The Buffalo Bills are nearing the start of the preseason, but it’s not clear yet when reigning MVP Josh Allen will take the field with his teammates.
The Bills have generally been cautious with their franchise quarterback in the preseason, playing him sparingly in the lead-up to the regular season. Allen has looked sharp in training camp and is not nursing any lingering injuries as he has in past seasons, but could still sit out the upcoming preseason game.
Bills Not Sure on Josh Allen’s Status Yet
Speaking to reporters following the team’s practice on Sunday, head coach Sean McDermott announced that the team had not yet determined whether Allen would play in the first preseason game next week. McDermott told reporters “we’ll see” when asked if the league MVP would appear in the August 9 game against the New York Giants.
The Bills held Allen out of 11-on-11 team drills during Friday’s Blue & Red practice in Orchard Park, which drew close to 40,000 fans. Though Allen took part in position drills and did not appear injured, he wore a headset and watched while backups Mitch Trubisky, Mike White, and Shane Buechele led drills.
SI.com’s Ralph Ventre suggested it was something of a rest day for Allen.
“Healthwise, Allen appeared fine to the naked eye,” Ventre wrote. “He was having a catch with fans seated throughout the Highmark Stadium lower bowl prior to warm-ups. Later in the evening, the dual threat QB was dealing during 7-on-7 work before giving way to Mitch Trubisky, who led the first-team offense to kick off 11-on-11 competition.”
Allen has done well with little to no preseason action in the past. His NFL breakout season in 2020 came after the league canceled preseason games amid tight COVID-19 restrictions.
Bills Face Tough Decision at Quarterback
If the Bills feel confident in Allen heading into the regular season without much work in the preseason, the team could use the games as an audition for his backup role. The team injected some rare competition into the backup job, with White and Trubisky in an open battle for the No. 2 spot this season.
Syracuse.com reporter Ryan Talbot predicted that the Bills could move on from Trubisky, who returned to the backup role last year after playing for the Bills in 2021.
”This prediction may not be as bold as the others, but Mitch Trubisky’s time as the Bills’ No. 2 quarterback comes to an end this summer,” Talbot wrote.
Talbot added that White has all the tools to serve as Allen’s backup, but will need to perform better than he did at the conclusion of last season.
“White will need to be better than he was in the regular season finale last year, when he completed just 3-of-11 passes for 28 yards against the Patriots, but his willingness to push the ball down the field gives him a chance over Trubisky, a quarterback known for dinking and dunking the football,” Talbot wrote.
Neither Trubisky nor White has emerged as a clear-cut No. 2 during the first week of training camp, which could add greater importance to their performance in preseason games for determining the backup job.
Bills Make Announcement on Josh Allen’s Preseason Status