CLEVELAND -- At 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, the NFL's new league year will begin. And when it does, the Cleveland Browns will officially obtain their starting quarterback for 2018 when they consummate their previously agreed upon trade with the Buffalo Bills to acquire Tyrod Taylor in exchange for a 2018 third-round pick.
With that, the Browns will lay claim to arguably their most qualified quarterback since returning to the league in 1999. A Pro Bowl selection in 2015, Taylor led the Bills to their first playoff appearance in 17 years just a season ago.
What else is Cleveland getting in Taylor, besides an established veteran presence and quality starter at its most important position? Let's take a look.
Unconventional QB
In a November 2017 profile of Taylor for ESPN The Magazine (author's note: highly recommended), Mina Kimes describes the 6-foot-1 signal-caller as "a Rorschach test for how we think about quarterbacks."
Writes Kimes:
Some coaches and experts are quick to rattle off his deficiencies: too short at 6-foot-1, too quick to leave the pocket, too limited as a passer. Other analysts see him as an underrated star, arguing that traditional "volume" stats like yardage and touchdowns (to say nothing of wins, the data point most loathed by the numerate set) fail to account for his unique skills. If Taylor thrives, he could change perceptions of what success at his position looks like -- a heavy load for a quarterback accustomed to fighting just to be seen.
To this point, reviews of the 28-year-old Taylor have remained mixed.
On the one hand, he led Buffalo to a 22-20 record as the team's starting quarterback, accumulating 10,432 yards (8,857 passing, 1,575 rushing) and 65 touchdowns (51 passing, 14 rushing) in the past three seasons.
On the other, the Bills -- who have had their own struggles finding a franchise quarterback -- just dealt him to Cleveland for a third-round pick.
Between the combination of his ability with the deep ball and remarkably low turnover rate, many believe that Taylor's success -- as is the case with many quarterbacks -- is dependent on the talent surrounding him. In the case of the Browns, that could bode well, with the team having also recently acquired Pro Bowl receiver Jarvis Landry to pair with All-Pro talent Josh Gordon.
As Pro Football Focus' Sam Monson told Kimes: "Dumping Tyrod Taylor because you think you can do better is like hitting a 17 in blackjack. You can do better than your hand, but you probably won't."
Overcoming the odds
Everything about Taylor's upbringing screamed future franchise quarterback. One of the most decorated high school football players in Virginia history, the Hampton native arrived at Virginia Tech in 2007 as a 5-star quarterback and the top-ranked dual-threat quarterback in the nation.
But even after finishing his college career as the winningest quarterback in Hokies history, Taylor's dual-threat designation became more of a curse than gift. As some teams pondered a position change at the next level, the 2010 ACC Player of the Year remained undrafted until the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft, before being picked by the Baltimore Ravens.
Taylor spent four years in Baltimore, where he appeared in 14 total games and attempted more than five passes in a single season just once. As a free agent in 2015, he reportedly turned down an opportunity to backup Peyton Manning with the Denver Broncos in order to compete with Matt Cassell and E.J. Manuel for the Bills' starting job.
Taylor went on to start the next 42 of the Bills next 48 regular season games, as well as their first playoff game since 1999. Nevertheless, Buffalo -- which at this point, is still without a new starting signal-caller -- opted to ship him to Cleveland, putting Taylor's career in another all too familiar uncertain situation.
What's next?
Although Taylor knows where he'll be playing -- and barring any unforeseen circumstances, starting -- this season, it doesn't appear likely that Cleveland will be his long-term home. With just one year remaining on Taylor's contract, there's yet to be any indication that the Browns are interested in extending their new acquired signal-caller.
A big reason for that is that with two top-four picks, Cleveland is likely to leave the 2018 NFL Draft with its quarterback of the future. Entering the offseason after the Browns' 0-16 campaign, many believed new Cleveland general manager John Dorsey would acquire both a veteran and a rookie quarterback high in the draft.
Taylor fills the void of the former and is a welcome addition after the Browns spent last season without any quarterback with a single NFL victory to his name.
Due to circumstances -- both of Cleveland's and his own -- it doesn't appear his time with the Browns will be long. But if that changes, it wouldn't be the first time Taylor has overcome the odds.
