QB Matt Barkley, Bills Agree to 2-Year Contract Extension Through 2020

The Buffalo Bills announced on Friday that they have signed quarterback Matt Barkley to a two-year extension through 2020. 

Buffalo picked up Barkley as midseason insurance in late October with starter Josh Allen recovering from an elbow injury and backup signal-caller Derek Anderson in the concussion protocol.

With a struggling Nathan Peterman the only option left on the active roster at the time, Buffalo asked Barkley to start a road game against the New York Jets on November 11. He answered the call with 232 passing yards, two touchdowns and a 60-percent completion rate in a 41-10 win.

With Allen back in the mix and excelling, Barkley figures to be his backup for the foreseeable future.

A collegiate star at USC, Barkley completed 64.1 percent of his passes and threw 116 touchdowns in four seasons. He finished sixth in the 2011 Heisman voting.

The Philadelphia Eagles drafted Barkley in the fourth round of the 2013 draft, but Barkley didn't see much action as he sat behind Nick Foles, Michael Vick and Mark Sanchez. The time he saw didn't go well, as he threw four interceptions with no touchdowns. He also had just 6.0 yards per pass attempt.

After a quick stop in Arizona, Barkley landed with the Chicago Bears in 2016 and started six games. His turnover problems continued with 14 interceptions in seven games (six starts), but the ex-Trojan star did throw for eight touchdowns and averaged 7.46 yards per pass attempt.

Barkley hadn't seen any live action between his last Bears start and his first Bills appearance as he bounced from San Francisco to Arizona to Cincinnati and finally Buffalo.

The Bills only have a one-contest sample size to go off for judging Barkley's most recent game action, but it's possible the 28-year-old has figured things out since an uneven start to his career. With six years of professional experience under his belt, he could also be a good mentor for the 22-year-old rookie Allen as he navigates the league.

And if his game against New York is symbolic of things to come, then Barkley should be a good backup option if called upon.