Buffalo Bills Rumors: E.J. Manuel Could Be Gone Before Training Camp, Sources Claim

The Buffalo Bills are rumored to be done with E.J. Manuel, with sources close to the team saying the former first-round draft pick isn’t factoring into new coach Rex Ryan’s plans going forward.

Manuel has been plagued by inconsistency and injury in his two seasons in Buffalo. His rookie year showed flashes of promise mixed with poor play, but ultimately it was injuries that did him in. Manuel started just 10 games the first season as he battled a series of knee injuries.

His second season was cut even shorter. After Manuel started 2-2 he was yanked in favor of Kyle Orton, who played the entirety of snaps the rest of the way.

Now it appears he will never take a snap with the team again. There are rumors that the Buffalo Bills are giving E.J. Manuel one last chance to prove himself and are ready to part ways with him if it doesn’t work out.

“If former first-round pick and quarterback EJ 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,” Joe Buscagilia of WKBW in Buffalo wrote Monday.

Rex Ryan has already showed he has no qualms in making big moves. One of his first major acts after being named head coach was to trade the promising but injury-plagued linebacker Kiko Alonso, a fan favorite.

There have already been signs that Manuel could be the next to go. Rex Ryan has been high on free agent pickup Tyrod Taylor, who has seen very limited time in the league playing behind the durable Joe Flacco.

This week there have been some rumors that the Buffalo Bills may trade E.J. Manuel, and the Philadelphia Eagles have turned up as a potential partner.

“If the Bills end up dangling Manuel for a late-round pick in August, keep an eye on the Eagles as a potential trade partner. After recruiting Manuel at Oregon, Chip Kelly told NFL Network in the lead-up to the 2013 NFL Draft that the former Florida State star was a player he “didn’t get a chance to coach but would like a chance to coach.” Shortly thereafter, Manuel noted that the Eagles “want me pretty bad.” Manuel would make for an interesting reclamation project under Kelly’s tutelage if he ultimately flames out in Buffalo.”

If the Buffalo Bills rumors are true and E.J. Manuel finds his way to a new team, the Bills would likely go into training camp in an open competition between Matt Cassel and Tyrod Taylor.

[Image via Getty Images/Vaughn Ridley]