Vince Young

Jackson in, Young out as backup QB carousel keeps spinning

Chris OstranderLeave a comment

Well, that was fun while it lasted. For a brief moment, the Bills had the first and third picks from the 2006 NFL draft on their roster.

For what it’s worth, one is a $100 million superstar and the other was a re-tread that Buddy Nix decided to take a chance on. I’ll let you take a guess which one just got released. On a side note, the 2006 Draft was the one in which the Bills took Donte Whitner at number eight ahead of such players as: Jay Cutler, Haloti Ngata, Chad Greenway, Kamerion Wimbley and Tamba Hali. Oh, the Bills also traded back into the first round for John McCargo that season. Isn’t this fun?

After acquiring Tavaris Jackson from Seattle for an undisclosed draft pick, the Bills chose to part ways with Vince Young after a relatively mediocre preseason from the former University of Texas star. While Young had a seemingly firm grasp on the backup quarterback job, he didn’t have a firm grasp on his place on the Bills roster.

Young enjoyed what was reported to be an adequate training camp and offseason, along with a strong performance against the Vikings in Buffalo’s second preseason game. However, he threw a pair of interceptions against the Steelers on Saturday and certainly didn’t look like he had a very good grasp of the offense.

Young’s lackluster performance against the Steelers looked to be the cherry on top of the sundae for him to be shipped out the door. Young looked lost in his few series against Washington in the first preseason game. Granted, he was playing with the threes and had to rely on his legs behind a patchwork line. However, it was more of the same happy feet and poor decision making on Saturday night. This time, his struggles came at the expense of the Bills and Steelers backups.

Signing Young in the spring time came as a decent reprieve from a pattern of late round prospects getting most of the looks from the Bills. Of course, Young was just above average under center this preseason, which expedited his departure. Continue reading →

Field Goals: Backup quaterback battle

Chris OstranderLeave a comment

Field Goals will be a feature on different Bills topics leading up to and through training camp. If all goes well, I’ll break down the topic before offering three points to the focal point of what I’ve written. Get it? Three points…field goal…

It is the position battle everyone is going to be watching. Ironically, the position battle between Tyler Thigpen and Vince Young could boil down to who ends up holding the clipboard in 2012.

There was no secret that Young was brought in to provide better competition for Thigpen and Ryan Fitzpatrick. He also represents a more viable option as a potential back up. Unlike Thigpen, Young has proven he is capable of winning at the NFL level. In fact, his play could eventually incite a quarterback controversy; that is a fact most came to accept once he was signed.

Considering that the entire team has only been playing in shorts and helmets to this point of the offseason, there isn’t much to be gleaned from how each performed during OTAs and mini-camps. The real battle will begin once the pads are on and the Bills are fully into their preseason schedule.

I’m anticipating that each will see significant time with the first, second and third-team units during the exhibition schedule. Each should get a fair shake with the second unit during practices with that performance having an impact on who has the edge entering preseason games. However, preseason games one, two and four should allow the pair to rotate through with each unit as the coaching staff makes their decision.

Young has to have the slight edge entering camp for a number of reasons. His resume all but speaks for itself , despite his struggles over the past few years. He is capable of winning games and has a versatile skillset that Thigpen just doesn’t possess.

One thing that should give Thigpen an edge is his familiarity with the offense. While Young is still learning most of the offense, this is year number two for Thigpen. While he isn’t as mobile as Young, Thigpen’s been a pupil of Chan Gailey for some time now which favors his ability to perform in this offense. Continue reading →

Bills take a flier on Young

Chris OstranderLeave a comment

On the heels of signing six of their nine draft picks, the Buffalo Bills agreed to terms with Vince Young on a one-year contract. According to reports, it is a one-year deal worth $2 million with an additional $1 million in bonuses.

The signing is almost without risk due to the short term and low hit for the deal. Young will likely compete with Tyler Thigpen for the back-up quarterback position through OTAs and training camp. I’d say he has the inside track for the number two spot thanks to his versatility.

Many have already linked Young’s athleticism and mobility to the system that Chan Gailey runs. The assumption is that his natural talent as a running quarterback will lend itself well to the offense run by the Bills. Obviously he will need to find his way into the offense, but the train of thought is quite accurate. Think of Young as a consolation prize to the “Mike Vick is at the airport” rumors from a few summers ago.

Young’s signing could have a number of implications to players throughout the roster based on the different roles he is capable of filling. First, he has proven himself as a starter in the league and has the raw skills to be very effective under Gailey. Second, those raw skills and his track record certainly makes him a more attractive option (on paper) as compared to Tyler Thigpen. Third, that mobility and speed could make him a viable run/pass option in a Wildcat scheme.

The two players who are most likely to be affected by this signing are Thigpen and Brad Smith. Thigpen is a viable backup, but isn’t necessarily the type of quarterback you would want to rely on for long stretches of play. This is particularly important to consider if Ryan Fitzpatrick is injured or if his game goes to hell. On paper, Young is the better option as a backup. His mobility and history of running a read option offense at Texas also makes him an effective Wildcat quarterback. Brad Smith is a luxury because he can function as your third quarterback, a wide receiver and as a kick returner. However, if you save his roster spot but keep the Wildcat threat, your team is no worse for wear.

Determining whether or not Young is a viable Wildcat option is something that will be up to the coaching staff. But his inclusion in training camp, plus the potential return of Marcus Easley and drafting T.J. Graham could potentially leave Smith on the outside looking in.

If Young ends up being a training camp casualty, the Bills aren’t any worse off than they were prior to this signing. If he earns the backup quarterback job and proves to be a viable threat for the Bills offense, they will have improved without breaking the bank. Signing Young gives the Bills two of the top three picks from the 2006 draft and further assembles raw talent and depth on both sides of the football.