The rumors of Tyrod Taylor challenging for the Buffalo Bills starting quarterback job were not exaggerated. According to The Democrat & Chronicle Taylor is impressing Bills coaches with his raw talent.
"He is an unknown, never played a whole lot in Baltimore," Bills head coach Rex Ryan said. "I think the ability is hard to ignore, some of the things that he has."
Taylor is battling two quarterbacks with their own flaws. EJ Manuel, Buffalo's No. 1 pick in 2013, has disappointed with his inability to become a more accurate passer. In 16 career starts Manuel has thrown 16 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, and completed 58.6 percent of his passes.
He's also competing with veteran Matt Cassel, who once went 11-5 with the New England Patriots but struggled badly in three games with the Minnesota Vikings last season. Cassel was picked off four times in three games in 2014, and took six sacks. His career completion rate is barely better than Manuel's, and he's been a pro since 2005.
Taylor has virtually no track record as an NFL quarterback, but Ryan and his staff are very impressed with his speed at the quarterback position.
"We looked at him hard when I was with Rex with the Jets," said quarterback coach David Lee. "He's got that uncommon speed, man, at our position. So this guy is exciting to all of us because he has that dimension of, 'Hey, I can beat you with my legs and not just my arm.'"
Taylor was a standout at Virginia Tech but fell to the sixth round because of concerns that he was too one-dimensional to succeed at the NFL level as a quarterback. Lee, though, thinks there's a lot to work with.
"I think he has a beautiful throwing motion and I just have to think we've got to see how accurate he is," said Lee. "He's in this competition as much as anybody to get the starting job."
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