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As Bills quarterback EJ Manuel prepares for his third NFL season, he’s hoping to get back on the field. And he’s hoping to stay there once he does.

Toward that end, Manuel has gained 8-10 pounds during the offseason, with the goal of remaining healthy while taking an NFL pounding.

“I feel a lot better this way,” Manuel told reporters this week, via Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News. “I still feel like I’m quick and fast and able to move around. I think that’s just about being durable and obviously being able to take a full season.”

To take a full season, Manuel needs to start a full season. Which means he needs to win a four-way competition against Matt Cassel, Tyrod Taylor, and Jeff Tuel Matt Simms. Manuel, who reportedly is facing the loss of his roster spot if he can’t regain his starting job, is ready.

He could win by default. As Carucci explains it, Manuel, Cassel, and Taylor looked unspectacular during the first week of OTAs, and they all had “moments that ranged from mediocre to awful.”

For the Bills to be better than mediocre in 2015, someone needs to step up. Or they need to find someone else. And maybe that’s what they should think about doing.