Bills were surprised Tyree Jackson wasn’t drafted

[Billy Buffalo]

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The Bills have confirmed that they’re in the process of signing Buffalo quarterback Tyree Jackson. They also have confirmed that they didn’t expect Jackson to be available to be signed.

“I truly thought he would be drafted,” Bills G.M. Brandon Beane told reporters Saturday evening. “He was on our draft board to be drafted. I’m surprised. You saw his name still sitting there late in the seventh, and you start going, ‘Man, if this kid doesn’t get drafted, we’re going to have to go after him.’ And we did.”

So what do the Bills like in Jackson?

“He’s got a strong arm and he’s got some mobility,” Beane said. “I think he’s shown improvement and played at the Senior Bowl, it wasn’t too big for him. I think he’s still an ascending player. I know he’s worked on some mechanics with Jordan Palmer. I talked to Jordan for a while here at his Pro Day. It was just asking him some of the things he was working with him on, I don’t want to go into all of it. He thought he was heading in the right direction. Josh [Allen] has been around him out there. I asked Josh about him when I saw him. [Josh] really likes him, I think Josh even let him stay at his house for a little bit of time when he was here. It will be a natural fit. It’s exciting for Sean [McDermott] and I. We really love the UB program and what they’re doing. It’s cool even though we didn’t draft one to be able to bring him here.”

Beane said that the agreement will be finalized after Jackson passes a physical. Then, he’ll begin the competition for a spot on the regular-season depth chart with Derek Anderson and Matt Barkley.