When the Bills abruptly benched quarterback Tyrod Taylor last season, it seemed fairly clear that the Bills: (1) decided to find a franchise quarterback; and (2) realized that Tyrod Taylor wouldn’t become one. So it was on to (then) popular rookie Nathan Peterman, who had been generating plenty of buzz among the fan base.
And it didn’t go very well, with five interceptions in one half against the Chargers.
So it was no surprise -- indeed, it was expected -- that the Bills would make a play for one of the top quarterbacks in the draft. They did, trading up for Josh Allen at No. 7.
With training camp looming, however, the Bills still have faith in Peterman. Or at least they’re saying that until Allen signs his rookie contract.
“I think he’s a very confident young man and he’s resilient,” G.M. Brandon Beane said regarding Peterman, via Sal Mariorana of the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle. “You saw a guy who got knocked down hard. Not all on him, either, but the greatest thing about what Nathan did was he never pointed a finger and that says a lot, because it’s hard.”
Coach Sean McDermott also expressed faith in Peterman.
“I’m confident that he is wired the right way and he’ll learn from the moments both high and low that did or didn’t go his way,” McDermott said, according to Maiorana. “He’s an extremely confident young man and a guy that works hard. Sometimes as a rookie, in this case as a rookie quarterback, you’re thrust in a situation where everyone sees your body of work. I know his second year will be better than his first year. I thought he did some really good things his first year. When you look at the DNA, he’s a fit for us in that regard.”
“He’s super smart,” Beane said. “He’s not going to tell you how good he is or how smart he is. He’s just Steady Eddie every day and you love how he approaches the game. I know Sean’s been there more than me, but even I’ve stopped in there a couple times when [offensive coordinator Brian] Daboll’s had those guys in [the meeting room] and they’re writing stuff on the board. He’s playing Jeopardy! with them. He’s trying to just see what they know, and Nathan is really, really smart.”
The Bills signed veteran AJ McCarron in free agency, and the quarterback competition supposedly is wide open. So either they’re talking up Peterman as leverage in the lingering Allen discussions, or maybe they’re hoping to showcase Peterman for a possible trade.
Regardless, if the Bills liked Peterman as much as they claim to, they wouldn’t have needed both McCarron and Allen.