Expectations for EJ: Season 1

[BuffaloATL]

IMO, there's no way EJ is not our Game 1 starter. I don't think you draft a guy in the first round to sit anymore. With only a few exceptions, most Round 1 QBs drafted in the past 10 years start from Day 1.

[Meark]

The hell with designed packages.. Start the kid if he has a good preseason.. if he's not ready start Kolb. I have had enough of the Brad Smith type change up.. No thanks!

Edited May 2, 2013 by MarkinSanDiego

[Kelly the Dog]

To me, it's all about "fragile psyche." If you think that EJ's career could be greatly affected by immediate failure, frustration, loss of confidence, media or fan criticism, etc, like a bunch of these guys, then you don't play him until he is ready. If, on the other hand, you think he has great unwavering confidence in himself, and ability to shrug off failure and keep his confidence like Peyton Manning did and Troy Aikman and others, then you play him if he looks like he can handle the load.

 

I think he can handle it.

[D521646]

I think it doesn't matter what I think. Marrone will decide and in him I trust until I see a reason not too.

[8-8 Forever?]

Every QB to ever play in the NFL has said "You don't learn anything by sitting on the bench". Start him and keep him in no matter what. If he sucks all season and never improves we draft high and take another QB next year.

Agreed. I hope he is a star, but it is hard to believe the Bills are finished drafting quarterbacks. He obviously had a 2nd round or later grade on him and QBs get that for a reason... they are not great candidates...

Edited May 2, 2013 by 8and8Forever

[Kelly the Dog]

I think it doesn't matter what I think. Marrone will decide and in him I trust until I see a reason not too.

Why come to a message board then? The purpose of this place is to express your opinion on the team, not to make decisions for it.

[JESSEFEFFER]

Look at Eli Manning's career development. That was almost 5 years of suckitude. The fans and press were on him much of that time. Good thing for him that David Tyree held on to that ball because it bought Eli some more patience. Brees played with just enough inconsistency to have the Chargers draft Manning and then bring in Rivers. It's going to be harder to be patient with a young QB given the recent history of Newton, Kaepernik, RG3, Luck, Wilson and even Dalton, but that used to be the norm.

 

I think as long as the o-line protection is good I'd like to see him play. If it's like it was against the Rams last year then he's better off not trying to learn the job under that kind of duress.

[8-8 Forever?]

IMO, there's no way EJ is not our Game 1 starter. I don't think you draft a guy in the first round to sit anymore. With only a few exceptions, most Round 1 QBs drafted in the past 10 years start from Day 1.

True he was drafted in the 1st, but in 20/20 hindsight, the guy had a 2nd round grade on him from every team looking QB . That is not a good fact. Just because he is drafted in the 1st doesn't mean crap if everyone needing QB but you passed on him for 15 picks.

[eball]

Agreed. I do not believe the Bills are finished drafting quarterbacks.

 

Nor should they be. One of the failings of this organization has been not taking a QB in pretty much every draft. I'm not talking about a 1st or 2nd rounder, but getting that 3rd, 4th, or 5th round pick every year (or every other) and seeing if you can develop a guy. He might wind up being your backup, or he could become proficient enough that he becomes high draft pick trade bait. And then again, there's the off chance he winds up being your starter down the road. It's a philosophy I'd like to see the Bills adapt.

 

That said -- I expect big things out of Manuel, and I do believe he'll be the opening day starter. The more his pre-draft "weaknesses" are debunked by actual statistics, and the more he appears to be legitimate leadership material in his interactions with teammates, fans, and the media, the more my "bust" worries begin to fade away. I think this guy is going to study his ass off between now and July, and it will be clear early on that he's the real deal. No predictions on rookie stats or anything like that, but he will hold his own.

[Canadian Bills Fan]

I'm all for sitting and waiting for rookie QB's and think its the right thing to do but thats only when the rookie is sitting and learning behind a proven successful starter.

 

You look at Rodgers and Favre, Rivers and Bree's (although it was for a short time)

 

I wouldnt want the rookie Q to sit and learn from a QB who has been bounced around from team to team and wasnt good enough to be a starter some place else.

 

The only way I would sit a rookie QB is if he doesnt know the playbook yet.

 

CBF

[Last Guy on the Bench]

To me, it's all about "fragile psyche." If you think that EJ's career could be greatly affected by immediate failure, frustration, loss of confidence, media or fan criticism, etc, like a bunch of these guys, then you don't play him until he is ready. If, on the other hand, you think he has great unwavering confidence in himself, and ability to shrug off failure and keep his confidence like Peyton Manning did and Troy Aikman and others, then you play him if he looks like he can handle the load.

 

I think he can handle it.

 

This. Well said.

 

It's really not about how ready he is (no one is ready coming out of college) but about how mentally resilient he is. If he is resilient, let him get ready on the field. If he is less so, let him get ready off the field, which will be slower and less fun for the fans, but still OK.

 

I think you are right, though. He sure seems like the kind of guy who can handle the inevitable lumps.

