Buffalo Bills Management May Have Mislead Tarvaris Jackson

Before they signed Kevin Kolb, the Buffalo Bills had really only one option at quarterback and that was Tarvaris Jackson. He wasn’t the best option, but rather he was being penciled in as the starter out of sheer desperation to fill the role. But now that Kolb is in town, and with the likelihood that the Bills will draft a quarterback at some point in this month’s NFL Draft, it’s now looking like Jackson won’t rise above the No. 3 slot on the depth chart — which means Buddy Nix and Bills management may have mislead Jackson when he re-signed with the team not too long ago.

Jackson re-signed with the Bills at a time when he looked to be the only starter on the roster. But now he’ll have to compete for the job and it’s anyone’s guess as to how that revelation will strike Jackson as the offseason barrels onward. At this moment, Jackson seems content with his position on the team, but he is under the impression that he’ll be fighting for a starting gig — which may end up being a long shot.

“Before I left I had been talking to Buddy Nix and that was really one of the main reasons why I came back,” Jackson said, via the Buffalo News. “Just talking to him it seemed they really wanted me to come back. That was No. 1 on my list. It was a no-brainer. … It was just talking about how things played out and it’ll be a little different this year. I’ll get a chance to compete, so that’s all you can ask for.”

That chance to compete may not bring much success, as Kolb is the clear-cut favorite to start and whomever the Bills draft may very well win the job in the offseason. The Buffalo News suggests that it’s not a reach to say Jackson may not rise above the third-string job with the Bills in 2013, and after hearing that Buddy Nix sold him on a return, that might not sit well with Jackson when the season begins.

Still, Jackson’s set up better than most third stringers to make a run at a starting gig. It’s not like he’s competing with the Manning brothers for the job, he’s going up against the wobbly Kevin Kolb and an unproven, yet to be named rookie quarterback. So while he may not rise above third on the depth chart, if that’s where Jackson ends up he really only has himself to blame.