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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
5 takeaways from the Buffalo Bills' 34-25 preseason loss to the New York Giants
The Buffalo Bills began their 2025 NFL preseason journey with a 34-25 Week 1 loss to the New York Giants. It was the final preseason game that will ever be held at Highmark Stadium, but as is usually the case, there were plenty of notes to be made up and down the roster following this preseason outing. With that, here are Bills Wire's five takeaways from the Bills' preseason loss to the Giants: Quarterbacks bounce back It was announced earlier this week that quarterback Josh Allen was not going to play against the Giants. The Bills starter made way for Mitchell Trubisky to start and then Mike White entered the game after him. Those two have been battling for the No. 2 QB spot. Trubisky might have slightly edged out White, but both played similar. They started slow then turned it on. Trubisky was 9-for-13 throwing for 138 yards and touch. White was 8-for-13 for 112 yards and two touchdowns. That battle will continue, White could enter the game for in the Bills' second preseason game. Bosa is here Bosa He applied pressure and batted a ball on third down to get the defense off the field early on against the Giants. Bosa's a roster lock but was Buffalo's marquee signing of the summer so it's nice to see him make a quick impact. Rookies on the D-line Two rookies on the defensive line stood out for different reasons. The good: Defensive tackle Deone Walker did not get on the stat sheet but he athletic ability for being such a massive man was shining. Fellow first-year pro TJ Sanders looked solid as well. The bad: Landon Jackson has had a quiet summer and had one hugely bad play against the Giants. Jackson was flagged for an offside penalty that negated an interception for Jordan Hancock. Shavers making his case Trubisky's best play of his outing was a 30-yard catch to wide receiver Tyrell Shavers that he brought down to the goal line line. It was right before halftime and the Bills settled for a field goal after. Shavers is pushing for a roster spot once against this summer. He finished with two grabs for 70 yards against the Giants. Ray Davis is actually a kicker Interestingly, the Bills did allow running back Ray Davis to kick a field goal in this one. Buffalo signed kicker Caden Davis to replace the injured Tyler Bass (pelvis) against the Giants. Even so, Davis was put out on the field to kick the game's first extra point. Davis truly is the Bills' emergency kicker. This article originally appeared on Bills Wire: 5 takeaways from the Bills' 34-25 preseason loss to the Giants
New York Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Bills pre-preseason 53-man roster projection: A look at players who still need to earn a spot
PITTSFORD, N.Y. — After a light practice on Thursday, the Bills' time at St. John Fisher University this season came to a close. After a two-and-a-half-week stay in the dorms, the Bills are heading back to their Orchard Park facilities for almost all of their training camp practices. The next thing on their docket is their first preseason game, taking on the New York Giants at home on Saturday afternoon. Preseason is the next stage for players trying to earn a roster spot this summer and will reveal some answers about how the Bills shape their team in 2025. But how are things trending with their decisions ahead of their three exhibition games? Advertisement After taking in all 12 of the team's training camp practices, here is our updated pre-preseason Bills 53-man roster projection. Josh Allen, Mitchell Trubisky The backup competition has been mostly even between Trubisky and Mike White, though a tie will likely go to Trubisky as he has more experience and is the least likely of the two to return to the Bills' practice squad after final cuts. Trubisky is getting the start on Saturday against the Giants, but make no mistake, this remains an open competition that the trio of preseason games will likely decide over the next few weeks. Cut: Mike White, Shane Buechele James Cook, Ray Davis, Ty Johnson, Reggie Gilliam (FB) Although the Bills don't have an answer as to when this hold-in with Cook will end, there is still a month to go before the start of the regular season, and almost three weeks until final cuts. It's a complex situation with several dynamics to consider, so the Bills would likely want to get it squared away ahead of the regular season. That likely won't impact what they do with the 53-man roster, even if the hold-in continues up to cutdown day. Outside of that, this is a relatively easy group to figure out. Cut: Frank Gore Jr., Darrynton Evans Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, Joshua Palmer, Curtis Samuel, Elijah Moore, Tyrell Shavers Out of transparency, I was *thisclose* to having Samuel land on the cut list. The Bills have been preaching about availability, and that's what ultimately undid Baylon Spector as they waived the linebacker earlier this week. This is now the second straight training camp where a multi-week injury knocked Samuel out of the majority of practices. Cutting Samuel now would not place any additional dead cap onto their 2025 cap sheet, and it would effectively be the same thing as cutting him