When the Buffalo Bills announced that veteran journeyman Kyle Orton would replace second-year quarterback EJ Manuel in the starting lineup for their Week 5 outing against the Detroit Lions, some were thrown for a loop by the decision.
After all, Manuel is still a young quarterback with upside while Orton had just recently quit on the Dallas Cowboys over the summer.
But it appears that at least one player on the Bills is in support of the quarterback change. Rookie wide receiver Sammy Watkins had this to say about Orton taking over for Manuel in what seemed to be an outward questioning of Manuel’s ability on the field.
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If you’re able to read between the lines here, it tells a story of a receiver that didn’t think Manuel possessed the capability to get rid of the ball in the pocket and throw it down the field.
Statistically, there is some truth to this statement. After averaging 5.8 yards per attempt as a rookie, Manuel is averaging just over six yards per attempt this season.
There have been a lot of questions about whether Manuel has a full grasp of the Bills offense, which could have been one of the primary reasons they were calling such a conservative game with him under center.
We will see if this changes with Orton starting, but it’s rather interesting that Watkins would call out his young quarterback in a way that can be defined as anything but subtle.
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