E.J. Manuel Could Be Done With Bills Barring Significant Improvement

According to Joe Buscaglia of WKBW, Bills QB E.J. Manuel’s time in Buffalo could be coming to an end unless he shows some “serious progress” this summer.

Buscaglia says he was initially doing some digging regarding who the Bills could be targeting in the draft when the topic of the Bills moving on from Manuel first came up.

Buscaglia adds that further digging into the subject has produced enough support where this is a possibility that can’t be ignored.

“The ‘make or break’ rhetoric used by the decision makers over at One Bills Drive when it comes to Manuel’s third season in the league isn’t just throwaway, clichéd football speak,” Buscaglia  writes. “They mean it.”

There is, of course, still a chance that Manuel could impress the coaching staff and compete for the starting job, but he’ll obviously need to show some serious progress in order for this to be a realistic possibility.

The Bills traded for Matt Cassel early in the offseason and later signed Tyrod Taylor, who is expected to be given a legitimate shot at winning the starting job.

Manuel, 25, still has another two years remaining on his four-year, $8,885,300 contract, which includes base salaries of $1,212,755 and $1,616,632 over the next two years.

Buffalo could always pick up Manuel’s fifth-year option if he does turn things around and prove to be worthy of the first-round pick the Bills used on him a few years ago.

According to OverTheCap.com, releasing Manuel after June 1 would free up no cap space while creating $2,423,264 in dead money.

In 2014, appeared in just five games and threw for 838 yards while completing 58 percent of his passes to go along with five touchdowns and three interceptions. He also contributed 52 yards rushing and a touchdown.