Buffalo Bills backup QB Kyle Orton to be ‘sounding board’ for EJ Manuel
By Cory Buck
The Buffalo Bills finally got the veteran backup quarterback they’d been coveting all summer when they signed Kyle Orton in late August. While the team still has a long way to go to prove its playoff mettle, Orton remains focused on his small niche within the team. His main goal? Support second-year quarterback EJ Manuel as Manuel faces a season of heavy scrutiny.
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“My role on the team is a backup and to be ready to play whenever I need to be,” Orton told The Buffalo News. “Job No. 1 is to help EJ and that’s what I plan to do.”
Manuel will need all the help he can get after a dismal preseason that saw the Bills go 1-4 with the first-string offense racking up zero touchdowns against opposing first-string defenses. Antsy Bills fans are already wary of Manuel, and now it appears the coaching staff isn’t deaf to those concerns.
After turning a blind eye to the backup position for most of the offseason, the team has finally found someone whose experience can better their franchise quarterback.
“Like him, I started as a rookie and know how tough that is. But also, I know how great your second year can be, just learning wise. I didn’t get a chance to start my second year. I was back on the bench, but the growth curve from Year One to Year Two was great,” Orton said.
“Your confidence grows. I’m just here as a sounding board for him. I don’t think I know everything, but I’ve seen a lot of looks, been around a lot of different offenses and played a lot of defenses. Any questions that he has, I hope I can help him.”