Saturday, March 23, 2013

Bills hold private workout with FSU's EJ Manuel

BY DAN BEGNOCHE

The Buffalo Bills' quarterback quest continues Saturday, as the team will hold a private workout with Florida State signal-caller EJ Manuel in Tallahassee, Fla., according to the team’s website.

Manuel, recognized for his strong arm and familiarity with a pro-style system, was called a “better prospect than Christian Ponder was two years ago with more upside” by Mike Mayock of the NFL Network recently.

Manuel’s accuracy and timing have been a question mark, however, which favor the likelihood of his availability when Buffalo’s No. 8 pick comes up next month.

Manuel was impressive during the Senior Bowl, completing 70 percent of his passes with a touchdown on his way to a Most Outstanding Player nod. He also added a rushing touchdown. His seven passes only accumulated 76 yards, however, with one of those being his 20-yard touchdown pass.

Manuel’s strength lies in the short, quick passing game, while his big-play ability is a bit of a question mark. Sound familiar? Also, as we’ve said before, the team’s continued quarterback road trip could be a smokescreen attempt prior to their draft-day pursuit of Syracuse's Ryan Nassib.

The team met with West Virginia’s Geno Smith Friday.

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