The first thing EJ Manuel wanted reporters to know on Tuesday? The knee is fine.
The second thing? He plans to be a new-and-improved signal-caller come September.
"I definitely agree there's a lot out there for myself as a quarterback to get better," Manuel said, per The Associated Press. "I had some success. And I had some bad games as well. It's obvious."
Joining teammates for the start of Buffalo's offseason voluntary conditioning program, Manuel showed off his knee to reporters, saying: "I feel fine. I feel normal. I'm very eager to play a full 16-game regular season."
After three knee operations as a rookie, Manuel's durability raises as many questions as his play, which saw him complete just 58.8 percent of his throws and seemingly regress down the stretch. Buffalo went out of its way to reduce the playbook and furnish Manuel with easier reads, but his on-field work was inconsistent from start to finish.
The team has trumpeted their young passer, announcing last month that they're "all in" on EJ, but he'll need to show tangible progress come September to hang onto the job.
We'd argue that backup Thad Lewis showed more than Manuel last season. We'd also argue that Buffalo has enough talent to reach the playoffs if the Bills get solid play from under center. In a league where young quarterbacks are expected to grow up overnight, the clock is ticking for Manuel.
In the latest edition of the "Around The League Podcast," the guys talk Geno Smith's future in New York and pick the winners and losers of free agency.
