“For the amount of volume that we have in on both sides of the ball, for a quarterback in Kevin who was injured and hasn’t played a lot lately to Tarvaris who wasn’t available to play last year and to come into a camp where they’re not out throwing on 7-on-7 before a camp or they’re not at a high school field, I was very impressed with how they handled themselves in the classroom with
excellent questions,” Marrone said. ”I was very impressed with how themselves on the field especially with all the stuff that was going on the field on both side. I was very happy with how they handled themselves in light of what they’ve dealt with the past
year.”

Both Kolb and Jackson appeared to execute better on the final day of the minicamp than they did earlier in the practice sessions.

“It’s good. It really is,” said Kolb. ”I think for a new system in all three phases, a lot of new players, I think practice has gone fairly smooth for our situation. Obviously a lot to build on, a lot to correct, but it’s all making sense for everybody and everybody is kind of catching on phase by phase.”

Now, with a new contract, Jackson is back and looking forward to competing for playing time at the quarterback position.

Jackson was on hand this week for the start of the Bills Voluntary Offseason Conditioning program.  And he told reporters at One Bills Drive he’s looking forward to a second chance to show the coaching staff that he can play.

“I haven’t played in a whole year,” he said.  “I just came here last year trying to learn as much as possible, just in case something happened.  I didn’t really know how things would play out.  Every year in the NFL, you gotta put it on tape.  Right now, I’m just trying to compete and get better.”

The Bills acquired Jackson in a trade with Seattle last August.  He was inactive for all 16-games, but the Bills re-signed him to a free agent contract in February.  Jackson says his understanding with Bills GM Buddy Nix essentially hasn’t changed since he came here last August–he’s expected to work hard and see if he can get some playing time at quarterback.

“He mentioned just when I first got here, just come here and learn as much as I could, and we’ll see what happens,” Jackson said.  “Nothing really happened.  We just talked about how things played out, and it will be a little different this year–I get a chance to compete.  That’s all you can really ask for.”

Bills head coach Doug Marrone announced that the starting QB job was open to competition last week when the team announced they had re-signed Tarvaris Jackson. At the NFL Combine he explained how each of the top two competitors in that forthcoming battle took the news.

“I’ve talked to Tarvaris on the phone, I’ve spoken to Ryan on the phone,” said Marrone. “Really my conversations between the players are private. I think that Ryan… and I really hate speaking for the players, but I think that (Ryan’s) good. I think we’re all competitors. When I was interviewing for the job there were other people interviewing for the job and I’m okay with that. I’m competing. When I was a player myself we were always with competition whether it was from someone else or competition within. I know in my experience I’ve never really seen a player that wasn’t open to competition.”

Marrone said with both players having NFL experience and NFL starts under their belt an open competition was “natural.”

“I think that players whether  they’re competitive with themselves to be the best they can be or competitive going against people at their position to prove that they should be on our roster is in all of us,” he said. ”So for us to come in we’re all being competitive in what we’re doing.”

Buffalo’s head coach also said he’s conducted an evaluation of Fitzpatrick and Jackson on tape, but he’s not going to share his conclusions with the media or the public without talking to the quarterbacks themselves first. That won’t happen until April 2nd when players can report for the offseason conditioning program.

“I’m a big believer is watching the tape is part of the process,” said Marrone. ”If I was going to talk to evaluation of a player I would want to do it face to face with the player first. I can’t do that until the players report. So I have to wait until I start working with the players on the field and even when we do that we’re in t-shirts and shorts and the game is a contact sport.”

With the announcement that Tarvaris Jackson has re-signed with the Bills, head coach Doug Marrone made it clear that the starting quarterback job and every other position on the roster is up for grabs.

“We will have an open competition at all positions on our team heading into our offseason work,” said Marrone. “I believe that our players will embrace this challenge. We are looking forward to working with our players as we prepare for the 2013 season.”

A team-wide open competition is not uncommon when a new coaching staff is hired, and that will be the case under Marrone for the Bills. Knowing players have to prove themselves to a new staff, there’s sure to be intense position battles at training camp this summer, including starting quarterback.

