There’s no better way to tell how rookie quarterback E.J. Manuel is doing than to look at his current backup Kevin Kolb. As it turns out, Kevin Kolb sounds worried that Manuel may be running away with the starting job while Kolb has been sidelined with a knee injury. Now, Kolb is pressing hard to make up for lost time.]
“I think we’re taking it slowly and carefully,” Kolb said via The Buffalo News. “But I’m trying to push the envelope a little bit. I’m trying to get out there and get a little part of this fun.”
Still, the Bills likely want to see how Kolb handles himself as their starting quarterback before the regular season actually starts. If that’s the case, it would be advantageous to at least give him some time with the first-team offense in preseason action.
Kolb’s comment isn’t one of desperation. He’s still not in a bad spot to nab the starting quarterback job. Sure, Manuel was solid against the Colts, but with a mediocre performance, the competition could go back the other way.
The biggest problem Kolb has right now is his inability to stay healthy. With the Cardinals, he had them playing competitive football; then he got injured. That seems to be the same problem he’s having now in Buffalo. If he can’t stay healthy, there’s no reason to start him over Manuel.
We’re just starting to see some frontrunners emerge in the league’s quarterback battles. Expect that trend to continue in the next round of preseason games.