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The Buffalo Bills were forced to play a hobbled Josh Allen for the back half of the 2022 season after the quarterback suffered an elbow injury that lingered for weeks.
Now, the team is facing criticism for leaving Allen unprotected in training camp, leading to a series of injury scares in the first week. As Nick Wojton of USA Today’s Bills Wire reported, Allen took hard hits at practices on July 31 and August 1, leading to a tense moment as the quarterback limped off the field before ultimately returning.
The hits have led some fans to criticize the team for not doing more to protect Allen, especially after he devoted much of the offseason to healing the injuries suffered last year.
Trick Play Backfires on Bills
As Wojton reported, Allen took a hard hit during Monday’s practice when the offense ran a trick play that saw him split out as a wide receiver.
“Defensive back Taron Johnson got a hit on Allen and the quarterback got up a bit slowly… but was all right in the end. The two hugged it out, even,” Wojton reported.
There was an even more serious scare on Tuesday, with Allen limping off the field during a team drill.
“All seems good now, but Bills QB Josh Allen got checked on by an athletic trainer after a rep in team drills,” The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia wrote on Twitter. “Stood under his own power after. Kept looking at his lower right leg. Helmet stayed in his hand the whole time. GM Brandon Beane came over to chat with him. Back in now.”
The series of incidents caused a stir among fans, with many calling on the team to do more to keep him protected during practice.
“Josh Allen needs to be put in a red non contact space suit based on the last 24 hours,” one fan tweeted.
Bills Want Fewer Risks From Josh Allen
Though Allen initially suffered the elbow injury while throwing from the pocket in a Week 9 loss to the New York Jets, he has taken many more bumps and bruises while scrambling out of the pocket and inviting contact with defenders downfield.
Head coach Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane both addressed Allen’s play style this offseason, saying they want to see him taking fewer risks in the future to avoid being word down with injuries.
“Overall, I think Josh had a really good year for us – we did a lot of good things. The only thing I’d get on to him is he’s got too many bruises on him,” Beane said in a year-ending press conference, via the Buffalo News. “We’ve got to work on taking less hits. That’s the only reason I’m going to ever criticize Josh is just take less hits.”
Allen has been one of the league’s best rushing quarterbacks since being drafted in 2018, with 3,087 total rushing yards for his career with 38 rushing touchdowns. He has also been an occasional receiver, catching a touchdown pass in the team’s 2019 playoff loss to the Houston Texans and making another touchdown grab the following season.
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