1 – Hi Chris,

My question is about the Bills pick in the first round. Do you see the Bills taking T’eo, I think that T’eo would fit in with the Bills defense next season? Because we got a healthy Mark Anderson coming back, plus, Mario Williams if not do you think that the bills might go after Ryan Nassib from Syracuse? If not one of them then who do you think the bills might take in the first round?

Thanks for all the work you guys do
Chris
CB: I think a lot of the direction the Bills choose to take in the first round of the draft will hinge on what acquisitions are made in free agency. Te’o is an interesting case. He was a playmaker in college, but so was Paul Posluszny. That production and playmaking ability did not carry over to the NFL game. I’m no scout, but I wonder if Te’o is not the same kind of linebacker. Obviously how he times at the Combine will say a lot about whether he’d be a true sideline to sideline player at the NFL level. His lack of playmaking against Alabama was eye opening against top college talent. Knowing that he’ll be facing comparable and better talent in the league makes me wonder about his long range potential. And if there’s that kind of doubt among scouts I think he goes late first round, not top 10.

2 – Chris,

As free agency approaches it’s clear the Bills will want to retain Byrd and Levitre.  However, isn’t Spiller going to demand more if he stays the course, and wouldn’t it be in the Bills best interest to extend him now rather than later?  In addition, has Marrone made any indication on the status of Ryan Fitzpatrick, as I’m one of the few that would rather have him while prepping another quarterback.

Thanks,
Dave Faber

CB: Spiller still has two years left on his contract. I think in due time the Bills will make sure he’s extended to ensure his future with the club, but players like Byrd and Levitre are far more pressing in nature with them set to hit the market in just over a month if they’re not re-signed. So at the earliest I would expect Spiller to possibly be addressed next offseason.

3 – Good Day Chris,

I have not heard much from the Bills this season about the Tarvaris Jackson trade / signing.  Has anyone at One Bills Drive talked about his addition to the team in 2012 and what progress he might have made during the season?  If I understand correctly, he is a free agent soon and I wonder if the Bills have any plans to extend his contract?  Especially given the draft pick they needed to give up getting him.  It would be a shame to let him walk now with 1 less pick come the draft this year.  

Best Regards,
Brad
Fonthill, ON

CB: It’s hard to ascertain at this point whether there are plans to retain Jackson for 2013. You’re right he will be an unrestricted free agent. What is working in Jackson’s favor concerning the new coaching staff is prior to coming to the Bills this past season the only offensive system he knew was the West Coast offense, or some variation thereof.

Knowing Nathaniel Hackett’s offense is rooted with West Coast principles he is at least well versed in a lot of the concepts that Buffalo’s offense would presumably run.

Is that enough to interest Buffalo’s offensive staff in re-signing him to their roster? That remains to be seen.

4 - Chris,
Any news on how Torell Troup’s recovery is progressing?  I want to see him in our rotation next year.

John MacGaffick

CB: Hopefully you saw our write up on Troup’s Battle Back this week on Buffalobills.com. Troup is finally back to normal and two arduous years of back problems. He’s still rehabbing now, but expected to be ready to roll for OTAs in the spring.

5 – Hi Chris,

Thank you for answering our questions. It’s very helpful. Can you please explain players who are signed as reserve/future players?

Bob Hammond

CB: Typically they’re players that served the previous season on the team’s practice squad. In order to retain those players NFL clubs have a week to sign them to a future free agent contract. Teams can also sign players from other practice squad units if they’re not re-signed by their former club, or a player that joined the team as a signee in the second half of the season (after 10^th regular season game) with one accrued NFL season of credit or less can be signed as a future free agents.

It’s essentially a category for rookie or first-year players that clubs want to retain and see how they develop from their practice squads.

1 - opp57 Jan 27, 7:48am via Web

@ChrisBrownBills is E.J. Manuel a good fit for Buffalo?

CB: It’s hard to say who is and isn’t a fit since there isn’t a definitive approach to what Buffalo’s offense will look like. Yes, we know that the offense will be rooted in the west coast system, but it has been very varied and unpredictable under Nathaniel Hackett when he was at Syracuse. Hackett naturally prefers to be unpredictable.

At the same time Hackett will be looking to improve and advance the offense and suit it to Buffalo’s personnel. Manuel certainly offers the physical skills necessary to play at the NFL level. His decision making and deep ball accuracy have been questioned by some. A good number of talent evaluators out there do not think he’s a finished product suitable to lead an offense from day one.

