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.”