Lost among the NFL scouting combine and the United States near-run to a gold medal in the Olympics headlines over the weekend was a little blurb in a Buffalo Bills team report published by the USA Today. According to the report, the Bills are “researching” San Diego Chargers restricted free agent quarterback Charlie Whitehurst.

The report read

“Speaking of San Diego, the Bills are believed to be researching backup quarterback Charlie Whitehurst as a potential restricted free-agent signing (four-year player under no-cap rule). Whitehurst, who played at Clemson, was a third-round pick in 2006 and has been grooming for an opportunity to start, something that won’t materialize in San Diego with Phillip Rivers entrenched. It’s believed Whitehurst will be tendered at $1.176 million or 110 percent of his 2009 paragraph five salary, giving San Diego right of first refusal and a third-round pick if he signs elsewhere.”

When you look at things, if the Bills like Whitehurst  a third rounder isn’t a large price to pay, especially if they plan on using a third or fourth rounder in the draft to take an unknown commodity like Tim Tebow, Colt McCoy or Tony Pike.

Buddy Nix is very familiar with Whitehurst, having scouted him when he was with the Chargers.  He could be one of those diamond in the rough players who never gets his chance being stuck behind Rivers.

If Buffalo were to pursue Whitehurst it’d hardly be news to us.  We wrote on January 7 while assessing the Bills quarterbacks “A sleeper name to watch for is impending San Diego free agent Charlie Whitehurst.  General Manager Buddy Nix had a part in his drafting while serving as a scout with the Chargers.  Whitehurst has rotted behind Philip Rivers but the former third rounder from 2006 is just 27 years old.  Don’t be flabbergasted to see him get a shot here.”

Nix, along with assistant general manager Doug Whaley haven’t put their stamp on this Bills team with players of their respective likings, but that could change when free agency opens on March 5.  Nix with his San Diego ties along with Whaley and his Pittsburgh connection could bring in a few if not several free agents from their former teams.

Could Whitehurst be one of them? And would you give up a third rounder for him?