RPTs: Bills won't pick up EJ Manuel's option

Quarterback EJ Manuel will likely hit the open market after this season.

Per the Buffalo News:

The Bills aren't picking up the fifth-year option on the contract Manuel signed as a rookie in 2013, according to multiple reports. That means Manuel is due to become a free agent after the 2016 season.

According to the News, the option would've cost the Bills approximately $11.4 million.

Rex: EJ's accuracy looks better heading into Week 7

An extended stay in London may be helping the Buffalo Bills settle into the time difference, but it hasn't aided its injury situation.

With quarterback Tyrod Taylor still suffering from a sore knee, backup signal-caller EJ Manuel will get his second straight start this weekend, according to coach Rex Ryan.

Ryan liked what he saw from Manuel in practice this week, work he's expecting will translate into success Sunday. Manuel completed 67 percent of his passes with a touchdown and an interception in last week's loss to the Bengals, a line Ryan is hoping will improve.

"I think his accuracy has really improved,” Ryan said via BuffaloBills.com. "He had a great day (Thursday) throwing the football. So we'll just see it carry into the game hopefully and I believe it will."

READ MORE

Follow AFC East Daily @AFCEastDaily

With Taylor questionable, Rex ‘really happy’ with EJ

It’s safe to say that things are officially up in the air as to who will be under center for the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.

With multiple reports stating Buffalo Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor will miss the team’s matchup against the Bengals, as well as Buffalo’s acquisition of former Colts signal-caller Josh Johnson Tuesday, just who will be taking the snaps Week 6 is pretty unclear at this point.

And while Rex Ryan certainly isn’t ruling out the fact that Taylor could start, he expressed his faith in EJ Manuel’s abilities on Wednesday.

“We have a lot of confidence in EJ Manuel,” Ryan said. “That’s why we traded Matt Cassel. He had a terrific preseason. In fact he had one of the highest quarterback ratings in the NFL in the preseason.

“We’re really happy with him if in fact he is playing quarterback.”

READ MORE

Follow AFC East Daily @AFCEastDaily

Manuel back to No. 2 as Bills trade Cassel to Cowboys

The Buffalo Bills have parted ways with Matt Cassel for the second time this month. This time, it's final.

Buffalo announced Tuesday it has traded the journeyman quarterback to the Dallas Cowboys for an undisclosed draft pick. And with that, EJ Manuel has his second-string job back.

The Bills released Cassel before the regular season and re-signed him for half the price to back up Tyrod Taylor. Now, the team is ready to move forward with EJ Manuel as its No. 2.

According to The Buffalo News, the Cassel-Cowboys deal includes an exchange of some late 2017 draft picks.

Follow AFC East Daily @AFCEastDaily

RPT: Buffalo names Tyrod Taylor opening-day starter

The Buffalo Bills' quarterback competition is apparently over.

According to NFL insider Jay Glazer, Rex Ryan has chosen Tyrod Taylor as his starting signal-caller for the team's Week 1 home opener against the Colts.

Taylor has impressed the coaching staff this summer with his versatility and his accuracy, completing 73 percent of his throws in his three preseason appearances and making plays with his legs.

This will be the 26-year-old's first opportunity to start in his five-year career, and he's currently the team's best option, with EJ Manuel as the likely backup based on this summer's performance.

It will be interesting to see how Buffalo handles the backup position given Matt Cassel's current $4 million cap number, especially since he's been the most underwhelming of all three quarterbacks.

Follow AFC East Daily @AFCEastDaily

Manuel hedging his bets as work with No. 3's continues

EJ Manuel's offseason has been anything but smooth sailing, and the third-year quarterback seems to finally be realizing the bumpy ride is far from over.

Currently the Buffalo Bills' No. 3 signal-caller -- which will continue for the team's second preseason game -- Manuel has struggled to gain any ground in the fight for the starting role.

Monday, he recognized that his third training camp with Buffalo could ultimately end with his release.

"At the end of the day, if I play well, it should take care of itself," he said via the Associated Press. "Whether it's here or whether it's somewhere else, I don't know.

"All I can do right now is continue to play well."

READ MORE

Follow AFC East Daily @AFCEastDaily

EJ unofficial No. 3 on depth chart to start preseason

Monday, Buffalo Bills quarterback EJ Manuel watched his stock tumble as Rex Ryan announced that Matt Cassel will be the starter for the team's first preseason game against the Carolina Panthers.

Things weren't looking any better Tuesday, as the third-year signal-caller was focused on work with the third-team offense, and 26-year-old Tyrod Taylor took the majority of the backup snaps.

