Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen had an “awesome” start to the team’s training camp practice on July 26, but may want to forget about the ending.
As reporter Sal Capaccio of WGR 550 noted, Allen looked crisp in leading the offense through the majority of practice before struggling with turnovers at the conclusion.
“In summary, Josh Allen was absolutely awesome during 7-on-7 and most of practice, including 11-on-11. Then three straight interceptions,” Capaccio wrote. “One a clear overthrow. Next going deep and covered well. Then a miscommunication with wideouts.”
Allen has been open about his need to cut down on turnovers, though the Bills appear more than confident with their quarterback as he prepares to enter his seventh NFL season.
Josh Allen Leading New-Look Offense
Allen’s difficulty with interceptions on Friday appears to be an outlier from an otherwise strong start to training camp. The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia reported that Allen looked sharp to open training camp as the offense focused on working in a new set of wide receivers.
The Bills lost their top two wide receivers with Stefon Diggs being traded to the Houston Texans and Gabe Davis leaving in free agency. The team used its top draft pick to add receiver Keon Coleman and brought in a new group of veterans including Curtis Samuel, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Chase Claypool.
As Buscaglia reported, the group started building chemistry right away at training camp with several of them making strong plays and burning defenders.
“Allen was sharp, efficient and put the ball on the numbers to multiple receivers throughout the day for low-yardage touchdowns,” Buscaglia reported. “He hit Coleman for one and almost had another on a toe-tap opportunity near the sidelines. They called Coleman out and incomplete, though Allen swore up and down that the rookie made the play.”
Allen has been open in the past about his need to cut down on turnovers, especially after last year’s season-opening loss to the New York Jets where he threw three picks. Allen threw a career-high 18 interceptions in 2023, but also added 44 total touchdowns as he led the Bills to a fourth consecutive AFC East title and another trip to the divisional round in the playoffs.
Bills Defend Josh Allen After Criticism
The Bills do not appear to be losing any confidence in Allen, despite the ongoing struggle with turnovers. After an unnamed NFL executive told ESPN that he believed Allen was “overrated,” Bills general manager Brandon Beane shot back.
Beane said if the executive wasn’t willing to put their name to the criticism, then it’s not worth listening to.
“These things that come out,” Beane said. “I know people love the rankings of whoever, but when you don’t put your name to it and you make comments like that, like, who is this executive? Executive’s a loose term. I was probably referred to as an executive well before I should have been.”
When Capaccio asked Beane after the team’s practice why someone would view Allen as overrated, Beane had an even more blunt reply.
“Sal, there’s idiots everywhere,” Beane replied.
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