in the offseason and getting the same 2026 savings. Ultimately, I snuck him on because of how Samuel finished the season in 2024. The Bills were bullish on how he looked in those games, which is what led to his inclusion. But you can make a case that Samuel's roster spot isn't as secure as it was in the spring due to another summer injury. Advertisement The Bills usually keep five receivers on the 53-man roster, but Shavers is once again trying to push his way onto the team. He nearly made it through final cuts last year, and with some added strength and an even bigger game this summer, his case looks even better in 2025. The coaching staff gushes about him and how he approaches his job every day. For those reasons, and with his ability to play special teams plus all three receiver spots, I've got Shavers on the roster as of now. Wilkerson was the other one to consider, though, as a 28-year-old player who has had a tough time sticking on a final active roster, it's likelier that they can get him to the practice squad. Placed on Injured Reserve: Kaden Prather Cut: Kristian Wilkerson, Laviska Shenault, Jalen Virgil, K.J. Hamler, Stephen Gosnell, Deon Cain, Kelly Akhariyi Dalton Kincaid, Dawson Knox, Jackson Hawes A pretty cut-and-dry group here with the top three looking like the top three, though getting some nice performances from their depth options. Both Zach Davidson and Keleki Latu have had their moments, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see them be priority additions to the practice squad should they clear waivers. Cut: Zach Davidson, Keleki Latu, Matt Sokol Dion Dawkins, David Edwards, Connor McGovern, O'Cyrus Torrence, Spencer Brown, Tylan Grable, Alec Anderson, Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, Ryan Van Demark There are a couple of decision points here for the Bills. The first is about Anderson, who had his knee scoped last week and was labeled week-to-week. He has been out at practice the last several days, and with a month to go before the season, he might be more likely to land on the 53-man roster rather than IR. However, that option could be there if he's just not projecting to be ready by the time Aug. 26 comes around. This is a to-be-determined decision. For now, Anderson is on the team. Advertisement The second decision point is whether to keep Van Demark or rookie sixth-round pick Chase Lundt. The tie usually goes to the rookie on a four-year cost-controlled deal, though Van Demark has had a solid camp, giving the team reps at both left tackle and right tackle. He's at his best on the left side, with Lundt being best on the right side. Ultimately, they'd have an easier time of getting Lundt back to the practice squad than Van Demark, and Van Demark would be more ready to contribute in the event of injuries in 2025. Last, the Bills have to decide between keeping nine or 10 offensive linemen. If I had the Bills cutting Samuel, the offensive line would have included 10 names, and the last one on would have been Mike Edwards over Lundt. It may be one year too early for Edwards, one of our need-to-know sleeper names, to make the 53-man roster, but he's shown well during camp and is making a legitimate run at sticking past final cuts. However, with a strong preseason, there is a definite chance for him to play his way onto the team. Offensive linemen who show they can play during the preseason usually end up as waiver claims, considering the depth across the league is severely lacking. This is a stay-tuned situation. Cut: Mike Edwards, Chase Lundt, Kendrick Green, Richard Gouraige, Travis Clayton, Dan Feeney, Jacob Bayer Greg Rousseau, Joey Bosa, A.J. Epenesa, Javon Solomon, Landon Jackson An open-and-shut case compared to other positions, the bigger question is how the Bills will handle this rotation during the regular season. Solomon has made a push for defensive snaps, especially in pass rush situations, while Jackson is likely to get better with the more reps he gets in practice. On top of the rotation question, making another roster spot for Michael Hoecht after his six-game suspension will be something to monitor. But for now, these are the five without any doubt. Suspended: Michael Hoecht Cut: Justin Hollins Ed Oliver, DaQuan Jones, T. J. Sanders, DeWayne Carter, Deone Walker Even if there isn't much drama when it comes to who makes the team, how they deploy them will be the ultimate decision. Oliver and Jones are the no-doubt starters, and Sanders will be their top rotational piece who can spell Oliver and even play next to him on passing downs. Sanders, without question, has been their best rookie at camp so far. Beyond that, they'll have to decide who to give their backup one-technique snaps to between Carter and Walker. Then, once Ogunjobi is back from his six-game suspension, how does he fit in and at what position? This might be a position that has a lot of different approaches throughout the year to see what sticks. Zion Logue could be someone to keep an eye on for early-season call-ups from the practice squad, if they aren't comfortable with Carter and Walker taking the backup snaps for Jones. Suspended: Larry Ogunjobi Cut: Zion Logue, Marcus Harris Advertisement Matt Milano, Terrel Bernard, Dorian Williams, Joe Andreessen, Shaq Thompson The Bills answered a big question in the