[C-Man]

Just throwing this out there - So Rodgers sitting did him no good?I never heard him state that.

 

I see what happened with Ponder, Gabbert, Young, Leinart, etc.

 

I am not saying EJ is like those guys, but I do believe he is somewhat of a project. I could be wrong. It's just that we have to QB ahead of him right now. Let's give the guy a chance to get used to the NFL.

[Kelly the Dog]

Just throwing this out there - So Rodgers sitting did him no good?I never heard him state that.

 

I see what happened with Ponder, Gabbert, Young, Leinart, etc.

 

I am not saying EJ is like those guys, but I do believe he is somewhat of a project. I could be wrong. It's just that we have to QB ahead of him right now. Let's give the guy a chance to get used to the NFL.

You're right. There are two completely different schools of thought. And there are good and bad examples supporting and refuting both. It's impossible to say with any certainty what is the right way to approach this.

 

The only way, IMO, is to go into it open minded like, ugh, Pete Caroll did. Let them duke it out and don't be afraid to be bold.

 

The fact remains though that Carroll's decision was greatly aided by Flynn getting hurt and missing the all important third preseason game. Otherwise the entire season and Russell Wilson story may have played out differently.

[Dorkington]

My hope is that he does well enough in pre-season to earn the starting job. From there, my expectation would be slightly better than Fitz in accuracy, and hitting deep throws, he'll probably turn it over quite a bit, being a rookie. But in the end, some sort of solid foundation for moving forward.

[Direhard Fan]

It almost seems programed that Kolb will play OK and than half way thru the season get hurt. Than EJ can start with no pressure and learn on the run. This could be fun.

[2020 Our Year For Sure]

 

 

This. Well said.

 

It's really not about how ready he is (no one is ready coming out of college) but about how mentally resilient he is. If he is resilient, let him get ready on the field. If he is less so, let him get ready off the field, which will be slower and less fun for the fans, but still OK.

 

I think you are right, though. He sure seems like the kind of guy who can handle the inevitable lumps.

 

I'm not sure about the bolded. In the beginning of the season the Bills should do whatever gives them the best chance to win games. If they find themselves at 2-6 then yes, we're not going anywhere, throw the kid in and let him get ready on the field.

 

Kelly makes a great point about mental toughness. Some guys make mistakes and lose their confidence, for other guys mistakes only make them better. EJ seems at this point to be more of the latter, and because of that, he should start if he's about even with Kolb on the field.

 

But if Kolb seems to give us the best chance to win he should get the job in the beginning. It's all about how they look in camp.

[Last Guy on the Bench]

I'm not sure about the bolded. In the beginning of the season the Bills should do whatever gives them the best chance to win games. If they find themselves at 2-6 then yes, we're not going anywhere, throw the kid in and let him get ready on the field.

 

Kelly makes a great point about mental toughness. Some guys make mistakes and lose their confidence, for other guys mistakes only make them better. EJ seems at this point to be more of the latter, and because of that, he should start if he's about even with Kolb on the field.

 

But if Kolb seems to give us the best chance to win he should get the job in the beginning. It's all about how they look in camp.

 

Fair enough.

 

I guess, though, I'm a little more anxious to see EJ develop than to eke out an extra win or two this year. If Kolb is a lot better, and we are actually a good team with him, so be it. But if he is just a little better, due to veteran savvy, I'd rather see EJ. Basically I'd rather go 6-10 with EJ than 7-9 or 8-8 with Kolb. If Kolb is so much better that we have a shot at the playoffs, that's another story. No way to really quantify it in practice like that, of course, so it's really up to Marone's gut feeling about the best long-term direction to take the team.

[D521646]

Why come to a message board then? The purpose of this place is to express your opinion on the team, not to make decisions for it.

I'm not trying to be a downer on anyone else here. I just evaluated the merit of the OP's question about starting and I have no educated opinion on his ability to start. Certainly not at this point in the game. Do I like EJ? Yes, I said early in March that we should draft him over anyone else, but I was warming to Nassib towards the end. They got their guy, and I personally think he's got all the right tangible and intangible gifts. I think he's going to be great! That's what I expect of him, but whether starts or sits I have no idea, and I trust Marrone to make that call.

[Kelly the Dog]

I'm not trying to be a downer on anyone else here. I just evaluated the merit of the OP's question about starting and I have no educated opinion on his ability to start. Certainly not at this point in the game. Do I like EJ? Yes, I said early in March that we should draft him over anyone else, but I was warming to Nassib towards the end. They got their guy, and I personally think he's got all the right tangible and intangible gifts. I think he's going to be great! That's what I expect of him, but whether starts or sits I have no idea, and I trust Marrone to make that call.

Well that should have been your post.

[Glory Bound]

I don't care about winning games this season. I do care that they take steps to grow the QB with the highest potential into something great. Put him in and let him take it all in. If we really suck this year, we'll be back at the top of the draft order next year.

When all else fails, lower your standards