Buffalo Bills shore up QB depth with Matt Barkley extension
By James Reeve
The Buffalo Bills moved early to set their 2019 Quarterback depth chart with a two-year contract extension for Matt Barkley.
Matt Barkley joined the Buffalo Bills on October 31 with injuries to both Josh Allen (elbow) and Derek Anderson (concussion) sidelined with injuries. Now he’s being rewarded with a two-year deal keeping him around deservedly.
The 28-year-old took over the starting job against the New York Jets on November 11th, leading the Bills to a 41-10 rout of their AFC East rivals.
In that game, Barkley completed 15 passes (60% success) for 232 yards and two touchdowns, earning a QB rating of 117.4.
More from Buffalo Bills
- Buffalo Bills: Von Miller drawing inspiration from Bruce Smith
- Buffalo Bills: Von Miller the ideal addition both on and off the field
- Buffalo Bills: Majority of new stadium funding will come from public
- Buffalo Bills vs. Patriots: Odds, Spread, Over/Under & Betting Pick
- Buffalo Bills run game providing much-needed boost to offense
With Allen returning from injury, Barkley has been relegated back to the role of backup, but that role suits him perfectly.
Signing a two-year extension with the team shows that Barkley is comfortable with the role he has with the Bills – one of supporting the young Allen through his early career, possibly appearing sparsely as injury relief.
The 6-foot-2, 227lbs former USC standout has had an up-and-down career in the NFL to date, having initially entered the league as a fourth-round draft pick (98th overall) with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2013.
Since then, Barkley has had spells with the Arizona Cardinals (twice), Chicago Bears, San Francisco 49ers and Cincinnati Bengals before joining the Bills this season.
The Buffalo Bills have a young offence, led by Allen, with receivers such as Zay Jones and Robert Foster still developing.
Having the QB position set far in advance of the 2019 season should give the team some much-needed continuity ahead of what could be a number of changes after the 2018 season ends.
With Allen showing clear signs of being the Bills starter for the foreseeable future, Barkley is only ever going to see the field if the young signal-caller suffers an injury.
However, having a veteran guy that has performed well in his brief showing with the team sitting behind him and pushing him to keep improving can only be a positive for Sean McDermott and Brandon Beane.
While salary details of the contract have not yet been announced, the deal will see Barkley on the Bills’ roster for the 2019 and 2020 NFL seasons.
Could the Buffalo Bills land Gronkowski?. dark. Next
What do you think Bills Mafia? Are you pleased to see Barkley sticking with the team and helping give them some depth at the QB position behind Allen? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!