Josh Allen, the quarterback for the Bills, marked his 28th birthday on Tuesday by introducing himself to new wide receivers and tossing passes to members of the supporting cast. With Allen at the helm for his seventh season, Buffalo is starting a new wide receiver depth chart and making several other program adjustments. In free agency, Gabe Davis left, and Stefon Diggs was acquired by the Houston Texans.
In his career, Allen has embraced the role of being the team’s face while passing for 22,703 yards and 167 touchdowns. Due in part to Allen’s market-aligned contract eating up 22.4 percent of the salary cap, the Bills offseason roster saw a significant turnover, and head coach Sean McDermott pushed Allen to assume a more leadership role. “I’m incredibly impressed and proud of Allen’s development,” McDermott remarked.
“The character of the man. What kind of character is he? The duties that he has off the field, similar to those of the majority of franchise quarterbacks. And what makes me most proud of him, in my opinion, is how he handles those situations.” Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who signed as a free agent after the Chiefs won two Super Bowls, is still getting to know Allen. But Allen’s rocket launcher of a throwing arm had little to do with his first takeaway.
Josh is typical, according to Valdes-Scantling. “It’s possible that one of the league’s top quarterbacks has an ego. What’s even better is that Josh is just a regular guy.” With the No. 33 pick in the draft, the Bills also selected Keon Coleman, providing Allen with two 6-foot-4 targets to lessen the blow of losing the dependable Diggs. Even before Coleman steps onto the field, Allen claims he can tell he has an abundance of tools at his disposal. Allen remarked, “He can jump and move.”
According to Allen, Coleman has demonstrated a desire to learn and grow, and both seasoned newcomer Curtis Samuel and 29-year-old Valdes-Scantling are excellent leaders in the wide receiver room. “Getting to know some of these guys—both on and off the field—is a great experience. Learn how to toss the football, where to throw it, and how they read body language. The best part is that,” Allen remarked.