linebacker room when they waived Spector this week. The remaining questions are, will the Bills keep six linebackers, and if not, who is the fifth and final linebacker to make it? For now, as the Bills have special teams help from several other positions, I've got them keeping only five linebackers, with Thompson sticking around for his age-31 season. The relationship and trust from Carolina with head coach Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane help. Still, beyond that, Thompson could give them reps at either linebacker spot and also chip in on special teams. Thompson has moved well despite his age and the Achilles tear he suffered last September, and has had a good camp. If he can get back from a hamstring injury ahead of final cuts, that might be the final test to pass. The team's 2024 fifth-round pick, Edefuan Ulofoshio, might be someone they can get through waivers due to the position he plays. Cut: Edefuan Ulofoshio, Keonta Jenkins, Jimmy Ciarlo Taron Johnson, Cam Lewis Another season, another year of Johnson and Lewis being the top two options at nickel. The big question with this group is whether they would keep return specialist Brandon Codrington, but they have several options throughout the roster to handle the kick and punt return duties. That group includes Ray Davis, Ty Johnson, Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman and Elijah Moore. That said, I think if they do cut Codrington, they'd like to get him on the practice squad just in case those return options aren't as dependable as they'd like. Cut: Brandon Codrington, Te'Cory Couch Christian Benford, Tre'Davious White, Dane Jackson, Ja'Marcus Ingram, Dorian Strong The Bills were setting up to need to make a decision on one of their boundary cornerbacks, and then the injury to Maxwell Hairston occurred. Rushing him back doesn't seem like something they'll be eager to do, especially with White having a strong camp and securing the starting role. The last time we saw Hairston, he was on crutches and not super close to a return to the field. With some depth pieces in-house, the Bills can afford to place Hairston on IR to begin the year, let him get back up to full speed on his own time, and then find a way to get him on the 53-man roster when he's ready. Placed on IR: Maxwell Hairston Cut: Daequan Hardy Cole Bishop, Taylor Rapp, Damar Hamlin, Jordan Hancock The Bills have four safeties listed here, but they actually have five options at safety with the inclusion of Lewis on the 53-man roster. They've liked what they've seen out of Hancock as he's cross-trained at both nickel and safety during training camp. Having two players in Hancock and Lewis who are versatile pieces reduces the chances of Darrick Forrest making the team, and Hancock has even played ahead of Forrest at times in camp practices when Rapp and Bishop had to miss some days with injuries. Cut: Darrick Forrest, Wande Owens Advertisement Tyler Bass (K), Brad Robbins (P), Reid Ferguson (LS) The only question here for now is Robbins, but he's had a nice camp and has fit in nicely in the specialist room. A lot will depend on the preseason punting, but he's done everything they've asked so far that they aren't inviting competition for him to this point. He's three solid showings away from being the Bills' punter in 2025. Cut: None QB Mike White, RB Frank Gore Jr., WR Kristian Wilkerson, WR Jalen Virgil, WR Stephen Gosnell, TE Zach Davidson, TE Keleki Latu, OL Mike Edwards, OL Chase Lundt, OL Kendrick Green, OL Travis Clayton (International Pathway Program), DE Parris Shand, DT Zion Logue, LB Edefuan Ulofoshio, LB Keonta Jenkins, NCB/S Te'Cory Couch, CB/KR/PR Brandon Codrington (Top photo of Michael Hoecht and Paris Shand: Tina MacIntyre-Yee / USA Today) Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Josh Allen will not play in Bills preseason opener
Quarterback Josh Allen will not be on the field when the Bills open their preseason slate against the Giants. Head coach Sean McDermott told reporters in his Thursday press conference that Allen will rest on Saturday, with Mitchell Trubisky getting the start at quarterback. But other healthy starters will play in the contest. "Josh will not play this week. The starters, the ones, will play give or take one quarter, and then it'll flow from there," McDermott said. McDermott noted the benefit of this plan is to get Trubisky some time with the starters, as that's the group he would be playing with should something happen to Allen during the regular season. "That's huge," McDermott said. "Certainly want to be mindful of Josh, mindful of any starter — any of our players, we never want to see them get injured. The benefit of this, we hold Josh out, we keep him in a good spot. He's been playing extremely well in camp — you guys have been out here — and we get a chance to look at Mitch and some of the other quarterbacks. We'll gain live action with the ones, in this case, for Mitch." Allen has started every game for the Bills since the 2019 season. Trubisky appeared in nine games last season, mainly in mop-up work, though he did play the majority of the Week 18 matchup against the Patriots. He completed 19-of-26 passes for 179 yards with two touchdowns and no picks in 2024. Kickoff for the matchup between Buffalo and New York is set for 1 p.m. ET on Saturday.