According to Mike Rodak of ESPN.com, Manuel was the least efficient of the three in Tuesday's workouts, going 3-for-5 in 11-on-11 drills. Cassel and Taylor went 7-for-9 and 5-for-6, respectively.

The plan, according to Ryan, is to rotate the three quarterbacks evenly over the course of the preseason, similar to how the Seattle Seahawks approached their depth chart when it consisted of Russell Wilson, Tavaris Jackson and Matt Flynn.

"I think we're gonna look at it over at least a two-game stretch, so I think that'll be where they're more balanced, probably," Ryan said. "But each guy will get a shot."

READ MORE

Follow AFC East Daily @AFCEastDaily

Manuel hoping WR familiarity aids QB battle

Matt Cassel may be taking the majority of No. 1 snaps for the Buffalo Bills, but that apparently isn't going to dissuade third-year quarterback E.J. Manuel.

Injuries and inconsistent play have pushed the 25-year-old into a fight for his starting spot, but Manuel is hoping the history he has with his support staff will keep the QB roster battle tight throughout training camp.

"You know I’m very close with all those guys. Especially Woody (Robert Woods), Sammy (Watkins), Marquise (Goodwin), (Chris) Hogan – guys who’ve been here since I’ve been here, so we’ve been working together a bunch and having that cohesiveness already," Manuel said via Chris Brown of BuffaloBills.com.

"Because I know their speeds, I know how they run routes, I know what they like, I know where they like the ball and things like that, so it does give me somewhat of an advantage."

READ MORE

Follow AFC East Daily @AFCEastDaily

Rex's mind 'absolutely not made up' with Bills QBs

Buffalo Bills coach Rex Ryan's mind is "absolutely not made up" regarding the Bills' battle for the top of the quarterback depth chart. Via the Buffalo News:

“You look at Matt Cassel, obviously he’s won in this league,” Ryan said. “He’s been a Pro Bowl quarterback, so there’s that experience that you have.

 “And then EJ. Let’s not just throw him out after two years. Aaron Rodgers never took a snap for three years. So let’s see where” Manuel’s “going to be.”

Ryan also won't rule out drafting a quarterback.

READ MORE

Follow AFC East Daily @AFCEastDaily

Jim Kelly says Bills need to find out if EJ is 'the guy'

The Buffalo Bills have been looking for a quarterback since legendary signal-caller Jim Kelly hung up his cleats after the 1996 season--which was 14 quarterbacks ago.

Buffalo used a first-round pick on EJ Manuel two years ago in hopes he could take the reins, but after 24 months of injuries and benchings, they're still trying to figure out exactly what they have in the Florida State project.

“We need to find out if EJ is going to be the guy,” Kelly said this week, via BuffaloBills.com.  “I don’t care who you are, Don Shula, Marv Levy, Vince Lombardi if you don’t have a guy behind the center you’re not going anywhere period. If you look at all the teams that are in the playoffs now, look who is behind the center."

READ MORE

Follow AFC East Daily @AFCEastDaily

Bills' Manuel strives for more urgency, awareness

BY NICK ST. DENIS

At 2-1 and coming off their first loss of the season, the Buffalo Bills are far from panic mode in the big picture.

On the field in crunch time, however Bills quarterback EJ Manuel thinks his team needs to turn up the urgency, particularly late in the game.

“Our sense of urgency has to pick up, especially in the whole fourth quarter,” Manuel said Wednesday, via BuffaloBills.com. “I don’t think any of us were satisfied with it as a team or as an offense. I don’t think our urgency was where it needs to be."

E.J. Manuel 'feels really good' about Bills, Jets

BY NICK ST. DENIS

E.J. Manuel has yet to be assigned to an NFL division. But there's one in particular that he's pretty comfortable with.

During an appearance on the Dan Patrick Show Wednesday, the former Florida State quarterback and 2013 NFL Draft prospect named three teams he thought were most interested in him.

“I feel really good about the Philadelphia Eagles, I feel really good about the Buffalo Bills, I feel really good about the New York Jets,” Manuel said. “I met with even more teams than that, but those are some of the teams I feel really confident in.

Jets to host quarterback prospects Manuel, Smith

BY NICK ST. DENIS

It's highly improbable that the New York Jets take a quarterback in the first round of the 2013 draft, but they're doing their due diligence.

And there's always a second (and third) round. (photo: Dave Wilkinson, Flickr)

Gang Green is reportedly slated to play host to former Florida State quarterback EJ Manuel and ex-West Virginia signal-caller Geno Smith this week.

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.