The Buffalo Bills have a bad situation on their hands. The team went from having two quarterbacks with starting potential to possibly not even having one. Rookie EJ Manuel is currently out after having a knee surgery procedure. Now, Kevin Kolb has suffered a possible career-ending concussion that could leave the Bills at a real loss.
The updates on Kolb are not positive after the team's preseason game this weekend. The Buffalo News reports that the starting quarterback could possibly be finished in the NFL after leaving the game against the Washington Redskins with a concussion. This is Kolb's third concussion in his career and as of now the Bills are ruling him out indefinitely and proceeding like he may not return at all.
Kolb's history with concussions is what makes the matter serious. He missed two games in 2010 after suffering his first while with the Philadelphia Eagles. He also missed the final three games of the 2011 season after suffering a concussion with the Arizona Cardinals.
Kolb's injury comes after Manuel was ruled out for the remainder of the preseason with a knee injury. The team did not release too many details regarding the procedure the rookie underwent, but he may or may not be ready by the time the season begins.
Head coach Doug Marrone simply said the quarterback situation is not "fine and dandy." He is hoping that Manuel can be ready by the time the team faces the Patriots on September 8, but there are no guarantees.
"That's what I'm hoping for," Marrone said, via the team's website. "He had the procedure done and he was with us on the field the other day just watching and observing. I think we just have to wait until that period where the doctor looks at him and says, 'Here's where we are.' Because people recover so differently from minor stuff."
With both quarterbacks sidelined, the Bills signed Matt Leinart over the weekend in an effort to get warm bodies in at the position. Leinart never developed into a starting quarterback despite getting drafted at 10th overall back in 2006. Fox Sports was the first to report the signing. Leinart spent last season with the Oakland Raiders and saw action in two games. He was in Texas for two years, earning one start in place of Matt Schaub.
If the Bills are lucky, Manuel will at least be healthy enough to start on Week 1. If Buffalo has to put their faith in Leinart, the start of the season will be rough in Buffalo.