The Facts: This much is certain about the Bills’ QB situation: There will be a legitimate competition for the starting job this summer. HC Rex Ryan says you can take it to the bank that his mind is “absolutely not made up” about who will start. Ryan wouldn’t get into details about what the Bills’ QB depth chart will look like when the team takes the field during offseason workouts, which begin with a voluntary conditioning program on Monday. Besides Manuel and Matt Cassel, the Bills have two other QBs: Tyrod Taylor, who they signed as a free agent last month, and Jeff Tuel. “I’m lining them up to literally have a competition for the position,” Ryan said.
Diehards Line:What isn’t so certain, according to Ryan and GM Doug Whaley, is whether the Bills will select a quarterback during the NFL Draft. “If you draft a guy, you draft a guy,” the coach said. Otherwise, the Bills will more than likely choose between Manuel, who started 10 games as a rookie in 2013 and was benched after four games last season by previous coach Doug Marrone, and Cassel, a 10-year veteran acquired last month in a trade with the Minnesota Vikings. “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. ...” Although Taylor seems like a long shot to win the starting job, Ryan isn’t ruling him out as a factor in the competition. During offseason drills and training-camp practices, Ryan plans to have the quarterbacks work simultaneously on separate fields to enhance their ability to receive equal repetitions.