As to whether he fits what Buffalo wants to do I’ll let Buffalo’s offensive coordinator answer that.

“Everybody could have a chance in a system like this because I could tailor it to them,” Hackett said. “Figuring out everybody across the board and who it is and then trying to fit that person into the system is the biggest critical factor.”

2 - Chris,

I’ve heard it talked about amongst fans for a long time, do you ever foresee the Bills re-aligning to the AFC North by swapping with Baltimore? I think the proximity of Cincy, Cleveland and Pittsburgh would create outstanding rivalries, with all 4 teams being within a few hours’ drive of each other. Baltimore would seemingly be a better fit for the East, being that NY, NE and Miami are all along the coast as well. Your thoughts?

 Nate
Buffalo

CB: I have felt the same way for a long time. When realignment occurred in 2002 I thought that was the best case scenario for the Bills long term, but I think the preservation of classic rivalries like Miami carried the day and kept Buffalo in the East. Geographically it makes way too much sense. Unfortunately I don’t foresee a change, especially with the Baltimore-Pittsburgh rivalry being the fiercest in the NFL in my opinion.

3 – NL_RandyK 10:01am via Twitter for BlackBerry®

Hey @ChrisBrownBills what are chances #Bills draft 2 QB’s? Besides backer and maybe free safety, what are other needs?

CB:  I tend to believe that will not be the case. Buddy Nix mentioned a month ago that he said they will try to draft one and perhaps add another in free agency. I think the free agent crop is thin, but it’s my feeling that Nix and his staff would prefer to add a veteran free agent in addition to rookie. Whether the opportunity presents itself to acquire a pair of quarterbacks along those two avenues is another story.

4 – Hi Chris….
As always thanks for the great coverage. I wondered what the environment must be like at one Bills Drive now that the GM, Head Coaches and OC and DC are in place….are these guys meeting together to talk about talent….thanks

Bernie

CB:  We have a story that will appear on the website about the nuts and bolts of what the new coaching staff is doing at this time. They’re evaluating cut-ups of the Bills 2012 season by position and as offensive and defensive units. Every player will have a report put together on them by the staff. There will also be a good deal of time spent by the staff on reviewing their offensive and defensive schemes, how they apply to the talent on Buffalo’s roster and how said systems can be improved for the better. All of this takes a good deal of time.

5 – Chris
Thanks for your great work.  My question is about Tarvaris Jackson.  Initially, when the Bills traded a draft pick to Seattle for him and became responsible for his 2012 salary, everyone assumed he would become the Bills backup QB and Thigpen (who had been unproductive in pre-season) would be cut.  Then the Bills said Jackson did not know the offense well enough to be the backup, and Thigpen stayed on the roster after final cuts. But Jackson remained inactive for every game, and by mid-season the Bills said it was impossible for Jackson to learn the offense well enough to play because there was not enough practice time to give him snaps with the first team offense.  Jackson remained inactive the entire season and is now an unrestricted free agent. 

If the Bills’ explanation is correct, and it is impossible for a veteran QB to learn the Bills offense during the season because there is not enough practice time, why did the Bills give up a draft choice to get him when training camp was over?  

Bill
CB:  Buddy Nix has said more than once that the Tarvaris Jackson trade was a move made purely for insurance. With the Vince Young situation not working out, Buffalo had a short window to address the vacancy at the QB position without a lot of options out there short of a trade. Jackson was acquired for a seventh-round pick in the event that Ryan Fitzpatrick was hurt and out for an extended period of time. Short of a long term injury to Fitzpatrick, Jackson was never going to see the field.

To be fair to Jackson, he knew and understood the offense. The bigger issue was the previous coaching staff did not see Jackson under live fire before in their offensive system. That gives coaches ulcers when they have to put a player on the field without any prior knowledge of what they’re capable of when the real bullets are flying.

So while Jackson did his due diligence to learn the offensive system he was never afforded the opportunity to execute it in the practice setting due to time constraints. That left the previous coaching staff without any way to develop confidence in Jackson since they never saw him execute it effectively. It was very much a catch-22.

Head Coach Chan Gailey said Monday he won’t use the Jets game this Sunday to take a look at either of the other two QBs on the roster, Tyler Thigpen or Tarvaris Jackson.