New York Times
30-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
What we learned at every position in the first week of Bills training camp
After a long wait, the Buffalo Bills are officially back in full swing after completing the first week of practices. Through seven days, the Bills conducted six nearly two-hour long practices at St. John Fisher University — two of which were fully padded. Along the way, we've seen some solid performances, depth chart movement and early answers to questions about roles as they enter what they hope to be a Super Bowl year in 2025. What has stood out so far? Advertisement Here's a position-by-position look. The Bills' backup competition is completely open between Mitchell Trubisky and Mike White, and the team seems nowhere close to a decision at this point. Through the first six days of practice, Trubisky and White have split time with the second-team offense so the team can get a good look at both. Trubisky delivered his best ball of camp Tuesday, sending a deep ball to Deon Cain for a touchdown. But just a few plays before, he threw across his body across the field in what became an interception. Between the two, White has been the more consistent player and definitely the more decisive passer in the pocket. With the Bills being on the hook on the cap for roughly the same amount, regardless of who wins the competition, this has looked every bit like a straight-up battle that may not have a conclusion until the Bills go through all three preseason games. The Bills returned the same exact group from last year's training camp, with the likelihood that they will keep the same three running backs on the 53-man roster as last year, too. That trio consists of James Cook, Ty Johnson and Ray Davis, but the big question is if the Bills will utilize Cook on third downs more often than they did in 2024. For the most part, it was Johnson's job throughout last season, but there is at least an external push from Cook to prove that he can be a three-down back. Cook has said he wants to play on third downs more this year, but there really hasn't been much indication through the first six practices that Cook is getting considerably more time with the first-team offense than Johnson and Davis. Offensive coordinator Joe Brady said he doesn't feel any pressure to get Cook more work on third downs and that he's had experience with players in their contract years before. As much as Cook might want to become an every-down back, the Bills may not feel the need to fix what isn't broken, as their running back results were outstanding last season. Injuries have defined the early stages of camp so far for the Bills. As of Tuesday, the Bills were without five wide receivers due to injuries, and three of the five (Curtis Samuel, Elijah Moore and Tyrell Shavers) look to have a legitimate chance of making the 53-man roster this year. Franchise quarterback Josh Allen has had to take reps with players he really hasn't thrown to before, with the likes of Stephen Gosnell, Kristian Wilkerson and Deon Cain getting first-team time just to give a rest to the top trio of Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman and Joshua Palmer. Advertisement Coleman has had an inconsistent camp throughout as he's entering a pivotal second season. He has put together some good days where he has some really flashy reps, though that's been coupled with some missed opportunities in contested catch situations and with some flat-out drops. Proving he can either be a consistent threat in contested catch situations or generate more separation before the catch will be the ultimate test of whether he can take the step forward the Bills are hoping for in 2025. Some feared the worst when third-year player and 2023 first-round pick Dalton Kincaid missed Monday's practice with what the team called 'knee soreness.' He had knee injuries to both legs last season, unraveling his year and forcing the team to defend its faith in him heading into the season. Kincaid wore a sleeve on his left leg, the one that he suffered a PCL injury to last season, on his one day off — though he returned to practice in full Tuesday after missing only one session. Kincaid has been heavily involved with the first-team offense as their other primary tight end, Dawson Knox, has missed every practice with a hamstring injury. Without Knox, rookie and fifth-round pick Jackson Hawes has really had some nice moments as a run blocker, and some of his reps earned some immediate high praise from his coaches. Through the first week of practice, one of the big standouts to this point has been the play of starting right tackle O'Cyrus Torrence. He has been a force in the run game, and during pass blocking one-on-ones, Torrence has dominated many of his reps. The third-year guard seemingly took a big step forward during the second half of the 2024 season and has continued building on that to begin training