The Buffalo Bills and quarterback Tyrod Taylor have come to an agreement on a multi-year contract extension today. The news was first reported by NFL Network media insider Ian Rapoport.
The #Bills and QB Tyrod Taylor have reached a long-term extension, source said.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 12, 2016
Tim Graham of the Buffalo News is reporting the new deal could be as long as six years with team options. It’s also worth up to $90 million but Taylor could earn more than that with incentives.
https://twitter.com/ByTimGraham/status/764152949002108928
Buffalo Bills Sign Quarterback Tyrod Taylor to Multi-Year Extension
Taylor originally came to Buffalo ahead of the 2015 season after spending the first four years of his career with the Baltimore Ravens. It was there where he was the primary backup for Joe Flacco. But with the Bills, Taylor quickly established himself as the number one quarterback during preseason last year.
That momentum carried over when it mattered. In his 14 starts, Taylor threw for a total of 3,035 yards along with 20 touchdowns and just six interceptions. He finished with a quarterback rating of 99.4 which was seventh best in the NFL.
His ability as a dual-threat signal caller was also on display during his first season with the Bills. The 26-year-old finished with 568 rushing yards. Only Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, who won the league MVP last year, had more. Taylor also added four rushing touchdowns.
Buffalo originally signed Taylor to a three-year contract that paid him a total base salary of $3.95 million. That ranked him 56th among NFL quarterbacks in terms of contract value. After a 2016 free agency that saw relatively unproven quarterbacks such as Brock Osweiler sign massive deals, Taylor was undoubtedly looking for his piece of the pie.
Taylor isn’t the first high profile member of the Bills roster that was locked up long-term. The franchise doled out lucrative multi-year deals to offensive linemen Richie Incognito and Cordy Glenn. Incognito’s contract is for three years and worth a total of $15.75 million. Glenn’s is a five-year pact that pays him $65 million with $36 million guaranteed.
The soon-to-be sixth year pro was originally drafted in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Ravens. This was after a standout collegiate career at Virginia Tech that saw him win ACC Offensive Player of the Year honors in 2010. He averaged 7.4 yards per play that year which remains the highest total in ACC history dating back to 1956.
Buffalo opens regular season play on Sunday, September 11th against the Ravens. It will be Taylor’s first meeting with his former team. The game kicks off at 1 PM ET and can be seen on CBS.
