Why Pressure on EJ Manuel Makes 2015 a Make-or-Break Season

This offseason, the Buffalo Bills have upgraded their offensive line. They have acquired a running back, a wide receiver and a tight end. They have kept their unstoppable defensive line intact.

The one problem they seemingly didn't solve? Quarterback. If you want to make a serious playoff run in the National Football League, you better have someone who can throw the ball.

You may not need a superstar, but with a scrub under center, you might as well forget about all those offseason enhancements at other positions.

Buffalo did trade for Matt Cassel earlier this month, but he is a journeyman who hasn't started more than 10 games in a season since 2010. In the years since, he has thrown 30 touchdowns and 34 interceptions while completing 58.9 percent of his passes.

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The Bills also signed ex-Baltimore Ravens backup Tyrod Taylor, who has attempted just 35 passes over four professional seasons.

And then, of course, there's EJ Manuel.

Is Manuel a first-round bust or an NFL-caliber QB? This writer has argued that he's likelier to become the latter—in part because of his talent and in part because of the talented receivers and coaching staff that will surround him in 2015.

The problem is the Bills don't have any more time to wait around.

Either Manuel seizes his opportunity in training camp and proves himself in the first couple games of the season or his career as a starting quarterback—at least in Buffalo, anyway—is over.

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One could argue, fairly, that Manuel has played less than a full season's worth of games (14 starts over the past two seasons) and needs to be given more time. But that's not how today's NFL works, nor has it been for quite some time.

In some cases, young quarterbacks are not given sufficient room to grow. Last year, when Bills head coach Doug Marrone chose to bench Manuel after Week 4 in favor of veteran Kyle Orton, it seemed to be one of those cases.

The Bills, despite ultimately finishing 9-7 and barely shy of the playoffs, were not a true title contender. Manuel deserved better.

This year, however, the time for patience and easing young players into new roles has passed in Buffalo. Some level-headedness is warranted—Manuel should not be canned in favor of Cassel if EJ has a bad first series of the first game, or even a bad first game overall—but the Bills can ill afford to let Manuel become the anchor who holds down their ship with AFC East-winning potential.

Recently, at the NFL owners meetings in Arizona, new Bills head coach Rex Ryan explained that Manuel doesn't need to be a hero. He only needs to keep the ship afloat.

“He just has to be part of the solution,” Ryan said, per Chris Brown of BuffaloBills.com. “He doesn’t have to be the solution. Hit the guy that’s open. We don’t need to force the issue. Somebody is going to be open with the talent we have. Be accurate with the football and protect the football.”

The test for Manuel will be as much mental as it is physical. He has the physical tools to succeed. How will he step up in training camp with his second chances running out and Cassel breathing down his neck?

On the one hand, losing the starting job after four games last season couldn't have been easy on Manuel's psyche. But the new Bills regime clearly has more confidence in him than the last one did, and that could go a long way.

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Ryan discussed his view of the team handing the reins to Orton last season:

"

I never saw a regression in EJ. I think basically the decision was made to go with Orton because they thought Kyle gave them the best opportunity to win. I never saw that. In fact, [Manuel] looked pretty darn good when they played Miami [in Week 2]. There are some games where he looked really good. We’ll see what happens. I’m excited about seeing EJ compete. I know he’s excited about it as well.

"

The numbers for Manuel over his first 14 starts have indeed been underwhelming. He's posted 16 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, a 58.6 percent completion rate and a QB rating of 78.5.

But now is his time to shine. He knows it. Rex knows it. Bills fans know it.

If Manuel steps up in 2015, he will become part of the solution for a franchise desperate—and ready—to taste the postseason for the first time this century.