Speaking of Fitzpatrick, Gailey said simply, “He gives us the best chance to win.”

And the Head Coach pointed out that Fitzpatrick had a good day throwing the ball in a losing effort at Miami.

“I  still have a great deal of confidence in Fitz,” Gailey said.  “Really, he threw the ball extremely well yesterday. If we had just hung onto it and catch them, the game’s totally different to me.  I thought he did some great things yesterday and he  competed his rear end off.  I have a lot of confidence in Fitz. ”

Gailey was asked specifically why he would not want to give backup Tarvaris Jackson a shot to play this week.  Jackson’s been on the inactive list since he was acquired in a trade with Seattle four months ago.

“I try to win every game,” he answered.  “I don’t care what the situation is, I’m trying to win every game.  Who gives us the best chance to win?  That’s what I’m about.”

In fact, the Head Coach said he would not use Sunday’s season finale as a chance to give playing time to little-used backups.

“The best players are going to play,” Gailey said.  ”They’ve earned the right to play.  They want to play in the games, that’s what they want to do—they want to play in the games.  They’ve earned the right to play, and if they’re ready to go, the best players are going to play.”

1 – Chris:

Has Chan Gailey maintained a 100% offensive play calling role or has he given some or all of the play calling authority to Curtis Modkins?

Some of the talk this year is about the “Pistol” Offense run by Washington.  Am I correct in my assessment that it is an offense that is an extension of the “Wild Cat” and the only real difference is the Pistol is run with a true starting Quarterback who has the athletic ability to run as well as throw the football?     

Thanks 
Joe
Blasdell

CB: Yes, Chan Gailey is still the only offensive play caller on the roster. When first hired, Gailey mentioned that he intended to eventually turn over play calling duties to a coordinator, but I don’t see that happening any time soon.

Your assessment of the Pistol offense is not wholly accurate. The Pistol just references a backfield formation where the single back lines up directly behind the quarterback, who is in the shotgun. One of the advantages of this look is it does not tip off to the defense which direction a run play is headed.

Washington runs out of that formation with Robert Griffin a good deal, but Chan Gailey first popularized it in the league in Kansas City a few years ago running it with Tyler Thigpen there. The Bills have even made use of it this season at times.

2 – Hello Chris

Thanks for your insight into the organization, my question is with the apparent need for an elite franchise qb in order for a team to not only compete in the league these days but to have a chance to build a team around, and have a chance at the ultimate goal which is to Win the Superbowl, why won’t the Bills draft a QB in every round until we get The guy to Win it, this team has pieces but is lacking the by far most needed piece a elite QB!! Thank you, Tom Neaverth, life long Bills fan 

CB: I can tell you that won’t happen, although the Redskins did draft a pair of quarterbacks last spring (Robert Griffin III, Kirk Cousins). I can say that the Bills will likely draft one this spring. Here’s what Buddy Nix said on the subject.

“There’s a time in the era that you’re in with the development of your team I think there’s a time when you can move up a round to take a quarterback and I think the time is now for us,” said Nix. “If a guy is there, and they’ll be one out there, if the guy is there then I think we’ll target, as I’ve said before, drafting a good quarterback. We need a good, young quarterback and we’ll do our best to get one.”

3 – Hey Chris,
 I think the game against the Colts was when CJ split out wide and got chased by a linebacker. He beat his guy right at the snap but Fitz missed the throw, my question is, why not try that every game when there’s clearly a mismatch with almost any linebacker vs Spiller and a chance for a big time play?
Thanks, Ryan

CB: I can tell you that it’s relatively rare to get C.J. Spiller matched up on a linebacker. It’s why defensive coordinators spend as much time as they do with their game plans to avoid such mismatches. When the Bills do get them they have to make opponents pay. Unfortunately they were unable to do so in that situation.

4 – Hey Chris,
What was the thinking behind the trade for TJack? And if Nix is talking QB lately it would seem that he thinking of going away from Fitz which is understandable so why not give the guy some reps in practice to see what he has?  Or will this turn out to be another trade that does nothing for the Bills?
Thanks,
Brett

CB: Buddy Nix has gone on record as saying the trade was made with Tarvaris Jackson serving purely as an insurance policy at the quarterback position. Ryan Fitzpatrick is the quarterback they have hitched their wagon to and they do not intend to make a change at the quarterback position so long as Fitzpatrick is healthy.

