Tyrod Taylor

Buffalo Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor throws a pass before an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday, Nov. 27, 2016, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)

(Jeffrey T. Barnes)

Tyrod Taylor's stats as the Buffalo Bills' starting quarterback may not jump off the page, but he's done plenty of things well for the team.

As a passer, Taylor has done a fine job of protecting the football. Taylor has only thrown 12 interceptions in two seasons despite attempting 816 passes.

Taylor's athleticism has kept defenses on their heels. In 29 games, Taylor has run with the ball 199 times for 1148 yards (5.9 YPC). No quarterback has rushed for more yards over the last two seasons.

He's also accounted for 47 total touchdowns (37 passing, 10 rushing) in his two seasons as Buffalo's starter.

There's plenty to like about Taylor's game, but he'll have to take his game to another level in 2017 to prove that he's capable of being the team's franchise quarterback.

One ESPN writer expects Taylor to step up this season. Dan Graziano picked Taylor as the quarterback to make the biggest leap in 2017 in an ESPN Insider prediction article.

"OK, laugh, but I'll say Tyrod Taylor," said Graziano. "He has the eighth-best Total QBR in the league since the start of the 2015 season -- better than guys such as Russell Wilson, Matthew Stafford, Carson Palmer, Philip Rivers and Andrew Luck. And that has been with Sammy Watkins and LeSean McCoy missing 16 combined games over the past two seasons. Taylor knows new Bills offensive coordinator Rick Dennison from their time together in Baltimore, which bodes well for his ability to take another step forward in 2017."

Graziano's selection is no laughing matter when you consider his reasons for selecting Taylor. The quarterback's Total QBR has been outstanding in two seasons with the Bills and injuries have left Taylor without some of his best play-makers in his two seasons with Buffalo. In addition to missing Watkins and McCoy, Taylor also started games without the likes of Charles Clay, Robert Woods and Marquise Goodwin in the lineup. If McCoy, Watkins, Clay and rookie Zay Jones can stay on the field for the majority of the season, there's a good chance that Taylor's stats and play will improve in 2017.

Other quarterbacks selected in the ESPN Insider article included Carson Wentz and Jared Goff.