The news was not good coming out of One Bills Drive Friday concerning injured quarterback EJ Manuel. The knee injury he suffered on a 14-yard scramble in the third quarter of Thursday night’s game at Cleveland will keep him out of the lineup for a few weeks according to head coach Doug Marrone.
"EJ Manuel has a lateral collateral ligament, an LCL, which is non-surgical," said Marrone. "We think it'll be a few weeks and we'll re-evaluate him then. Obviously we expect him back somewhere during the season."
The Bills head coach said they would not be able to provide an accurate timetable on Manuel's possible return until the swelling in his knee subsides and an accurate prognosis can be made.
Manuel got the first down on his scramble and was making his way to the sidelines, but was struck by Browns defensive back Tashaun Gipson, who drove his shoulder low at Manuel's knee, knocking his leg violently behind him.
"I believe in that situation that EJ thought he was going to score," said Marrone. "There is something that you see a flash coming from the side and you see him trying to work his way out (of bounds). Our philosophy with the quarterback has always been to tell him to be smart. We tell him to slide. We tell him to get the first down and get out of bounds. We tell him to do all those things. So I don't want it to sound like we're never telling him to slide or go down and not put himself at risk. We tell him all that.
"This one last night was a tough situation because I don't think he saw the guy coming from the inside until late. You see him trying to get out at that point. He gets the first down and he tries to get as much as he can and then tried to protect himself."
Marrone said the process has already begun to look outside the organization for another quarterback to add to the roster as it does not sound like practice squad QB Thad Lewis will be a consideration to add to the active roster.
"We're looking to bring in another quarterback," Marrone said. "We're in the process of that right now going through the names, going through the tape. (Bills GM) Doug (Whaley) is upstairs and I'm going up there to get involved in the process."
Heading into next week's game against Cincinnati, Jeff Tuel probably knows the offense best, but Marrone said Tuel starting for Buffalo was only a possibility and he would not rule out the new addition starting against the Bengals.
"No, that's not a stretch," said Marrone of a new quarterback signing starting next week. "I think it all depends on who it is and what we get and what their background is in their system."
