The Buffalo Bills better hope EJ Manuel is better in his third season, or they have another Plan B, because they just lost their starting quarterback.
Kyle Orton announced his retirement after 10 NFL season on Monday morning. That's assuming this isn't a trick to get out of his contract, which worked this summer when the Dallas Cowboys were forced to cut him.
“I just have been going at it for 10 years and it’s just a family decision and I’ve decided to get home and be a dad and call it a day,” Orton said, according to the Bills' web site.
Orton leaves a $5.4 million base salary on the table for 2015, according to OverTheCap.com. He also would have been the favorite to start for the Bills next season because Manuel fell out of favor in Buffalo.
A 2013 first-round pick, Manuel was benched after four games with the Bills at 2-2. Orton came in and the Bills went 7-5, and were alive for a playoff spot until a Week 16 loss at Oakland. Even though the Bills were eliminated before Week 17, Manuel still didn't play in a meaningless game at New England, a bad sign for what the coaching staff thinks about his future.
Buffalo will likely explore its options this offseason. Turning back to Manuel doesn't seem to be what the Bills want to do, but there might not be many better choices available. Even though Orton was never a special quarterback during his time with the Bears, Broncos, Chiefs, Cowboys and Bills, he probably gave Buffalo its best chance next year to snap a playoff drought that dates back to the 1999 season.
Orton told the Bills' site that nothing will change his mind, so the Bills need to figure out their next move at quarterback.
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