It shouldn’t come as any surprise that Buffalo Bills General Manager Doug Whaley hasn’t given up on quarterback EJ Manuel.

Whaley acknowledged that he was part of an organizational decision to make Manuel the 13th overall pick of the 2013 draft, telling reporters during the Dec. 29 season-ending news conference they could “assign blame” wherever they wanted for the former Florida State star’s disappointing performance.

But Whaley apparently thinks Manuel’s struggles, which led to his benching after only four games last season in favor of since-retired Kyle Orton, have had more to do with coaching than the player. Whaley is, according to an NFL source, conveying those thoughts to the candidates that he and the rest of the Bills’ hierarchy have interviewed for the team’s head-coaching vacancy.

via Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News