Jeffrey T. Barnes
By Matthew Fairburn | mfairburn@nyup.com
Orchard Park, N.Y. - The Buffalo Bills are doing everything they can to make sure Josh Allen doesn't feel added pressure. At the moment, it seems to be working
Sure, Nathan Peterman and AJ McCarron were splitting first-team reps while Allen worked exclusively with the third team at OTAs on Thursday. The rookie shrugs it off. It's not that he doesn't want to win the job, he's just not putting too much stock into the order of reps.
"I'm going out there and I'm trying to do everything right," Allen said. "I'm not trying to do too much. Whatever Coach [Brian] Daboll and Coach [David] Culley are preaching to me is what I'm going to go out there and I'm going to do. I'm going to trust my teammates, put the ball where it needs to be, let them go make some plays, and it's as simple as that."
Allen didn't look like a third-string quarterback on Thursday afternoon, the first OTA session open to the media. Allen can sling the duke, and he knows it. He made that clear in the two-hour practice during a picture-perfect Orchard Park afternoon.
Here's what we learned.
Jeffrey T. Barnes
Josh Allen's day
Josh Allen was the most impressive quarterback on the field Thursday. By my count, he attempted to 21 passes and only three hit the ground. Some were of the shorter variety, but Allen was ripping some deeper throws as well. He hit Austin Proehl on an impressive throw to the sideline outside the numbers. His two touchdowns were the highlights, though. Allen ripped an in-breaking route over a defender and into the hands of fellow rookie Ray-Ray McCloud for a touchdown. Later in practice, he hit Travaris Cadet in the end zone for a back-shoulder touchdown. If the idea of putting him with the third team was to build his confidence. it might be working.
How did Peterman look?
Sean McDermott has a made a point that the rookies are going to earn it. Maybe that's why he had Allen with the third team while McCarron and Peterman rotated with the first team. Peterman was the first one to take reps, while McCarron jumped in second. The Bills spent a lot of time working on the running game and play action passing early in the practice. In total, Peterman threw 14 passes. By my count, he went 10-14 with an interception. The interception was a high pass that bounced off the hands of Nick O'Leary before Jordan Poyer snagged the pick. Missing passes high continues to be an issue for Peterman. Despite a rough rookie year, Peterman is getting a chance to compete for a starting job.
"I mean any time you get to play the game and get reps, it's fun, it's what you love to do. Have the greatest job in the world. It's great to get out there and throw the ball around. For that to be your job is awesome, so the opportunity's been great, just to have that. I've been learning so much even these past couple of days, and I know I'll continue to do that."
Reed Hoffmann
Travaris Cadet back up to speed
After his season ended with a gruesome ankle injury in 2017, Travaris Cadet looks like he's back up to speed. Cadet was getting plenty of reps with the first-team offense with LeSean McCoy slowed down by an illness. The Bills badly need depth behind McCoy, and a healthy Cadet would be a start.
Zay Jones out for the spring
Sean McDermott announced Thursday that wide receiver Zay Jones underwent knee surgery last week and will miss the rest of the offseason program. This is a tough break for Jones, who also had offseason shoulder surgery and was arrested but not charged after an incident in Los Angeles. For a player who struggled during his rookie season, Jones could have used the offseason program as much as anyone. The Bills hope he can be ready for training camp, but that's no guarantee at this stage.
Kelvin Benjamin back to full speed
After having knee surgery this offseason, Kelvin Benjamin was on the field practicing in full for OTAs. That's a great sign for the Bills' offense given the issues they have at wide receiver. With Jones missing the rest of the spring, Benjamin's presence is even more important. There isn't anybody else on the roster challenging him for the No. 1 wide receiver spot. Whoever wins the quarterback competition is going to lean on Benjamin.
"He's doing a good job; he is practicing fully and he's off to a good start," McDermott said. "Give a lot of credit to Kelvin, he's approached this offseason head-on and our training staff, in terms of our strength and conditioning staff, our medical staff, there's a lot of people involved in getting him back to where he was x amount of months ago. I believe we're headed in the right direction. Still work to do as we move forward here."
Offensive line rotation
The Bills are serious about the competition on the offensive line. On Thursday, Vlad Ducasse lined up at left guard, while Russell Bodine was at center and John Miller was at right guard. That left Ryan Groy to work with the second-team offensive line, along with rookie Wyatt Teller. Groy figures to be in the mix at either guard spot if the Bills would rather have Bodine play center. They have a few players who can play multiple positions, so this position battle likely won't be settled until training camp.
Jeffrey T. Barnes
Tremaine Edmunds playing MIKE
Evidently, first-round pick Tremaine Edmunds has already earned it. He took every rep at middle linebacker with Matt Milano playing the other linebacker spot in the Bills' nickel defense Thursday. Edmunds needs to be on the field as often as possible for the Bills. He might go through some rookie growing pains as he learns to recognize route patterns and call a defense, but he's ready to play. His presence in the middle of the defense is hard to miss. He's exactly what the Bills' defense was missing a year ago.
Cornerback alignment
Vontae Davis was not at practice Thursday, so Phillip Gaines was lining up at Davis' outside cornerback spot. Because of that, Taron Johnson took the bulk of the reps at nickel cornerback. Johnson and Gaines should have a healthy competition for that spot once Davis is back in the fold, but Johnson looks ready to put up a fight as a rookie.
Jeffrey T. Barnes
Harrison Phillips get a shot with the ones
With Star Lotulelei absent from Bills practice on Thursday, rookie Harrison Phillips got some run with the first-team defense at one-technique. He ripped through the offensive line on the very first play. Phillips should find a home in the defensive line rotation early on. He's clearly the team's third best defensive tackle behind Lotulelei and Kyle Williams. Rickey Hatley also worked his way into the rotation Thursday.
Where does Shaq Lawson fit?
Trent Murphy is still in a non-contact jersey as he recovers from a torn ACL he suffered last preseason. But when he's healthy, it looks like he'll start at left defensive end with Shaq Lawson as his backup. Jerry Hughes will occupy the other defensive end spot with Eddie Yarbrough backing him up. At this point, Lawson looks like he might have a hard time carving out a consistent role unless Murphy gets injured. This is a huge offseason for him, but it's tough to figure out where he fits other than situational pass-rushing packages. The 2016 first-rounder is one of the few Doug Whaley draft picks left.
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