Bills sign Kyle Orton

[Mace]

[BillsFanCupp38]

Are people really excited about Orton? Give me a break. He's a journeyman back up with skill set equivalent to Ryan Fitzpatrick. We are going to fall into this never ending cycle. We have a really bad qb and a below average qb will step in after an injury and play mediocre and we'll make him our franchise qb. Losman to Edwards. Edwards to Fitz. Manuel to Orton. When will this end? Woulda rather took a shot with Tebow. We know what we get with Orton and Tebow but at least I might be able to watch some entertaining football with Tebow.

[Mace]

Are people really excited about Orton? Give me a break. He's a journeyman back up with skill set equivalent to Ryan Fitzpatrick. We are going to fall into this never ending cycle. We have a really bad qb and a below average qb will step in after an injury and play mediocre and we'll make him our franchise qb. Losman to Edwards. Edwards to Fitz. Manuel to Orton. When will this end? Woulda rather took a shot with Tebow. We know what we get with Orton and Tebow but at least I might be able to watch some entertaining football with Tebow.

You lost me at Tebow, who can't throw or read defenses or playbooks unfortunately.

Yeah, I admit I'm excited about Orton. His skill set is by no means equivalent to Fitzpatrick. It's just not.

That I'm excited about Orton is less a statement about Orton than it is about the QB situation before we signed him.

[Jry44]

He will be a solid back up. However he hasn't been with this team through OTA's, mini camps, or training camp. He doesn't know the playbook yet and he's never thrown to any of our receivers! How much of an impact do some of you think he could possibly have any time soon??

Again.... I like it a lot more if we could have some how pried him from Dallas two months ago. But he can't possibly help this team on the field at all in the immediate future.

[Mace]

But he can't possibly help this team on the field at all in the immediate future.

I just can't agree. If Manuel goes down in week one, he'll do better than Lewis, Tuel, or Palmer even if he only knows 3 plays, if not taking us to 16-0.

[DesertFox24]

Well if anything it is good to have a legit backup behind EJ. Kyle has started and played well in this league at times and can at least help EJ in the QB room.

Worst case scenario if EJ fails we have someone who can hold the fort down for a little while.

Hopefully for our sake it does not come to that and EJ progresses and plays well enough. He does not have to win the games himself he just needs to an Alex Smith this year and get better.

[Jry44]

....

[Jry44]

Well if anything it is good to have a legit backup behind EJ. Kyle has started and played well in this league at times and can at least help EJ in the QB room.

Worst case scenario if EJ fails we have someone who can hold the fort down for a little while.

Hopefully for our sake it does not come to that and EJ progresses and plays well enough. He does not have to win the games himself he just needs to an Alex Smith this year and get better.

Bingo!

[Jry44]

I just can't agree. If Manuel goes down in week one, he'll do better than Lewis, Tuel, or Palmer even if he only knows 3 plays, if not taking us to 16-0.

Sure he might be better than the 3 afformentioned in a month from now, but right now the guy doesn't know anything about this team. Quarterbacks spend entire off seasons working on timing with receivers. He's never thrown a single ball to any of ours. He's never seen our playbook nor met our coaches. To think that he could come in and step right in and play well is completely unrealistic.

[Dr. Lecter]

Tim Graham ‏@ByTimGraham 22m Two sources tell me Bills have been trying to sign Kyle Orton for months because Thad Lewis played so poorly in OTAs. Lewis never rallied.

[Mace]

Sure he'll do better. But you can't expect much in a week. The guy has to learn everything about this team. Quarterbacks spend entire off seasons working on timing with receivers! It's completely unrealistic to think he can step in and have an immediate impact without knowing any of the players, coaches, or the play book. Now two months from now is a different story. But after week one? No way.....

Absolutely agree. There is one thing that comes to my mind though, and I have to mention it, because I oddly never see it with Bills QB's. It is a stupid thing, and if you can call me on it please do because it means I have missed a basic observation.

Orton will throw the ball out of bounds on a broken or ruined play. QB 101, get rid of it. Harms your completion percentage but is the right thing to do sometimes instead of taking the sack, trying to force it in coverage, or thinking to go mano a mano with a linebacker. It is a real small, basic thing, but maddening if you watch a lot of the Bills. It's a thing QB's do without much thought, and ours nearly never do.

He's not really the savior, but the position just improved over the long run with someone who knows QB 101, in my view.

[Jry44]

Absolutely agree. There is one thing that comes to my mind though, and I have to mention it, because I oddly never see it with Bills QB's. It is a stupid thing, and if you can call me on it please do because it means I have missed a basic observation.

Orton will throw the ball out of bounds on a broken or ruined play. QB 101, get rid of it. Harms your completion percentage but is the right thing to do sometimes instead of taking the sack, trying to force it in coverage, or thinking to go mano a mano with a linebacker. It is a real small, basic thing, but maddening if you watch a lot of the Bills. It's a thing QB's do without much thought, and ours nearly never do.

He's not really the savior, but the position just improved over the long run with someone who knows QB 101, in my view.

I agree. He's the type of player that can play the position and hold the team down. He's a quality back up. There's no disputing that. And as someone above mentioned he is a great vetern presence for EJ. However I just can't understand how some people can think that a guy can come in after cut down day and be ready to effectively play in week one.

I really like the move long term. Short term being the first quarter of the season, he doesn't help us at all I feel.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

Tim Graham ‏@ByTimGraham 22m Two sources tell me Bills have been trying to sign Kyle Orton for months because Thad Lewis played so poorly in OTAs. Lewis never rallied.

Tim Graham ‏@ByTimGraham 22m Reportedly, the sticking point was that Buffalo insisted Orton change his name to "Williams" before they would sign him.

[Mace]

However I just can't understand how some people can think that a guy can come in after cut down day and be ready to effectively play in week one.

Panic. I don't think Jordan Palmer is all that, but signing, playing, and cutting within 4 days or so was kind of silly.

Maybe it says something about where I am as a fan and what I presently think about the QB position, but I'm feeling a stable journeyman QB might be able to step in and give the same results in week one as we might get from the poorly groomed project guy, without having a clue. I might be real wrong about Manuel and Orton both, but it feels, to me, like a good time to panic and hope for least worse if it comes to that.

I just don't think there's a better least worse than Orton, and signing him makes me feel better. He's the best least worse we've had in a decade, and he agreed to be the best least worse here !

I admit my expectations are low.

[Mace]

Tim Graham ‏@ByTimGraham 22m Reportedly, the sticking point was that Buffalo insisted Orton change his name to "Williams" before they would sign him.

Williams Orton would have been too delicate.

[Woodman]

OK I'm ready let's get this party started lol.

[Ingtar33]

it's sad when kyle orton looks GOOD compared to the QBs on your roster. Even knowing he'll know jack about the playbook i suspect he'll be no worse then EJ would be.

[paladin warrior]

Good just for now..I think next year draft 2015 and find it backup QB in 3rd or 4th round pick..

[HHURRICANE]

This is the part where everyone stops *****ing. The Bills got a good backup. They needed one and they got one. Done.

If EJ plays poorly and Orton has to start that will suck for everyone. Hopefully Orton sits on the bench or comes in as a backup roll when needed.

BTW signing Palmer, stealing the Bears play book, is scummy but a pretty good move.

[Bunion]

I'm trying to find Kyle Orton's stats on NFL.com, but it looks like he's been dropped from there list of 'Active' quarterbacks.