Getty Bills quarterback Josh Allen warms up at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on December 10, 2023.
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen loves the enthusiasm he’s seen from new teammate Keon Coleman.
The teammates had the chance to take the field together for the first time at OTAs this week, working together on team drills during the May 21 practice. Speaking to reporters afterward, Allen snhard some big praise for the team’s top rookie.
“He loves football,” Allen said, via the team’s official website.
Allen said Coleman’s love of the game was front and center at their first practice together.
“I think that’s the first and foremost thing that you learn about him. He loves this game, loves the nuances of it, and that’s fun to be around,” Allen said.
Josh Allen Shares Praise for Teammate
It wasn’t just Coleman’s enthusiasm for football that caught Allen’s eye. The Bills quarterback also shared some praise for the wide receiver’s physical attributes, which were on display during passing drills.
“He can move and he can jump. He’s 6-4. I thought he can run some routes pretty well,” Allen said.
Bills head coach Sean McDermott added that while he brings a light attitude to the team, Coleman is serious when he steps onto the field.
“You envision playing games and putting your last name on the jersey. All that is cool but once you actually get here, after a day or two you’re like [deep breath]… Alright this real.”
-Keon Coleman after this first #Bills practice with Josh Allen
“I have found certainly that playful, fun person, but also a focused young man that is here to play football and help this team any way that he can,” McDermott said.
More New Teammates for Josh Allen
The Bills air attack will have a drastically different look this season after the departure of the team’s top two wide receivers, Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis. Allen said he has spent some time getting to know the other new wide receivers, including veterans Curtis Samuel, Chase Claypool, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
“Just talking and chopping it up with different guys in the locker room, I know it sounds weird, but just sitting with different guys in the cafeteria and getting to know them and their families,” Allen said. “I truly believe and again, I said a lot over the years that having that relationship off the field pays dividends on the field. It’s no different now. I think there’s more of a maybe an intention now and just more of a focus on it now.”
Allen also took an active role in recruiting the free agent Valdes-Scantling to Buffalo. The Bills quarterback invited Valdes-Scantling to his home for dinner, also inviting practice squad quarterback Shane Buechele and offensive coordinator Joe Brady.
As the team’s official website noted, the group discussed where the former Kansas City Chiefs receiver could fit into the offense.
Valdes-Scantling ended up signing with the Bills, and told reporters on Tuesday that Allen’s personal outreach was a big factor in his decision.
“We connected right away,” Valdes-Scantling said. “Usually when you come on a visit you go out to eat with the staff and talk with them. But Josh was like, nah, I want you to come over to the house.”
Allen also said he’s impressed with Valdes-Scantling’s perspective on the game.
“He’s very smart, he sees things through the lens of a quarterback,” Allen said. “Just again, utilizing his experience and trusting what he has to say and just trying to build a rapport with him.”