Here's the Bills news of note for Jan. 18th.
**1 - Decision making at QB will be a process
**Everyone wants to know whether Tyrod Taylor will be Buffalo's starting quarterback in 2017. That's a decision that is not going to be taken lightly by GM Doug Whaley or new head coach Sean McDermott. There is a process that needs to take place through the early stages of the offseason. Both Whaley and McDermott explained to Buffalobills.com how that process will unfold.
"Obviously it's a quarterback driven league. It's the hardest position to play in sports. There aren't that many guys out there. With that being said we do have a guy on the roster who has played well and won games," Whaley said. "First of all we have to wait to see what staff members coach brings on as quarterback coach and offensive coordinator.
"So as a team, the head coach, myself, Jim Monos, the quarterback coach and the offensive coordinator we have to sit down and explain the vision we see of the quarterback we want on our team now and in the future. So it's an evaluation process that goes for the quarterback and the entire team. That's how we'll go about it and then come to a consensus as to whether it meets our criteria of a long term answer at the position."
Known as a methodical and thorough person with every decision he makes, McDermott is clearly on the same page as Whaley.
"It's a process. It's a challenging situation, but there's a solution for every challenge," McDermott said. "So if you take that attitude and approach going into it I think we'll come up with the right answer for this organization."
2 - McDermott addresses OC jobIt's pretty clear that coach McDermott is going to take his time to fill out his coaching staff, but hiring an offensive coordinator is right at the top of the list.
In a one-on-one interview with Buffalo's new head coach on Buffalobills.com we asked him whether scheme or the makeup of the prospective coach would play a larger role in determining the right fit for what he wants on offense.
"It's a blend, just like when you build any good recipe," McDermott told Buffalobills.com. "When you add one ingredient that affects the other ingredients that you're going to add in, and how much of those ingredients.
"The offensive coordinator is a priority for us for obvious reasons. I want to get somebody on board that I know and I know going against some great offenses there are some good guys out there. We're going to continue to stay after that. That along with connecting with the players will be one of my two main initial priorities."
3 - Jim Kelly preaches patienceA rush to judgment. Bills Hall of Fame QB Jim Kelly has seen it all too often with the string of head coaches that have come through the door at One Bills Drive since 2000. Not on the part of the organization, but on the part of the fans.
Kelly, who is just as much a Bills fan as the next Western New Yorker, understands why patience is at an all-time low. He knows a 17-year playoff drought is largely behind the frustration. Frustration that he also feels.
But Kelly also has understanding of the game to know that it's going to take head coach Sean McDermott time to get his way of doing things implemented, not only with his coaching staff, but with his players on the field. The Hall of Famer is hopeful that McDermott's approach is wholly adopted by the men on the Bills roster.
"You can only coach so much," Kelly said. "You've got to have the players out there willing to make sacrifices and doing things right the first time. I hope they buy into what he's bringing here. We all hope that happens."
Ultimately, Kelly just wants Bills fans to be patient with the new head coach as difficult as that may be knowing the team's struggle to succeed this century.
"Time will tell. You hope and pray that this is the coach that we've been looking for," Kelly said. "I don't know enough about him to have a real big opinion. From the people I have talked to he sounds like the guy. You can only pray that Terry and Kim got everything out of him that they needed to hire him and I'm sure they have.
"I know the search they put Doug (Whaley) on was to make sure we don't have to go through this again in two or three years. I just leave my hope and prayers up the Pegulas and Doug Whaley that they did their job, which I know they've done. When you're at this level you want to make sure you cover every base and make sure you're hiring a person who can turn a program around.
"Just like Terry (Pegula) said it takes time. You can't judge somebody after a couple of weeks or a couple of games. So we'll have to wait and see."
