The Buffalo Bills have Tyrod Taylor, Matt Cassel and EJ Manuel competing to start at quarterback this year and in training camp the three players could battle for Rex Ryan and right now it looks like Taylor has the inside edge, while Cassel could be an option to get released if he does not perform well this summer.
The Bills brought in Cassel in a trade and signed Taylor to a deal to come in and compete with Manuel, who is a holdover from the Doug Marrone era. The Bills have a fairly strong defense and some solid offensive personnel and the QB position is the biggest questions mark. Taylor has reportedly been getting strong reviews this offseason and according to the Buffalo News, it's "really possible" that Taylor ends up as the starter this season.
Around minicamp and OTAs the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle wrote that there are "several people within the organization" that think that Taylor can be the starter. Ryan talked up Taylor when the team brought him in and Taylor comes in after backing up Joe Flacco for four years. Ryan raved about Taylor's athletic ability and that could give him a leg up over the other players. Taylor has not had much NFL experience, but Ryan may take a chance on him if he outplays Cassel and Manuel this summer.
Mike Rodak at ESPN reports that Cassel could be on the "roster bubble" if he doesn't win the starting job in training camp. Releasing Cassel would give the team over $4 million in cap space and Rodak writes that Cassel was "noticeably worse" that both Manuel and Taylor in offseason workouts. There were reports that Manuel could be in danger of getting released at some point this year, but now it could be Cassel that ends up going.
Cassel has the most experience of the three quarterbacks coming into the battle, but he has not put up amazing numbers and could end up getting passed over for the job. Last season Cassel played three games for the Vikings and had three TDs and four interceptions. The Bills have some strong options on offense with LeSean McCoy, Fred Jackson, Sammy Watkins, Percy Harvin and Robert Woods, but they also need a QB that can connect to them.
Taylor may end up getting the nod based on potential, as he can make plays with his arm and his legs. Ryan wants the Bills to be an explosive team and they have a strong running game and that could help Taylor get adjusted for his first starting job. Cassel has experience and if he plays better in camp, he could win the job over Taylor.
