lights with Josh Allen,” Fitzpatrick is No. 1.
Winston could still return to New Orleans, though his torn ACL complicates things. He had 14 touchdowns and three interceptions in seven games before the midseason injury and had substantially cut down on the turnovers that led to the former No. 1 overall draft pick's departure from Tampa Bay.
Dalton and Bridgewater could have a solid role on teams with developing quarterbacks or that are between quarterbacks. It’s not the best year to be looking for a quarterback, which helps any free agent's case.
Other names to watch: Jacoby Brissett, Miami Dolphins; Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers; Colt McCoy, Arizona Cardinals.
Brissett ended up starting five games in Miami last season, and the first came in the game Week 2 when Tua Tagovailoa injured his ribs against the Bills. The Dolphins went 2-3 in those starts, and while Brissett didn’t catapult himself into a starting role, he showed his value as a backup.
Newton’s case is interesting given the natural overlap between his style of play and Allen’s, and of course the ever-prevailing Carolina-to-Buffalo pipeline. The Bills have been quick to cite Dorsey’s work with Newton as a significant part of their new coordinator's resume. Still, that doesn't mean Newton's hopes and Buffalo's needs would align.
McCoy was the veteran in the room for the Cardinals this season, starting three games in place of an injured Kyler Murray, leading Arizona to divisional wins over San Francisco and Seattle. He’ll turn 36 in September, but if the Bills are trying to balance more veteran experience with affordability, he could be an option.
Under-the-radar option: Kyle Allen, Washington Commanders.
Kyle Allen is good friends with Josh Allen. How neat is that? Again, if chemistry is king, then Kyle Allen is likely more attractive to Buffalo than other teams. He played in just two games last year, going 12 of 19 for 120 yards and a touchdown. He doesn’t have the experience that Trubisky brought, having played 21 games – started 17 – in his four years in the league with the Bears. But if camaraderie outweighs competition, the Bills could double up on Allens.