5 – Hi Chris -

It was my pleasure to be part of the Bill’s crowd at the Jags game. I saw many excited fans doing their best to back their team. Are the players aware of their fans presence at away games? Do you think it is of any value to the team?

Thanks for your time – Dan Garigen/Bay City, MI

CB: Bills players do recognize Bills fans at away games. In fact at the Cleveland game back in Week 3, when most Browns fans had filed out, more Buffalo fans came down to the lower seats in the one end zone and near the end of the game the players could hear the Bills fans singing the ‘Shout’ song and were pumping their fists at them.

After the game they came over and shook some hands with the fans that made the trip. So you are noticed and heard!

“We’ve talked to him a lot about (Seattle’s) personnel more than anything,” said Gailey. ”Not scheme, but more personnel and what he feels about their guys and strengths and weaknesses. We’ve talked to him a lot.”

When asked if getting some info on an opponent’s personnel is a big help, Gailey downplayed it a bit.

“Less than people think,” he said. ”It has some impact on things you think about and ways you set up run and pass situations. But you really have to go by what you see on film because there are some new people there as well. It has some impact, but maybe not to the extent that people think.”

1 – Chris,

The accuracy required to play QB in the NFL is on another level entirely–and at some point, talent is as important as work ethic and practice.  Is it possible that Fitz is turning into a “head case” with all of these adjustments with David Lee and his throwing mechanics?  What, if anything, are the coaches and Fitz doing to try and stem this problem?  The Bills will only go as far as Fitz will take them.  And I fear if he doesn’t revert to something close to what we say early last season, this team won’t improve much or go very far, no matter how much the defense improves or how much talent they put around Fitz.  It’s a QB driven league.  And while there are examples of teams winning SBs with a less than elite QB, it’s not very common.  And his current level of performance certainly will not be sufficient.  What, if anything, can be or is being done?

Thanks again for your coverage of the team.
Jeffrey Suchocki
CB: Ryan Fitzpatrick even agrees with you that his first half of the season has not been what he thought it would be. His completion percentage is admittedly down (61%) from where it was at this time last year (67.7%). I think we should be encouraged by what we saw in the Tennessee game, save for the late INT.

What went by the board in that disappointing loss was the fact that it was clearly Fitz’s best passing game of the season. He even got off to a fast start, something that doesn’t always happen in games for Fitzpatrick either.

He finished that game 27-35 for 225 yards and three touchdowns with the INT and a passer rating of 109.8. The interception aside, that’s the way Fitzpatrick needs to play for this team to have a chance to win every week. His completion percentage of 77% was the highest single-game completion percentage since the Washington game a year ago this week (77.8%).

So I think the hope is that Fitz has begun to rediscover his rhythm in the passing game. Now we just have to hope that the bye week didn’t disrupt that rhythm and he can have a second half of the season, like he had the first half of last season.

2 – Hi Chris,

When a player goes on I-R does he still receive 100% of his pay while he is unable to play?
Thank you again.

Bob Hammond
Rochester, NY

CB: I’m not going to pretend to know all the ins and outs of the injured reserve rules so I tapped into the expertise of Bills Senior VP of Football Administration Jim Overdorf. So with respect to a player getting his full pay when he goes on I-R, the answer is it depends. 

A player who has a split contract (meaning he gets a lower amount if he is on I-R) will get the lower amount of pay if he goes on I-R (there is a league minimum that corresponds to the number of credited seasons). Split contracts are more commonly seen in rookie contracts and with street free agents. 

It’s rare to see a split contract for a marquee player (e.g. a first or second round draft pick). Most rookie contracts do not include the third year as a split amount. So those players more often than not will receive full pay. However, that full pay may be at a lower amount if it has been negotiated in the deal.

3 – Hi Chris,
Just wondering when the Bills are going to turn T.J. Graham loose on some fly patterns. I know at the outset the Bills brain trust wanted Graham to have a better knowledge of the playbook, but with his blazing speed, when will they test defenses? The vertical game will just help Stevie Johnson and Donald Jones more. I know the spread offense is predicated on short and medium range passes, but showing the opposition some danger cannot hurt. What are your thoughts?

