The Chicago Bears chose Jimmy Clausen to be the team’s back-up quarterback over the weekend, and as part of that decision they also cut ties with Jordan Palmer.
Palmer, who backed up Josh McCown last season while Jay Cutler was dealing with groin and ankle injuries, didn’t stay on the free agent market for long, as it was reported on Monday night that the quarterback had signed with the Buffalo Bills.
The deal will make Palmer the back-up quarterback for second-year star EJ Manuel. With 2014 first-round draft pick Sammy Watkins in the fold, the Bills will be looking to throw the ball a bit more this season, but they will still be primarily a run-first team with CJ Spiller and Fred Jackson splitting carries in the backfield.
The move comes with a bit of intrigue as well, with the Bears slated to welcome the Bills to Soldier Field for the season opener on September 7. While it’s going to be a boost to the Bills to have Palmer as a mentor to the young Manuel, getting some of the inside dirt on Marc Trestman’s offense had to play into the mindset of the Buffalo front office at least a little bit.
