Alaina Getzenberg, ESPN
PITTSFORD, N.Y. — The wait to see quarterback Josh Allen play with the Buffalo Bills’ revamped offense will be short-lived. Coach Sean McDermott announced Thursday that Allen and the first team will play about a quarter Saturday against the Chicago Bears (1 p.m. ET).
“For me, it’s really about getting them ready for the season,” McDermott said. “It’s a big step, it’s hard to simulate the speed of the game and so it’s important to get that in preseason, go through the warm-ups and the energy that comes with playing a game in front of fans, and be able to handle that. So there’s a lot of reasons for that, like I said, it’s just another step.”
The game should be notable for its quarterback play, with No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams set to see his first preseason action, but that has yet to be announced.
In 2023, Allen did not play in the first preseason game, but he did play three series in the second preseason game and briefly in the third.
“We’re going to take it one week at a time,” McDermott said of Allen’s playing time in the preseason. “So, you know, there’s a number of new faces in our offense, including their receiving corps, and so some of that is built into this. But the biggest thing is we have to prepare individually from there.”
The Bills will be without several players for the game due to injuries, but playing the Bears will be the first opportunity to see what some of the newcomers to the offense, such as rookie receiver Keon Coleman, look like in a game setting. Offensive players dealing with injuries include running back Ty Johnson (hamstring) and receivers Chase Claypool (toe), Justin Shorter (knee), Mack Hollins (leg) and KJ Hamler (undisclosed).
Allen expressed no real reservations about whether he would play when asked before the decision was announced Thursday.
“I don’t think it makes a difference for me at this point in my career,” Allen said Wednesday of the possibility of playing in the preseason. “It would be nice to shake things up, but I understand not being able to play and make sure we’re healthy and protecting ourselves. Again, it’s a double-edged sword, any way you look at it. If I’m told to play, I’m going to play. If I’m told not to play, I’m not going to play. So the competitive side of me wants to play, but I understand that in the first week, we still have some time.”
