Getty Josh Allen and Matt Barkley warm up before a Buffalo Bills game.
Four years ago, Matt Barkley came to the Buffalo Bills as a midseason acquisition to provide some emergency relief after a spate of injuries and serve as a mentor to the team’s raw rookie quarterback.
Now, Barkley is back with the Bills in what promises to be a more behind-the-scenes role and explains the tremendous growth he’s seen in his former protege. Josh Allen has smoothed out the rough edges of his game, cutting back on the mistakes that marked his first two years in the NFL and refining his approach. As Barkley explains, Allen has grown as a locker room leader as well.
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Allen’s Growth
After serving backup during Allen’s first three years with the Bills, Barkley left last year and bounced around a series of practice squads before re-signing with Buffalo this offseason. The 31-year-old quarterback said Allen has grown tremendously over the last four seasons, especially as a leader with his teammates.
“I’ve seen Josh since his rookie year now, and he’s grown in a lot of ways,” Barkley said, via the Buffalo News. “I think most people notice his leadership and his poise in those big-game situations. But I think he’s grown a lot in terms of being smart with the ball, and in the passing game, protecting it. He’s gotten a lot more accurate, in my opinion, from when he first got into the league. He’s started to become more vocal, which is good to see, because guys look up to him, and he’s a leader. So he’s using that platform to steer guys in the right direction.”
Bills quarterback Matt Barkley: ‘I think we’ve got the pieces in place’ t.co/VYXsz56gyu
Allen threw for 4,407 yards and 36 touchdowns with 15 interceptions last season. He added 763 rushing yards and rushing six touchdowns.
While he struggled in big moments in his earlier days with the Bills, Allen came through in 2021. He led the offense to a near-perfect game against the New England Patriots in the playoffs, leading them to touchdowns on all seven drives before a final kneel-down. The following week against the Kansas City Chiefs, Allen twice gave the team a lead under two minutes in the fourth quarter, though the defense allowed the Chiefs to come back each time.
Barkley’s Role
Though he is not expected to make the final roster — the Bills traditionally only roster two quarterbacks, and Case Keenum is ahead of Barkley on the depth chart — Barkley is seen as a likely candidate for the practice squad and seems ready to embrace his role.
Speaking to the Buffalo News, Barkley said he believes the Bills can win a Super Bowl this season and is confident that his veteran know-how can play a big role in helping Allen take the next step.
.@JoshAllenQB, a future Hall of Famer?!🤔
“We have high goals,” Barkley said. “I think we’ve come close almost every year now, and even last year when I wasn’t with them. But the Super Bowl is the goal. And I think we’ve got the pieces in place, but every week is a new week, and you have to stay focused and persevere through those challenges of some injuries during the year, and the ups and downs of the schedule. So I think having older guys in the room, at least with Josh, and then kind of bringing back that leadership will hopefully help us go far into February next year.”
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