The only time Bills rookie quarterback Josh Allen ever felt rattled on his first day of practice was shortly after the session ended Friday.
That’s when coach Sean McDermott escorted the first-round pick to the sideline and introduced him to Jim Kelly in what became a meeting of the team’s
hopeful future and legendary past.
”I’m still shaking from meeting him
Deion Sanders Jersey ,” Allen said.
Though Allen grew up in central California and played college at Wyoming, the 21-year-old is very aware of who Kelly is and what he means to Buffalo.
”It’s all on the wall,” Allen said, pointing the four AFC Championship banners the Kelly-led teams won from 1990-’93.
Allen also knows how tough Kelly is in his ongoing battle with cancer.
”I can’t say anything else but he’s a special man. He’s been through a lot,” he said. ”And to be in the spirits that he is and to come out here and show
support for the Buffalo Bills, that just shows to me how much he means to
Buffalo and Buffalo means to him. It’s awesome.”
Kelly made a surprise visit for the start of two-day rookie minicamp some six weeks after his latest operation to have cancer removed from his jaw.
Kelly walked with a cane and had difficulty speaking. He raised his right thumb while he and Allen posed for pictures. Said Kelly: ”It’s the best thing I
can do: Thumbs up.”
The Bills are pinning their hopes on Allen to fill what’s been their most unsettled position since Kelly retired following the 1996 season.
Buffalo traded up five spots in the draft order to select him with the No. 7 pick two weeks ago. Allen became just the fourth quarterback selected by Buffalo
in the first round, and first chosen in the top 10 of the draft order.
He joins a team once again shuffling starters after Tyrod Taylor was traded to Cleveland in March despite helping Buffalo to a 9-7 finish and end a 17-year
playoff drought.
At 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds, Allen is a raw, but strong-armed and athletic quarterback. He was a two-year starter at Wyoming, where he completed 365 of 649
for 5,066 yards with 44 touchdowns and 21 interceptions.
Allen was knocked for his relatively low completion percentage of 56.2 and mechanics, something he spent working on this offseason.
McDermott isn’t providing any guarantees in saying Allen will compete for the starting job with offseason free-agent addition A.J. McCarron and second-year
player Nathan Peterman.
”We’ve got a plan in place for all of our players, and in this case Josh
Andrew Whitworth Jersey , in terms of bringing them along at the right pace,” McDermott said.
Allen threw a few wobbly or high passes to his right. He was far more accurate with passes to his left and over the middle. Allen showed off his
strong arm, by completing several deep passes, including one to rookie
seventh-round pick Austin Proehl.
He was also intercepted once during one-on-one drills. His hard, high pass over the middle slipped through receiver William Scott’s hands and to a
defensive back.
”I felt like I’ve made a lot of strides,” Allen said. ”I felt like I put the ball where it needed to be most of the time. Obviously, there’s some throws that
I would like back. But as we progress through this rookie minicamp and through
the rookie developmental period, I plan to improve every day.”
He was pleased in learning how Kelly was overheard praising a few of his throws.
Allen said Kelly first contacted him by text in welcoming him to Buffalo the day after being drafted.
”Hopefully, in the near future we can keep that relationship going,” Allen said. ”Any rookie that can develop a mentorship with a former quarterback like
Jim Kelly, it’s going to be huge.”
NOTES: The Bills signed fourth-round pick, Weber State cornerback Taron Johnson. That leaves their top-three selections unsigned, including third-round
pick
Eric Dickerson Jersey , Stanford defensive tackle Harrison Phillips. … The Bills also signed 12 undrafted free agents including Arizona guard Gerhard
De Beer, who is from South Africa. He was a Pac-12 discuss throwing champion and
made the switch to football. … Also signed were defensive linemen Mat Boesen
(TCU) and Mike Love (South Florida), linebacker Corey Thompson (LSU),
cornerbacks Ryan Carter (Clemson) and Levi Wallace (Alabama), running back Keith
Ford (Texas A and M), receivers Robert Foster (Alabama) and Cam Phillips
(Virginia Tech), offensive linemen Ike Boettger (Iowa) and Mo Porter (Baylor),
and Penn State kicker Tyler Davis.
—
— The Atlanta Falcons will be searching for the final piece of the offensive line charged with protecting Matt Ryan when they open their preseason schedule
at the New York Jets.
Right guard is the only position on the line without a set starter, and that will be a key competition coach Dan Quinn will be watching closely in Friday
night’s game.
Decisions also have to be made at fullback and defensive end.
Protecting Ryan, the 2016 NFL MVP with a new five-year contract extension that could be worth as much as $150 million, makes finding the best starting
right guard a priority.
Wes Schweitzer was listed ahead of Brandon Fusco, perhaps Atlanta’s top free-agent acquisition this offseason, at right guard on the team’s first depth
chart released this week. The two have rotated with the first-team offense
during training camp.
Schweitzer’s expected start against the Jets may be based on his 16 starts with Atlanta last season.
Fusco started all 16 games for San Francisco last season.
“I just want to build continuity with everyone
Joel Bitonio Jersey , get comfortable with everyone and with this offense,” Fusco said following Wednesday’s practice.
“I miss the game-day feeling and will be excited when I’m out there. Hopefully it’s enough to prove to them I can be the starter of this team at
right guard and help this team win.”
Schweitzer said this has been “the best camp I’ve ever had, definitely the best offensive camp I’ve ever been a part of. I feel we’re really clicking right
now and really pushing for it. It’s just been a really good camp.”
Ricky Ortiz is expected to start ahead of Luke McNitt at fullback. The remaining competitions on offense are for backup roles, including a third
running back behind Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman. Candidates include rookie
Ito Smith and Terrence Magee.
Coach Dan Quinn also is looking at tight ends competing behind projected starter Austin Hooper. Eric Saubert, a fifth-round pick in 2017 who had no
catches as a rookie, has impressed the coach in camp.
“He’s somebody who certainly has our attention at tight end,” Quinn said Wednesday.
“He’s really turning into the pass-catching tight end that I’d hoped we would see. … He’s long, he’s fast and I now see the athlete.”
Quinn said Saubert (6-5, 253) is more confident in his second season. He said Saubert pressed as a rookie and “wasn’t allowing himself to be the athlete that
he is.”
The Falcons did not re-sign tight end Levine Toilolo, who is now with Detroit. Veteran Logan Paulsen is best known for his blocking skills. That
leaves an opening for Saubert to emerge as another target for quarterback Matt
Ryan.
Saubert must do more than show his skills as a receiver. All players competing for backup spots, including at running back and tight end, must prove
they can contribute on special teams.
Second-year defensive end Takkarist McKinley , trying to earn a starting role
Robert Newhouse Jersey , is expected to play after being limited for about a week with a bruised right shoulder. McKinley returned for full participation
on Tuesday and Wednesday.
“He was good,” Quinn said. “What I was looking for, like with any guy, was there any hesitancy? He had none. So he responded the right way and was chomping
at the bit to get back.”
NOTES: LG Andy Levitre and his wife, Katie, who carried pink and blue balloons, had a unique baby gender reveal following practice. With players
standing around the couple, Levitre held a sign that said “A Gatorade shower
will let us see.” Other offensive linemen poured two coolers filled with the
blue sports drink over Levitre’s head — so he and his wife are expecting a boy.
Players then cheered. … Quinn confirmed PK Matt Bryant (undisclosed injury) and
OT Ty Sambrailo (right hand) will not play against the Jets. “We’ll get them
back into the fold next week,” Quinn said.
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