C.J. Spiller: EJ Manuel learned not to be so ‘buddy buddy’ with everyone

C.J. Spiller believes that one of EJ Manuel’s problems thus far in the NFL has been that he is too nice of a guy.

Spiller, who is set to become a free agent and may not return to the Buffalo Bills, said during an interview with NFL Network’s NFL AM on Tuesday that Manuel had to learn to not be so “buddy buddy” with his teammates after he was benched last season.

“He learned that you can’t be buddy buddy with everybody,” Spiller said. “You’re the face of the franchise, you’re the quarterback so you have to demand everything. I think early on he didn’t really didn’t understand how to step on guys’ toes. Once Kyle (Orton) took over, he saw what Kyle did and it helped him.”

Manuel appeared in five games for the Bills as a sophomore last season, posting a mediocre passer rating of 80.3. When he was benched in favor of Orton, one of Buffalo’s top playmakers seemed happy to see Manuel go.

According to Spiller, Manuel’s leadership needed improvement.

“He’s a tremendous worker. The guy comes to work every day, prepares unbelievably. He’s in there first, last one to leave, so he has all that stuff. It was just that buddy buddy. You know how it is, you come in with some guys in your draft and you don’t really want to step on their toes. As I told him ‘You’re the quarterback you have to (step on guys’ toes)’ and I think he learned that.”

As we know, Rex Ryan has not had much luck with starting quarterbacks. The Bills were reportedly interested in free agent Josh McCown, but he signed with the Cleveland Browns. Where does that leave Buffalo?

Manuel is still just 24, so it would be premature to write him off already. Ryan will likely give him a chance to earn the starting job in training camp. We already knew Manuel’s accuracy and decision-making had to improve. Apparently he needs to assert himself more, too.