Assessing the Bills' QB options following Tyrod Taylor trade

The Cleveland Browns might have made the most noise on a busy Friday evening, but the day was equally as important for the Buffalo Bills.

With the Bills' reported trade of Tyrod Taylor to Cleveland, they will be left with Nathan Peterman atop their quarterback depth chart and a plethora of 2018 draft picks.

When the Tyrod Taylor trade is official, the #Bills will hold five of the 2018 draft's first 65 picks.

Rd. 1, No. 21
Rd. 1, No. 22 (via #Chiefs)
Rd. 2, No. 53
Rd. 2, No. 56 (via #Rams)
Rd. 3, No. 65 (via #Browns)

- CollegeFootball 24/7 (@NFLDraft) March 9, 2018

To state the obvious, there's a QB vacancy in Buffalo. Though it is not yet known how general manager Brandon Beane plans to fill the void, there are a number of options he can explore.

Aggressive in free agency

It's important to note that the Bills finished with a 9-7 record in 2017, culminating in their first playoff appearance this century. Although they were ousted in the first round via Jacksonville, Beane and head coach Sean McDermott may see a roster just a few pieces away from AFC contention.

Buffalo could pursue one of the top available quarterbacks when the league year begins on March 14. While not mentioned among the favorites to land Kirk Cousins, the team has enough cap space ($37 million in 2018, via Over the Cap) and roster talent to make a move.

If Cousins opts to sign with another franchise, other free-agent options are available, including AJ McCarron, Case Keenum, and Teddy Bridgewater. The Bills could then use their draft picks to upgrade other positions.

Trade for a quarterback

Another option Beane and Co. can explore is acquiring a quarterback via trade. With two picks in each of the first three rounds, the Bills have plenty of ammunition to target a signal-caller they prefer to ones in the draft.

A distinct option would be Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles. Howie Roseman and the Eagles are reportedly commanding a high price for their Super Bowl MVP passer, but Buffalo could be one team willing to meet their demands.

Move up in the draft

Perhaps the likeliest scenario for the Bills is a trade into the top half of the draft to select a potential franchise quarterback.

Buffalo currently holds the 21st and 22nd overall picks in the 2018 NFL Draft. The team could package these picks, along with additional Day 2 and/or Day 3 selections, in order to obtain their signal-caller of choice. Potential trade partners include the Giants (No. 2 overall), Colts (No. 3), or Bears (No. 8). With the demand for the draft's top QBs expected to be extremely high, it will probably take a move into the top 10 for the Bills to acquire the primary targets on their board.

With a move into the early stages of round one, Buffalo could look to select Baker Mayfield, Josh Allen, Josh Rosen, Sam Darnold, or perhaps even Lamar Jackson.

This much is clear: the Bills have a need at quarterback and will look to upgrade the position heading into 2018. With a wealth of assets, the AFC East club will be one of the more exciting teams to watch when the new league year begins.

Prediction: Bills trade into the top 10 (with Bucs or Broncos) to select Baker Mayfield.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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