Developing a young quarterback to be your franchise guy is one of the hardest things to do in the NFL, and that’s what the Buffalo Bills are facing with second-year quarterback EJ Manuel.  Manuel showed flashes of his ability to be the franchise guy last season, however the injuries and inconsistency seemed to hold him back from progressing as much as the Bills would have liked. I’ve narrowed down a few areas of Manuel’s game that needs to improve this season if he wants to take the next step.

For starters, the one thing that Manuel seemed to do the most is panic when the pressure reached the pocket which caused him to scramble for yards instead of letting the routes for the receivers to develop and make plays down the field. One thing is for sure when it comes to the best quarterbacks in the NFL is they aren’t afraid to take a hit to the chin to result in big plays down the field, and with the addition of Sammy Watkins the opportunities should be there.

The second biggest improvement with Manuel needs his mechanics which should help his completion percentage numbers rise. Last season, 40 percent of Manuel’s passes 20 yards or more were judged uncatchable balls, and around 42 percent of his sideline passes were deemed uncatchable, all resulting in 68 percent of his completed passes were 10 yards or fewer. I believe a lot of that is an easy fix if the Bills coaching staff can get Manuel to keep his feet under him and stay strong in the pocket which will improve the passes down the field.

In today’s NFL, there isn’t much time for quarterbacks to develop with owners and general managers looking for that guy that will boost their franchise and save their job, and keep fans in the seats.  Look for Manuel to improve in these areas this year or the seat he is sitting in may start to get a little hot even in them Buffalo temperatures.