Getty Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey at Hard Rock Stadium on September 25, 2022.
The Buffalo Bills backup quarterback position was not expected to be one of the biggest competition battles this offseason. After last year’s backup Case Keenum signed a two-year deal to return to the Houston Texans in March, the Bills moved quickly to sign Josh Allen‘s best friend with the same surname, Kyle Allen.
While the Bills signed Kyle Allen to a one-year, prove-it deal worth $1.2 million, the QB2 role was presumed his due to an already built-in rapport with Allen. However, the 27-year-old, who’s playing for his fourth franchise in six years, has struggled hard in training camp.
After presumptive third-stringer Matt Barkley outperformed Kyle Allen during the Bills’ 23-19 preseason win over the Indianapolis Colts on August 12, The Athletic‘s Joe Buscaglia urged Buffalo to find a replacement elsewhere, and quickly, since neither appeared serviceable.
GettyBills quarterback Kyle Allen at Highmark Stadium on August 12, 2023.
The Bills offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey was asked about the backup quarterback situation during a press conference on Wednesday, August 16, and his response turned some heads since Barkley completed 12-of-13 passes for 153 yards and two touchdowns against the Colts, while Kyle Allen completed 8-of-15 passes for 122 and one interception.
“I know that Matt’s numbers were, what they were, and he did a great job. But at the end of the day, really both of them graded out very similar,” Dorsey said. “I think they both came in were and very effective for us.”
Matt Barkley… QB2!
“I thought Kyle did some really good things and obviously there are things we can learn from. So when you look at the competition, it’s very close… which is a testament to the two of them. Neither one of them are playing bad football.
“It’s not like it’s close because both of them are playing bad. Obviously, at practice, there are going to be good days and rough days. But at the same time, I think both are doing a very good job.”
Bills Fans & Analysts Strongly Reacted to Ken Dorsey’s Comments
As quotes from Dorsey’s presser hit X, formerly known as Twitter, fans and analysts expressed strong reactions to his statement. SB Nation’s Sara Larson asked, “Are we using PFF Kenneth?” sharing a GIF with a very confused look, while a fan commented, “Ik he’s a coach but I just don’t see how Allen graded out close to the same. Let’s just hope Josh stays on the field.”
One man posted, “This sounds like lawyer mumbo-jumbo… one QB made his throws and put points up, the other didn’t,” while another person wrote, “What do your eyes tell you. If you believe that I have some oceanfront property to see you in Orchard Park.”
While it’s not fair to judge Kyle Allen on such a small sample of play, The Buffalo News‘ Jay Skurski wrote the former undrafted quarterback out of Houston “had an uneven training camp, to put it kindly.”
WROC-TV‘s Thad Brown believes Allen is “probably still a ways away from any real QB2 danger,” but Buscaglia disagrees.
Do you think it’s an open competition for QB2?
#Bills Sean McDermott: Yes
Kyle Allen 📉 Matt Barkley 📈
“Things can still change, but I can’t shake the feeling that the Bills’ 2023 backup quarterback is not currently on the team,” Buscaglia surmised. “Some will argue that the backup doesn’t matter because if Josh Allen is out, the season likely will unravel anyway. However, that isn’t how Beane has operated recently with the position. He knows they’re in a Super Bowl window, and if Allen has to miss some games, having a solid replacement who can keep things afloat is worth a lot.”
Ken Dorsey Called the QB Competition a ‘Juggling Act’
Dorsey said they’ve needed to give Kyle Allen more reps throughout camp to help him absorb the new offense, while Barkley, who previously served as Allen’s backup between 2018 and 2020, and spent the 2022 NFL season on the Bills practice squad, was left to observe. Dorsey admitted it’s not fair to Barkley, but the 32-year-old veteran understands the situation.
“You want to make sure when it’s a competition between two guys, you’re giving both guys an opportunity. There’s a little bit of a juggling act there to make sure we can see exactly what Kyle can do because he is new to us,” Dorsey said, “but at the same time, giving both guys an equal opportunity.”
It will be interesting to see which quarterback gets the start during the Bills next preseason game. Buffalo travels to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday, August 19.