EJ Manuel: Bills Scheme Easier To Learn Than Florida State’s

EJ Manuel said he’s excited to start running the Buffalo Bills offense.

In fact, the rookie from Florida State said the Bills offense has been easier to pick up than the one he ran in college.

“The funny thing is it’s easier to learn than the offense I had at Florida State,” he told SiriusXM NFL Radio. “It’s a true West Coast-type progression offense. That’s really what I wanted when I was coming through the pre-draft process. I wanted something that I could just go in and say 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, check it down and run it. That’s it, it’s that simple. I love it.”

EJ Manuel has already been working closely with the Bills new offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, who followed new coach Doug Marrone from Syracuse.

“I’ve done great. The learning curve for me is a lot shorter simply because of what I had at Florida State. [The Seminoles’ offense is] more complex and a little bit harder to catch on and learn. This offense is very simple. I’ve done a great job with it,” he said in the interview.

The Bills surprised many by taking Manuel with the No. 16 pick, the first quarterback off the board and the only one taken in the first round.

Many had expected the Bills to snag West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith or Syracuse signal caller Ryan Nassib. But the Bills reportedly fell in love with the strong arm, big size, and fast legs of EJ Manuel.

Manuel will go into training camp with a chance to compete for the starting job. The Bills also have veteran Tavaris Jackson, who was on the team last year but never active, and also brought in free agent Kevin Kolb.

Whether EJ Manuel wins the spot this year or waits another, he is part of a young Bills team with great promise. The Bills also bolstered their receiving corps by selecting Robert Woods (USC), Marquise Goodwin (Texas), and undrafted free agent Da’Rick Rodgers.