Josh Allen Is Set to Do Something He’s Never Done Before in His Career
Fans of Josh Allen are in for a surprise this preseason, and not because of anything he’s doing on the field. The Buffalo Bills quarterback, now entering his eighth NFL season, won’t take a single preseason snap. For someone who’s always played at least a series, this is uncharted territory. And shockingly, it’s entirely by choice.
McDermott Confirms Allen Will Sit All Three Games
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Head coach Sean McDermott shut down any speculation during a press conference when asked about Allen playing in the final preseason meeting against Tampa Bay. “No,” he said directly. The decision means Allen will not suit up at all, something that hasn’t happened in his career outside of 2020, when the entire league canceled exhibition matchups.
McDermott explained the move as part of his responsibility to protect both the quarterback and the team’s long-term goals. Allen is coming off an MVP season and has logged 118 consecutive starts. There’s little incentive to risk his health in a meeting that won’t count.
Allen Has Stayed Active in Camp
Meanwhile, Allen hasn’t been taking it easy. He participated in almost every training camp session and missed only one team period. He also had a full workload during joint practices with the Chicago Bears. The coaching staff treated those controlled, high-intensity drills as meaningful preparation without exposing him to unnecessary contact.
He spoke earlier in the week about his preseason approach. Allen said he doesn’t believe he needs the game reps, but he still plans to do full conditioning work before each kickoff. “You can’t really rep the exhaustion that happens in a game,” he said. “So, I’m trying to stay as close to that as I can.”
Stats Suggest He’ll Be Ready Anyway
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While some people are skeptical about skipping preseason action, Allen’s past performances support the strategy. Last year, he played just one preseason drive but opened the regular season with more than 230 passing yards and four total touchdowns.
His 2024 season also brought career lows in turnovers and sacks. He finished with six giveaways and was sacked only 14 times. That efficiency, paired with his unmatched durability, gives the coaching staff little reason to alter what already works.
Team Eyes Other Position Battles
With Allen watching from the sideline, coaches are using the final preseason matchup to assess unresolved depth chart spots. McDermott pointed to safety and wide receiver as two areas where decisions still need to be made.
Taylor Rapp is locked into one safety spot, but the other remains undecided. Cole Bishop, a second-year player, is trying to secure it. He missed time in both of his first two training camps; last year with a shoulder injury, this summer with a quad issue. He struggled in his preseason debut against the Bears, but is getting more time on the field this week.
At receiver, the top three are set: Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, and Joshua Palmer. Several others, including Curtis Samuel, Elijah Moore, and Laviska Shenault, are competing for the remaining roster spots.
However, Samuel was not there for most of camp because of minor injuries and has just returned to practice. On the other hand, Shakir has been out since August 1 with a high ankle sprain but is expected to resume work soon. Allen has already expressed full confidence in picking back up with him once he returns.