Bills eyeing former division rival to back up Josh Allen?

With backup Case Keenum set to hit free agency, the Buffalo Bills are in the market for another No. 2 quarterback behind Josh Allen.

The only other QB Buffalo has under contract in 2023 is Matt Barkley, and Katherine Fitzgerald of the Buffalo News believes the team could be targeting former New York Jets signal caller Sam Darnold.

“If Keenum doesn’t work out for whatever reason, the market for veteran backup quarterbacks is a little tricky,” Fitzgerald wrote. “There aren’t a ton of options who meet the sweet spot of: 1. Financially attainable; 2. Have desirable experience; and 3. Aren’t even older than Keenum, who turned 35 last week. …Sam Darnold passes the 'he is friends with Josh' test.”

Darnold has spent the last two seasons with the Carolina Panthers, posting an 8-9 record as the starting QB in limited action. He threw for 2,527 yards, nine touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 2021 while starting 11 games, but he was limited to six games in 2022 due to injury. In total, Darnold has started 55 games over the course of his five-year NFL career.

Just 25, Darnold is still young enough that he could parlay a year or two on the bench behind Allen into a potential starting opportunity down the road, much like Mitch Trubisky did. Trubisky signed a one-year deal with the Bills to back up Allen in 2021 before landing with the Pittsburgh Steelers this season, where he started five games before being replace by rookie first-round pick Kenny Pickett.

It's possible Buffalo may also just stick with Barkley, who’s one of Allen’s close friends. The 32-year-old former fourth-round pick has had two stints with the Bills (2018-20, 2022). He has 2,699 career passing yards, 11 touchdowns and 22 interceptions.