Tony, Ormond Beach, Fl
CB: I think it’s something that bears watching. The deep passing game is not a common focus in Chan Gailey’s offense. He’d rather get the ball out quick and let the playmakers get yards after the catch. That being said Gailey does want to have a role for Graham week in and week out. How big the role gets will likely depend on what Graham does with the opportunities he gets. But stretching the field is certainly something he can do.”

4 – Hi Chris,

I was wondering if you have an update concerning Tarvaris Jackson and how he is progressing.  Is there any chance he will overtake Tyler Thigpen as the #2 QB or is the task of learning the system a case of too much too soon?  The reason I ask is actually the potential return of Ron Brooks to the 53-man roster at the end of the month.  His expected role as a gunner on the punt coverage team (not to mention adding an extra CB to the mix) means someone will have to be cut.  Could it be Thigpen?

Thanks much,
Jeff Horn

CB: I don’t know what the chances are that it happens this year. Chan Gailey has said time and again that with no time during the practice week in preparation for a game to get him reps in the offense, Jackson is pretty much relegated to third QB status.

I will say that he did get some reps during the bye week practice this past Wednesday, but I don’t know how much weight should be put on that.

As for Brooks they can elevate him to the 53-man roster Wednesday. If they do they have to move someone else off the roster, but I’m not going to speculate about a guy getting released or not. I don’t think it would be Thigpen however, since his contract is guaranteed by virtue of being on the roster through the first week of the season.

5 – CB, 

Many fans are simply upset that the Bills haven’t drafted a QB. Why don’t they go after a developmental raw QB, though he might not pan out, it worth having one for either next year. Buddy Nix has passed on too many quarterbacks that are now successful (Andy Dalton). Buddy said he would want to draft 1 QB every year but only drafted Levi Brown in the 7th round. A QB on the squad could be developed in time by Chan. Both Ryan and Tyler were 7th round picks as well both learned under Chan. 
CB: I respect the frustration. Buddy Nix did say at one point that he’d like to draft a quarterback every year, but he had a roster with a plethora of positional needs that he had to fill out first. Perhaps now that the roster is a bit deeper at a good number of positions he can afford to take a QB in the draft.

Philadelphia has made a habit of this, taking a QB almost every year. Nick Foles is their latest example and he’s the team’s backup QB this season.

In his weekly conversation with Buffalobills.com head coach Chan Gailey said it’s unlikely that Jackson will move up from the number three role this season to challenge for the backup job due to those practice dynamics.

“It would be very tough for Tarvaris to challenge for that spot this year because of limited reps (in practice),” said Gailey. ”Fitz takes almost every rep we have on offense during the course of the week. The backup gets very few reps through the course of practice. So it’s hard for him to get the reps necessary to make a viable charge at this point for that position. We knew it would be a challenge. We knew that when we made the move, but we were hoping that we would be able to keep him around and keep him learning and eventually by osmosis pick up enough to help us if something were to happen later in the season.”

“It’s tough. It really is. I’m not going to sugarcoat that. Once the season starts it’s really hard for a guy,” said Nix in his weekly appearance on WGR Sportsradio 550. ”Now he’s in every meeting so he’ll be prepared for that mentally. He’s a smart guy, but as far as reps in practice he doesn’t get many.”

For a third quarterback the number of reps to get further acclimated to the offensive system are few and far between in the practice setting, because the main focus is to get the starting quarterback ready to execute the game plan for that week. The second QB then gets a handful of reps in the event that there’s an injury and he has to step in. The 3rd QB really only gets scout team reps where he’s executing plays of the opponent instead of the plays in his own team’s offensive system.

This week Chan Gailey is likely to still have Tyler Thigpen as the number two signal caller as Jackson continues to work to get up to speed with the system.

Head coach Chan Gailey said that recently acquired QB Tarvaris Jackson still has a hefty amount of ground to cover in Buffalo’s offense.

“He’s still not ready to go,” said Gailey. ”He’s still got a lot to learn. That was a tough situation he was in and he’s still learning the whole system. He is.”

