Tyrod Taylor was a pleasant surprise for the Buffalo Bills, winning the starting job out of camp before turning in one of the most productive seasons by a quarterback in Western New York since Jim Kelly was in town.
"We'll do it because if you look at it, unfortunately we have two quarterbacks on the roster and both of them are entering the last year of their contract," Whaley said from the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, per The Buffalo News. "If it presents itself, it makes sense and it's a guy we like, and we believe in, absolutely."
Both Taylor and EJ Manuel are entering the final year of their contracts in 2016.
Taylor -- who will take part in the Pro Bowl as an alternate -- threw for 3,035 yards with 20 touchdowns and just six interceptions in 14 starts this season. He completed 63.7 percent of his passes, showed genuine rapport with rising wideout Sammy Watkins and set a team rushing record at quarterback. The Bills still lost eight games and missed the playoffs for the 16th straight year, but quarterback wasn't the their main issue. It's been a while since you could say that in Buffalo.
On the flip side, Taylor missed time with knee and shoulder injuries and Whaley has punted on multiple opportunities to endorse Taylor as the team's long-term answer. Shortly after the season ended, Whaley would only allow that Taylor had "warranted enough for us to continue down the road to see if he can be the franchise guy of the future."
Perhaps Whaley doesn't want to make the same mistake of the previous Bills regime, which gave Ryan Fitzpatrick a fat extension they lived to regret. We'd be surprised if the Bills used an early pick on a passer, but it wouldn't be an indefensible move by any stretch.