By Nick Wojton / Billswire.usatoday.com
The Buffalo Bills wrapped up their 2018 training camp at St. John Fisher College on Wednesday. Prior to practice, head coach Sean McDermott was asked about his team’s quarterback situation one last time.
McDermott, as expected, complimented all three of his quarterbacks, Nathan Peterman, AJ McCarron and rookie Josh Allen. Also in an expected fashion, McDermott wouldn’t reveal who would start Buffalo’s second preseason contest, even though he said he already inform the trio when they’d be playing on Friday against the Cleveland Browns.
“We’ve got a plan. We’ll just wait and see and all the guys are going to play,” McDermott said. “They will rotate in there, all of them, and we expect them to play well.”
So far, McDermott has kept his card close to his chest. He only refers to the way he’s handling his quarterbacks as a “rotation.”
The most recent look at the rotation has Peterman and McCarron rotating in-and-out of the starting lineup. The other plays with the threes. Allen was previously with the third-team offense, but is now mostly playing with the second stringers.
Despite McDermott not discussing his quarterback rotation for Friday’s game, it’s likely Allen will work with the second-team offense. It’s a clear boost up from playing with the third-team offense comprised of players who will mostly be cut.
From there, could Allen eventually see time with the starting offense?
McDermott didn’t say it’s out of the picture.
“We’ll see,” McDermott said on Wednesday. “That is part of the window of one thing that we are considering. We just want to get through this game and see how it goes and go from there.”
Allen said to a group of reporters following Wednesday’s final training camp practice at St. John Fisher College that he isn’t opposed to playing with the starters, either.
“Yeah I mean I definitely welcome it, whenever my number is called. I feel like I’ll be ready and I think the coaches understand that and they’re not going to throw me into a situation where I wouldn’t be ready. So I’m just going to put my trust in them, that’s all I can do,” Allen said.
Allen added he’s slowly but surely settling in with the team’s offensive system.
“For me, personally, I’m still just trying to understand the offense. It’s not too difficult, but (it’s) just understanding what coach (Brian) Daboll wants you to do in certain situations,” Allen said. “Just trying to play the part, and being the quarterback that this team needs me to be.”
McDermott has previously stated that performance in preseason games weighs heavier on his evaluations than practices. If Allen does get a chance to run with the starting offense, it’ll likely come because of a strong game on Friday against the Browns.