“The situation I was put into this preseason with them bringing in Vince Young, with them bringing in Tarvaris Jackson, Buddy Nix told me I gained a lot of respect from him by the way I handled myself and the situations,” Thigpen told the Myrtle Beach Sun News this week.

Thigpen also confirmed that he agreed to re-do his contract.

“Once the final cuts came up that day, I spoke to my agent and they wanted to free up a little cap space to sign some other players,” Thigpen said. “I was willing to do that. Obviously you don’t want to take a pay cut, but if it helps the team out I’m willing to do it. I’m just glad to be here in Buffalo still, with this team, and not having to learn a new offense and go to a new area.”

Thigpen is signed through the 2012 season.

That’s because with only three days of exposure to Buffalo’s offensive scheme, there is a limited amount of the offense he can effectively execute. In the last full practice before tonight’s game, Jackson got four team reps in 11-on-11 and a handful of others in 7-on-7. So for Buffalo’s coaching staff they have to evaluate Jackson’s performance a bit differently.

“What you have to look at when you’re making a decision like this is potential,” said head coach Chan Gailey. ”That’s what you’re looking at. Do we think he can learn it eventually? Do we think that he can play in this system eventually? That’s the decision we’ll have to make because there’s not enough reps. There’s not going to be enough looks to make a clean decision. We’re going to have to make that decision about which direction to go.”

Fitzpatrick had to do the same thing when he was traded from St. Louis to Cincinnati just prior to the 2007 season.

“It is a tough time to come in because we are not going to start with the basic formation install with him,” said Fitzpatrick. ”We kind of start with the game plan next week so you end up doing a lot of memorization each week and he does not really have those fundamentals of the offense to fall back on. Like I said, I did it and it was not the easiest thing in the world. It seems like he is the kind of guy who is really going to work at it.”

Fortunately for Fitzpatrick he only appeared in one game in 2007 for the Bengals and never had to attempt a pass. The following season Fitz started 12 games for the Bengals.

Jackson is currently taking reps in 11-on-11 and earlier got reps in 7-on-7.

“He’s elusive. He’s a great athlete,” Johnson told Buffalobills.com. ”He’s got a great arm. He’s going to be a good addition to the team. He can extend the plays with his legs. Don’t ask me how far he can throw the ball with the zip he has on it.”

Johnson was Jackson’s teammate for the quarterback’s first two seasons in the league, including the 2007 season when Jackson was named the starting quarterback and went 8-4 in 12 starts that year.

“He was a young buck then,” said Johnson. ”He did a great job for us. Just looking at his record he can win some games. He can help us. He’s a smart quarterback. He did a great job when he was there. I know he’ll be good here.”

“We will be able to build a relationship in about a week,” said Johnson. ”We will have each other down as far as chemistry goes and everything will be smooth. As of now, it is just him getting into the playbook and learning as quickly as possible.”

When asked if two weeks is enough time to play against the Jets effectively should he need to come into the game for an injury, Johnson wasn’t as sure knowing the kind of cram session that time period is going to be for the new quarterback. 

“I believe he will have the basics down, but I cannot say he will have everything,” said Johnson. ”I guess that just depends on how much he will pick up on the offense. He has been in the league for a while. I think he will be able to pick up the majority of the offense and be able to play well.”

“You never know,” said Gailey. ”We’re going to do what’s best for the team, I know that, and it’s not going to be an easy call whatever direction we have to go.”

When asked if he’s comfortable carrying four quarterbacks, Gailey wasn’t certain.

“I’m comfortable with doing what’s best for the team and I don’t know what that is today,” Gailey said. ”So let us make that decision later on.”

That decision will have to come by 9 pm on Friday night when the roster must be reduced to 53 players. Tarvaris Jackson is only supposed to play a few snaps at best in the Bills preseason finale at Detroit. It’s unlikely to be enough to give the Bills any sense of comfort that he’ll be able to finish a game in Week 1 or 2 should Ryan Fitzpatrick succumb to injury.

“You’ll have to make a decision,” he said. ”I’ve never been in this situation so I can’t tell you how I’m going to do it. We’ll evaluate it and do the best we can and it won’t be easy.”  

If the Bills do feel they need to keep four quarterbacks at least early in the season, it will take a spot away from another position to get to 53. Bills GM Buddy Nix said earlier in the day that you “probably can’t keep four.”