Ryan gives nod to Cassel to start Bills’ preseason opener

I’m looking for that consistent guy that’s going to be at the top each time out.

Though quarterback remains a major question mark, Ryan and general manager Doug Whaley took an aggressive approach upgrading the rest of the offense. That was not the case for Manuel, who took the majority of his snaps with the third-team offense. “So we’ve got a lot of work to do offensively”.

Despite a strong showing Monday, Cassel knows the preseason game will carry more weight.

Buffalo Bills head coach Rex Ryan smiles as he delivers on a challenge by eating two dog biscuits following practice at the team’s training camp facility in Pittsford, N.Y., Thursday, August 6, 2015.

The Bills are a supremely talented team with a defense that ranked No. 4 in points and yards allowed last season, while leading the league in sacks. With a solid ground-and-pound rushing attack being their main offensive weapon, Cassel is more than capable of handing off the football and making smart passes in the heat of the moment. If the Bills were to win a Super Bowl, it would be in 2000 Baltimore Ravens style, where the defense was so good the fact that the team had Trent Dilfer under center didn’t even matter. On Tuesday however, he hinted that the three-man quarterback competition to be Buffalo’s starting signal caller could be close to finalized by the time they reach the team’s third preseason game.

“Year 3, I would say [Manuel] is a tad behind”, Whaley said.

Also sitting out were guard Richie Incognito (ankle), tight end Chris Manhertz (ribs), wide receiver Caleb Holley (hamstring) and CB Ross Cockrell (hamstring).

“Yeah, were all in, ” Ryan said. “I’m not thinking with that mindset that football won’t work out”, said Goodwin.

The Bills released their first depth chart of camp yesterday. Ryan attended several Bills home games, though he was rooting for the Jets, when his father was an assistant coach from 1968-75.

“I know our fans are excited”. “And the great thing about this organization, everybodys with me, from players, coaches, management, ownership. They were told “you’re going to love playing for this guy” and now Williams knows exactly why they felt that way.

There are numerous holdovers from Pettine’s days, including a dominating front that features Kyle Williams, Mario Williams, Marcell Dareus and Jerry Hughes.

-WR Sammy Watkins has been having a dominating camp, beating every cornerback that lines up opposite him, including Stephon Gilmore. He hit Bryce Brown with an 18-yard TD pass.

Ryan also revealed that McCoy has been held out of team drills for the past two practices because of a sore toe.

-RB Boobie Dixon suffered a calf muscle injury and will be out about a month.

BATTLE OF THE WEEK: Seantrel Henderson and Cyrus Kouandjio are going head-on in the fight to win the right tackle spot, and it appears Henderson has surged ahead.

This just might be the last chance for Manuel, not just to start for the Bills but to make it in the NFL. That has clearly changed, and now it seems the job is Henderson’s to lose.