NFL Rumors: Former Eagle Matt Barkley Signs Contract Extension With Buffalo Bills

Matt Barkley, acquired by the Buffalo Bills back in October, has signed a two-year contract extension with the team. This means the 28-year-old quarterback will play on in Buffalo until 2020.

Things are looking up for the fifth overall pick of the 2013 NFL draft by the Philadelphia Eagles since getting the nod to start back on Nov. 11, 2018. Barkley started for the Bills against the New York Jets, his first start in two years. He did not disappoint, throwing 232 yards and two touchdown passes. The Bills defeated the Jets 41-10, halting their four-game losing streak.

And it seems that performance was part of the reasons why Barkley was given a new lease. It has been a hard climb for the former USC alum, who played only four games with the Eagles. He completed 30 of 50 passes for 300 yards and four interceptions in the limited time he was given.

From there, he moved on to the Arizona Cardinals in 2015 and then the Chicago Bears in 2016. With the Bears, Barkley started in six games where he completed 59.7-percent of his passes. He produced 1,611 passing yards, 8 touchdowns and 14 interceptions, according to NJ.com.

He eventually became a journeyman from there. He signed with the San Francisco 49ers in 2017 before getting released at the end of the preseason. He returned to the Cardinals when Drew Stanton suffered an injury. Unfortunately, Barkley was inactive for the entire season.

Things did not end up rosy as well when he signed with the Cincinnati Bengals due to a knee injury. His fortune apparently changed when he joined the Bills. And now, it may all be up to him to show what he can really do -- something he never really got to do in his previous clubs.

Aside from quarterbacking, Barkley is expected to take Josh Allen under his wing. He will also mentor seventh pick from the 2018 NFL draft who has been making waves as one of the league's dangerous scrambling quarterbacks, SB Nation reported.

Speaking of Allen, he is set to go against Tom Brady for the first time when the Bills face the New England Patriots this Sunday at the Gilette Stadium in Foxbro MA starting at 1 p.m. EST. The Pats are betting favorites over the Bills.

Allen will be in the spotlight, known to be dangerous as a ball carrier. The 22-year-old has been making quite an impression and is forecasted to reach 1,000 yards by next season. He is going up against Brady, someone who needed 19 years to reach 1,000 yards -- adding a bit of intrigue in this weekend's matchup.