Associated Press photos

By Matthew Fairburn | mfairburn@nyup.com

Orchard Park, N.Y. — Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane sat back and watched as the quarterback market went crazy at the start of NFL free agency.

The Vikings signed Kirk Cousins to a mega-contract with three years fully guaranteed. The Broncos threw $18 million per year at Case Keenum. The Cardinals overpaid for Sam Bradford and Mike Glennon. The Jets grabbed two quarterbacks, Teddy Bridgewater and Josh McCown, for a total of $25 million.

Then a day passed, and Beane took another look at the market. After trading Tyrod Taylor, Nathan Peterman was the only quarterback on the Bills' roster. So the Bills needed to add a veteran, and AJ McCarron was on the outside looking in after the top free-agent quarterbacks got signed to pricey deals. Beane zeroed in on McCarron and got the deal done Wednesday night, just a few hours after free agency officially opened.

McCarron may not be the franchise savior the Bills are looking for, but the signing seems like a fit for both sides. Here are a few thoughts on McCarron coming to Buffalo.

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This won't change the draft plans

Don't expect the signing of McCarron to change the Bills' plans in the NFL Draft. McCarron's deal is reportedly only worth $10 million over two years, so the Bills don't have a huge commitment to McCarron. He's also unproven in the NFL, so it's unlikely the Bills, who own picks 12 and 22 in the upcoming draft, would deviate from their attempt at trading up and drafting one of the draft's top quarterbacks.

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The Bills played this right

Instead of throwing crazy money at Sam Bradford or Case Keenum, the Bills went a tier down and got a player who still has some upside. McCarron has a ton of confidence in himself and desperately wanted a chance to start. He'll get that chance in Buffalo, where he will have to beat out a top draft pick in training camp. With so many quarterbacks signing before McCarron, the Bills had some leverage this late in the game.

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McCarron fits the mold

If nothing else, McCarron is another solid addition to the Bills' locker room. From all accounts, McCarron's character and leadership are top notch. Not to mention, he has plenty to prove. Don't forget, Beane was a huge supporter of Jake Delhomme when the two were in Carolina. McCarron has a few things in common with Delhomme in that both were afterthoughts in the draft and needed to scrap and claw for every opportunity.

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How much will McCarron play?

The answer to this question will depend on which quarterback the Bills draft. If it's Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson, two prospects who could use some time on the sideline, McCarron could play a decent amount in 2018. However, McCarron will have to perform well in a quarterback competition if he's going to beat out Josh Rosen, Sam Darnold or Baker Mayfield. All three of those quarterbacks look ready to play on day one.

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The money

According to Pro Football Talk, McCarron's contract is for two years and worth $10 million with $6.5 million more in incentives. That's the type of money a team pays a backup quarterback. Frankly, it's the type of money the Bills were looking to spend on the position. The big-money contracts were never in the cards for this team. Beane wants to find the quarterback of the future in the draft. He just happened to find a bargain on the free-agent market.

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Grade: A

The Bills could have been foolhardy and overspent on a quarterback in free agency. Instead, they managed to find a bargain and a player with some upside. The odds of McCarron becoming a franchise quarterback may be slim, but he has flashed some potential during his brief playing time. Keep in mind, the Browns almost traded second and third-round picks for McCarron a few months ago. He's a player with some value that the Bills got at a great price.

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