Former Buffalo Bills tight end coach Pete Metzelaars, who was let go after the Bills disappointing 6-10 season said that Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick was an "average to below average quarterback" according to profootballtalk.com.
He went on to say that the number one priority this season for the Bills needs to be finding a franchise quarterback, so with the NFL Scouting Combine kicking off today the Bills may have their eyes on quarterback prospects Matt Barkley of the University of Southern California, Geno Smith of West Virginia, Tyler Wilson of Arkansas and Matt Glennon of North Carolina State.
If you have a dominating defense you can get by with an average to below-average quarterback. If you don't have a dominating defense, you need a winning quarterback in the NFL," Metzelaars told the Buffalo News. He went on to question Fitzpatrick's decision making and said many of the close games the Bills lost could have been victories with better quarterback play. The Bills lost four games by seven points or less.
Already the Bills have said former Vikings and Seahawks signal caller Tarvaris Jackson will participate in an open competition for the starting job with Fitzpatrick. Last year Fitzpatrick threw for 3,382 yards and tossed 24 touchdowns to 23 interceptions. The last time Jackson was a starter, with the Seahawks in 2011, he threw for 3,091 yards, 14 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 14 games.
The Bills are unlikely to select a quarterback in the first round with an abundance of offensive line and defensive talent in the 2013 draft pool, but the above mentioned quarterbacks will likely be available in the later rounds. The Philadelphia Eagles re-signed Michael Vick, who was expected to be the top free agent quarterback available and Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco is expected to re-sign with the Ravens or be designated with the franchise tag. Matt Moore, Drew Stanton, and Jason Campbell, who were all backups last year, headline the free agent quarterback excluding Vick and Flacco.
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