EJ Manuel's rookie season was full of ups and downs. After being the top quarterback selected in the 2013 NFL Draft, Manuel had a decent start to the season, leading the Buffalo Bills to a pair of wins over the first four games.
A knee injury suffered against the Cleveland Browns forced Manuel to watch from the sidelines for over a month, and even when healthy his play was inconsistent. Manuel finished the year completing 58.8 percent of his passes for 1,972 yards with 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
As Manuel prepares for his second season, the Bills have gone all-in to help dramatically improve the offense. Buffalo made a major splash in the offseason, trading up to select Clemson wide receiver Sammy Watkins in the draft, as well as completing trades to bring in troubled Tampa Bay Buccaneers wideout Mike Williams and Philadelphia Eagles running back Bryce Brown.
Now with plenty of weapons at his disposal, Manuel is poised for a strong sophomore campaign. According to Bills offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, Manuel has been putting in the work during team activies and Hackett likes what he sees.
"He doing a very good job," Hackett said Wednesday, via the Bills' official website. "He's put in a lot of work, all the quarterbacks are. They're understanding the system, understanding what we're trying to get. It's nice to see him make plays within the pocket, step up, find his check downs, throw the ball down the field a couple times.
"He's really starting to get it all. It was funny, when he came into minicamp he was like, 'Alright, no more new installs, let's work on what we've been doing.' I think that's a refresher for a quarterback that he knows what he's doing right now with what we've got in."
Hackett was also impressed by the growth in Manuel's confidence and his ability to command the offense.
Based on the moves Buffalo made during the offseason, the Bills are considered a potential sleeper to earn their way into the postseason. Improved play from Manuel will be key if Buffalo hopes to reach the playoffs for the first time since the 1999 season.
