The Facts: If Manuel doesn't show some serious progress this spring and summer at OTAs, minicamp and training camp, he very well may be enjoying his final few months in Buffalo as a member of the organization.
Diehards Line:
According to WKBW's Joe Buscaglia, the 'make or break' rhetoric used by the decision makers at team headquarters when it comes to Manuel's third season in the league isn't just throwaway, clichéd football speak. They mean it. The Bills will use all the workouts to decide not only if EJ Manuel will be their starting quarterback, but also if they believe he warrants a spot on the roster. Besides clinging to the fact that he was a first-round pick, which increasingly means less and less as the years pass by with the new rookie wage scale, the reasoning for it is actually quite sound. According to Buscaglia, the simple truth is this: As he is currently constructed, Manuel is not an accurate enough quarterback to thrive as a starting quarterback in the National Football League. He misses throws that players starting at his position make without hesitation. There are times where he gets completions from inaccurate passes, but it takes the receiver so off course that it crushes any hope of legitimate yards after the catch. ... All of which explains how a veteran journeyman like Kyle Orton could supplant him as the starter this year -- and why Matt Cassel could do the same this year.