The No. 2 quarterback job in Buffalo has been among the loneliest in the NFL over the past three seasons, what with the slow but durable Drew Bledsoe starting all 48 games.

But after Bledsoe was released last month, and the reins were handed to J.P. Losman, a solid insurance policy suddenly became important for Buffalo again.

In signing eight-year veteran Kelly Holcomb, the Bills acquired perhaps the best backup available this off-season, a player with starting experience, experience off the bench and a reputation for being a solid team player that will know his role and not make waves.

"I've been through it a couple times," said Holcomb, who backed up Peyton Manning in Indianapolis and Tim Couch in Cleveland. "You have to understand what the situation is. I know what the situation is. He (Losman) is a young guy and they brought him in here to be THE guy. I have to help him as much as I can."

He may also be called upon to keep a playoff-caliber team on track should Losman struggle or be injured.

The past four seasons in Cleveland, Holcomb played in 20 games, including 13 starts (4-9 record), two in which he threw for more than 400 yards. He played well enough coming out of training camp in 2003 to win a spirited competition with Couch that divided Browns' fans.

Losman, who already has one major injury (broken leg last summer), must prove his durability. That injury may have been a freak occurrence, but the Bills were concerned enough to commit to Holcomb with a tidy four-year, $6.6 million deal with a $2 million signing bonus, very good money to hold a clip board.

Holcomb, however, has no designs on Losman's starting job, he said. "I don't see myself as having ego," Holcomb said. "I like wining ball games and being a part of something. In Cleveland, we've had a tough couple years, we haven't been able to win many ball games. Coming here, it's breath of fresh air. I'm just looking forward to getting started and helping this team and doing what I can. I know J.P. is going to be good football player and I'm going to help him as much as I can because it's all about winning football games."

Signing with the Bills reunites Holcomb, 31, with Bills coach Mike Mularkey and quarterbacks coach Sam Wyche, his first NFL coaches while with Tampa Bay in 1995. Mularkey is all too familiar with Holcomb's skills.

In an AFC wild-card game at Pittsburgh on Jan. 5, 2003 - with Mularkey on the other sideline - Holcomb was 26 of 43 passing for 429 yards, 3 TDs, 1 interception and a 107.6 rating in a 36-33 Browns' loss.

"That was a fun game," Holcomb said. "You felt like you were in playground with buddies back in Fayetteville, Tenn. Whatever you did it would come up golden. It was fun to be in that game, in that arena with that much on it. You dream about being in the Super Bowl but in order to get to Super Bowl you have to be in the playoffs and win games. Just the atmosphere of it was great. Hell, I wish we could've beaten those guys."

Last year at Cincinnati, Holcomb started for an injured Jeff Garcia (shoulder) in Week 11 and went 30 of 39 for 413 yards, 5 TDs and a 128.5 rating in a 58-48 loss. In 2003 against Arizona, Holcomb had a 392-yard, 3-TD game. The Browns won that won, 44-3.

How does Holcomb account for those big outings? A heady player with limited physical skills, he hasn't been able to perform consistently enough to remain a starter.

"I'm very confident in my abilities," he said. "I feel I'm a pretty good football player. If you study, you persevere and work hard, I believe good things are going to happen. Your preparation has to be unmatched. You have to go into the game knowing what you're going to do."

Holcomb will return to Buffalo on March 21 when the team kicks off its off-season workout program.

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