Bills Considering Losman as Backup Plan

We read on ProFootballTalk.com (who linked to BuffaloBills.com–which appears to have lost their site somehow?  That can’t be good) this morning that the Bills are considering keeping JP Losman around as the backup to second year QB Trent Edwards next week.

If this is true, and not just a negotiating ploy by the Bills, I’d push any expectations for Buffalo down a couple pegs.

Yes, it gives them a nice backup situation if Edwards goes down–but it also means that Edwards could be looking over his shoulder all offseason, preseason, and regular season, worried that if he screws up, he’ll get the hook. 

The crowd might react the same way–if the Bills get out of the gate slowly, and Edwards doesn’t excel, you can always expect them to want the backup. 

Given Edwards is a second year player, it would also be nice to have a veteran QB who can serve as a mentor, to help him through rough spots.  And given where Losman is in his career, I doubt he’d be the happiest camper in the world if he’s expected to play the mentor role (and I’m not sure I would want him as the mentor in the first place).

Given the season that Losman had in 2006, I’m not sure I would hold it against him for being upset about the decision to make him a backup, as long as he isn’t a d—–bag about it. 

From the statistics, it looks like he largely outplayed Edwards in 2007 as well, despite Dick Juaron constantly going back and forth.  To be fair to Juaron, both Losman and Edwards were injured at times–but I don’t see how Losman lost the job while injured with Edwards playing ok but not great and the team going 3-2, while Edwards retained his starting job through injury after Losman played ok but not great and the team went 3-2.

In the end, regardless of who ends up at QB in Buffalo in 2008, it shouldn’t have a significant fantasy impact, other than maybe a bye week filler.  With an average at best receiver corps, the Bills QB can expect to hand off to Marshawn Lynch a fair amount–and Lynch can expect to face a lot of stacked fronts to stop him, unless they are able to get Lee Evans involved in the game early and often.