The Buffalo Bills are widely expected to be in the market for a quarterback in April's draft, possibly as high as the first round. With extra first- and second-round picks -- and eight picks in the first five rounds -- the Bills have chips to move up the board and jostle for one of the top quarterbacks in the class.

However, the draft offers few guarantees. The later in the draft that the Bills select a quarterback -- if they do at all -- the greater the need they will have for a "bridge" quarterback who can hold down the starting job until a young quarterback is ready.

It is possible the Bills keep Tyrod Taylor for the final year of his contract at $18 million to fill that role, but after three seasons as Buffalo's starter and mixed results, it might be time for both sides to move on. Keeping Taylor under center in 2018 after he passed for 134 yards and no touchdowns in a 10-3 playoff loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars would be a tough sell for a fan base looking for the team to take a step forward on offense.

If Taylor is traded or released before a $6 million roster bonus is due in March, the Bills should have a range of options at quarterback in the trade and free-agent markets before they find out which quarterback they might be able to acquire in the draft.

The top quarterback expected to be available this offseason is Kirk Cousins, but splurging on what could be a massive contract for Cousins does not seem to be the preferred path for second-year general manager Brandon Beane. Upon taking the job last May, Beane said he would build through the draft and added, "you're not going to see big splashes [in] free agency."

That does not mean the Bills should be expected to turn over their team to a rookie quarterback in 2018 without a legitimate veteran starting option also on the roster. Both Beane and coach Sean McDermott have preached trying to balance winning now and winning in the future, which suggests they will acquire a veteran and rookie quarterback this offseason to satisfy both needs.

Here are some of the possibilities for Buffalo to serve as its "bridge" quarterback before eventually turning the job over to a younger prospect:

Alex Smith: He makes the most sense for the Bills if their goal is to be a legitimate contender in 2018. Other than Cousins, he might be the only veteran quarterback available this offseason who is a clear upgrade over Taylor. Smith set career highs this past season with 4,042 passing yards, 26 touchdown passes and a 104.7 passer rating. At 34, he is young enough to realistically guide the Bills back to the playoffs next season, but he has the experience to mentor a young quarterback the Bills might draft.

Smith would not come cheap. If the Kansas City Chiefs put Smith on the trade market and pass the torch to Patrick Mahomes, the Bills will probably face competition from the Cleveland Browns, among others. The Browns are loaded with draft picks and salary-cap space, so even the well-stocked Bills might not be able to match an offer. The Bills might be willing to part with a mid-round pick in order to compete with Smith in 2018, but it is hard to see them giving away an early-round pick for what would most likely be a one-year rental at quarterback -- especially when they might use that early-round pick to either draft or move up the board to select a quarterback.

If Smith is traded, his new team will acquire what is essentially a one-year, $17 million deal. That means he would cost the Bills about the same as keeping Taylor. If Smith is released, he would not cost the Bills a draft pick but they would have to pay a likely higher cost on the open market to sign him -- and probably give him a multi-year contract. Either way, Smith would be an expensive bridge quarterback who could somewhat limit the Bills' flexibility in free agency this offseason.

Sam Bradford/Case Keenum/Teddy Bridgewater: The three Minnesota Vikings quarterbacks are all set to become unrestricted free agents this offseason, and it remains unclear which will be kept in 2018. Bradford would make the most sense for Buffalo as a bridge quarterback. If he stays healthy, he offers a steady presence who could guide a ball-control offense back to the playoffs. At 30, Bradford could see some appeal in a one-year, prove-it deal that puts him back on the free-agent market in 2019 and in demand with a bounce-back season. Keenum and Bridgewater make less sense for the Bills because both would probably prefer a team where they can become the long-term starter and not have a high draft pick waiting behind them. The Bills passing up on a quarterback in this draft in favor of Bridgewater would be a massive gamble given he has not played meaningful snaps since 2015.

Derek Anderson: He is not a name that screams playoffs in 2018 for Buffalo, but there could be an appeal for the Bills to bring Anderson aboard to compete for the starting job as a lower-cost option. If the Bills move up into the top part of the first round to take a quarterback they intend on starting early in his career, signing Anderson could make more sense than investing potentially significant resources in Smith.

Anderson, scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent, has connections to Beane, having played several seasons for Carolina when Beane was part of that front office. Last year, Beane called Anderson "a seasoned guy who was perfect for Cam [Newton]" after Newton was drafted in 2011, suggesting Beane could see Anderson mentoring a young quarterback next season in Buffalo. Anderson turns 35 in June and has a career 20-27 record as the starter, as well as a 54-percent completion rate and 71.1 passer rating, so he would be among the lower-ceiling bridge options available. He has experience with new Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll when they were together in 2009 with Cleveland.

Josh McCown: Turning 39 in July, he is the prototypical bridge quarterback at this point in his career. McCown proved he could still play last season for the Jets, completing 67.3 percent of his passes for 2,926 yards, 18 touchdowns, nine interceptions and a 94.5 passer rating. He is considered a high-character player who could fit into McDermott's culture while playing the role of mentor to a young quarterback. McCown would give the Bills a lower chance of making the playoffs than Smith or possibly Bradford, but his cost could be lower, and as a free agent, he would not require draft assets to acquire.