Today's question: The Buffalo Bills say they are encouraged with quarterback Tyrod Taylor’s progress, but the team thus far has been reluctant to fork over a huge contract extension. If the general manager or top football decision-maker of the team you cover was in charge of the Bills, would he allow Taylor to enter the final season of his contract without a new deal?
James Walker, Miami Dolphins reporter: That's a tough question from Miami's perspective. The Dolphins did jump the gun early on quarterback Ryan Tannehill. They signed him to a $96 million extension in the spring of 2015 when they simply could have picked up his fifth-year option to see how things progressed. Had Miami stayed patient, Tannehill would be entering the final year of his rookie deal in what would truly be a make-or-break season. Instead, the Dolphins are financially tied to Tannehill for at least the next two seasons before they could seriously consider a change, if necessary. Miami took a risk to get ahead of the curve. They got Tannehill for under $100 million when other so-so quarterbacks, such as Jay Cutler and Andy Dalton, were getting $115 million or more. But that doesn't mean the Dolphins' brass would do the same for Taylor. He has only 14 starts under his belt in five seasons and needs to do more to prove himself. If Taylor has a monster second season with Buffalo, the Bills will pay extra for waiting. But that also means the team likely did well this year and everyone wins.
Rich Cimini, New York Jets reporter: Yes, he'd absolutely make Taylor play out his final season. In 17 months on the job, general manager Mike Maccagnan has proved to be cautious when it comes it extending his own players. Look at the current landscape: Ryan Fitzpatrick and Muhammad Wilkerson, two of the Jets' best players, remain unsigned. So, no, I don't think he'd be in a rush to re-up with Taylor -- and I wouldn't blame him. Despite some encouraging signs, Taylor still is an unproven commodity. I think the Bills' coaching staff did a nice job of managing him, taking the burden off his shoulders. He operated within the confines of a conservative offense. Now the question is, is he ready to cut loose? I don't know. I don't think the Bills know the answer to that question, so I can't blame them for waiting.
Mike Reiss, New England Patriots reporter: In New England, there would be no hesitation in letting Taylor enter the last year of his contract. There also would be no hesitation in trading him, Ã la defensive end Chandler Jones, who was entering the final year of his deal in 2016 before the Patriots shipped him to the Arizona Cardinals in March. And, of course, if Taylor wanted to come to the table and show a willingness to accept the good ol' "hometown discount," the team might be inclined to pursue that as well. As usual, this is all about leverage, and the Bills have it in this case. Taylor, meanwhile, still has a lot to prove. When the Patriots were preparing to face him last season, they approached him almost as if he was a running back with the ability to throw. He flashed some promise, but he's far from a finished product. Waiting on an extension makes sense.