Buffalo Bills quarterback E.J. Manuel said Sunday in a radio interview from the NFLPA Rookie Premiere in Los Angeles that he is quickly picking up the team's offense, which he claims is less complex than the system he used at Florida State. The former Seminole quarterback was the only quarterback selected in the first round, landing at the No. 16 overall position.
"The funny thing is it's easier to learn than the offense I had at Florida State," he told SiriusXM NFL Radio. "It's a true West Coast-type progression offense. That's really what I wanted when I was coming through the pre-draft process. I wanted something that I could just go in and say 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, check it down and run it. That's it, it's that simple. I love it."
Manuel said he spent extensive time during the Bills' rookie minicamp and organized team activities working with offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett.
"I've done great. The learning curve for me is a lot shorter simply because of what I had at Florida State. [The Seminoles' offense is] more complex and a little bit harder to catch on and learn. This offense is very simple. I've done a great job with it," he said in the interview.
Bills coach Doug Marrone has already announced that the 6-foot-5, 240-pound rookie will spend the offseason competing for the starting job with Kevin Kolb, a six-year veteran whom the Bills signed in free agency last month, and returning backup Both Kolb and Jackson have NFL starting experience with multiple teams.
Manuel said Sunday he has quickly bonded with the other offensive skill-position players the Bills drafted in April. In addition to Manuel, Buffalo selected wide receivers Robert Woods (USC), marquise Goodwin (Texas) and tight end Chris Gragg (Arkansas).
"I think the biggest thing is we all come from winning programs. We're used to winning, we're used to preparing to win," Manuel said in the interview.
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