One of the main questions that came up both in Bills general manager Doug Whaley’s ill-fated press conference, the day after the regular season ended, and again Friday in new coach Sean McDermott’s introductory media session, concerned the future of quarterback Tyrod Taylor.

Neither supplied an enlightening answer.

Asked about Taylor being benched for the season finale, clearly at either his behest or that of the front office, Whaley said, “He had a tremendous year (but) we sat him down as a business decision to look at the other people at the position. EJ Manuel’s coming up as a free agent and we have a young guy (Cardale Jones).

“It was a business decision for the betterment and absolute evaluation process of the position going forward.”

Then he offered a curious addendum: “If we were playing in the playoffs or trying to get to the playoffs and the Jets game meant something, he would have played.”

The “business decision,” of course, was that Taylor, if the Bills decided not to pick up the option on the five remaining years on his contract, would be due a $27.5 million (including bonus) payment plus $3.2 million of 2018’s salary if he got hurt against the Jets and couldn’t pass his physical in early March. And that would be the case, even if the team had decided not to bring him back.

Clearly that is/was (?) the decision of Buffalo’s front office despite what Whaley described as “a tremendous year.”

Rex Ryan, before he was fired, said Taylor was his QB for the finale and interim coach Anthony Lynn made it clear that was preference, as well, but had been ordered to play Manuel. Both felt Tyrod gave them the best chance to win a logical assumption.

Yet if there was any question the Bills hierarchy wanted to move on from the former Raven, consider that he wasn’t merely benched … Taylor was inactive for the Jets game.

McDermott’s position on Taylor can be forgiven as he walked into this mess and is learning on the fly.

At his press conference, when asked about the QB, who has already spent two seasons with the Bills, the former Panthers’ defensive coordinator said, “Obviously the quarterback play in this league is critical. (But) really, at this point, whether it’s Tyrod’s situation or any other position, let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

“I’m going to go through and evaluate every position group, every player the same way I do everything else … in a methodical way. So, with respect to Tyrod, there will be a time for that.”

The problem, of course, is that Whaley is in charge of the 53-man roster and though it’s supposed to be with McDermott’s input … there’s reason to be skeptical.

And while I’m no Tyrod advocate or apologist, his future with the Bills bears consideration.

No, he’s not a “franchise” quarterback, but Taylor, by most any measure, is at least above average by NFL standards.

To be sure, last season, he’d have been more effective had he not been on a team with a defense that was giving up 31 points a game in its losses. He’d have been less criticized had he enjoyed a reasonably healthy receiving corps instead of one that employed nine different wideouts over his 15 starts.

Still, if the Bills choose to move on from Taylor, that’s their prerogative. It’s also entirely possible Buffalo’s management wants him back, but not at that price. However, he was so miffed at the benching, Tyrod might welcome free agency where he would be signed quickly from a less-than-stellar group of quarterbacks.

Currently, there are 26 free agent QBs, most of them has-beens or never-wases. The top prize is Kirk Cousins, though he’s likely to stay with Washington. After that there are a lot of Case Keenums, Matt Schaubs, Mark Sanchezes and Geno Smiths.

There are even three former Bills on the list besides Manuel: Ryan Fitzpatrick, Matt Cassel and Thad Lewis.

Buffalo, if it’s given up on Taylor, might be looking toward possible QB free agents such as Tony Romo, Jay Cutler or even Jimmy Garoppolo. Also in that group could be Josh McCown and Robert Griffin III, though Browns castoffs would be a tough sell to Bills’ Nation. Of course, the most amusing possibility, if he hits the market, is San Francisco’s Colin Kaepernick, who admitted the absolute worst reception he received over his national anthem protest was in Buffalo.

In any case, right now, the Bills seem to be in the “repeal Obamacare” mode, that is to say with no viable alternative.

Manuel is a virtual certainty to be gone as a free agent, and if Buffalo opts against retaining Taylor, it leaves last season’s rookie project, Jones, and a free agent crapshoot.

Here’s hoping the Bills front office has an actual quarterback plan.

(Chuck Pollock, the Times Herald sports editor, can be reached at cpollock@oleantimesherald.com)