camp. The Bills and his teammates both seem excited about what Torrence's third year can become, as he becomes extension-eligible after the year. Advertisement Torrence's development could easily impact the team's decision-making on extensions to most, if not all, of the impending free agent trio of Cook, starting center Connor McGovern and starting left guard David Edwards. From an injury perspective, starting right tackle Spencer Brown hasn't practiced once since training camp began due to what the team called a 'flare up' of his back. Brown has a history of back injuries, even requiring surgery in a previous offseason. He has been highly visible at each practice on the sideline with teammates. It may be a case of the Bills knowing what they have in Brown, who was one of their best players in 2024, and taking all the time and space they can while they have the freedom to do so, still with over a month to go before the start of the regular season. The Bills have generally been pretty cautious with injuries the last two years — especially if they occur during the summer. Top defensive end Greg Rousseau has had a great start to training camp, just as he has had for several years in a row. The biggest wonder is where the Bills could deploy him in 2025, as the team moved him around between the left and right side for much of the last two seasons due to the presence of other big-name pass rushers. To this point in camp, Rousseau has been nearly exclusively at left defensive end, working against right tackles. That side is his most natural position of the two, and even when paired with Joey Bosa, who has had some career success rushing from the left, Rousseau has been the player on the left side of the formation. Although it's not everything, keeping him on the left could be a key in helping to unlock his pass-rushing ceiling. The 'plan' for Bosa has been evident through the first week of camp. The Bills are being highly intentional with how much and when they are giving Bosa practice reps. He's already had a pair of days off from team drills, and he hasn't gotten a vast amount of work during 11-on-11s in the four days he was available. The Bills are solely focused on the long game with Bosa, favoring his availability in the regular season and playoffs as opposed to what, for him, are ultimately non-impactful snaps during camp. It remains to be seen if Bosa will be a starter in 2025, and how many snaps that means each game, even if he is on the field for the first defensive snap each week. Advertisement Outside of Bosa, second-year defensive end Javon Solomon has put together another strong start to camp as a pass rusher. He earned a consistent special teams role in 2024 and needs to show more as a run defender to earn consistent playing time on defense in 2025. However, if he continues to have pass-rushing impact during practice, there is some appeal to working him in on obvious pass-rushing situations once the regular season arrives. There hasn't been enough of a sample size to really judge how the young defensive tackles have performed so far, as the Bills brought in the pair of T.J. Sanders (second-round pick) and Deone Walker (fourth-round pick). With only two days of padded sessions, there have been some good reps here or there, but not enough to make significant conclusions. In terms of role, though, the Bills have had a pretty clear plan for their backup groups. For the most part, the three-technique group has consisted of Ed Oliver, Sanders and veteran Larry Ogunjobi. The one-technique group has been chiefly DaQuan Jones, Deone Walker, DeWayne Carter and Zion Logue. We'll get more performance information, as physicality is so important at the position, as the padded practices continue to mount. The most compelling part about the Bills' linebacker room is the backup battle. The top three of Terrel Bernard, Matt Milano and Dorian Williams are well established. Past that, it looks highly likely for Buffalo-native Joe Andreessen to make the team, though roles are up for grabs. Andreessen is battling Baylon Spector for the backup middle linebacker job, as the two have split reps during camp. Spector may be in a battle against himself to make the team, as not only head coach Sean McDermott but also defensive coordinator Bobby Babich have made comments about the need to 'be available,' and Spector has struggled with injuries during his three years in Buffalo. The big question remains about whether the Bills keep five or six linebackers. That puts Spector, veteran Shaq Thompson and 2024 fifth-round pick Edefuan Ulofoshio all on the potential bubble for the 53-man roster. Thompson has looked better than expected after suffering a torn Achilles last September, and is making an early push to make the team outright. The cornerback group took a potentially massive turn on Tuesday, as rookie and first-round pick Maxwell Hairston suffered what teammates described as a 'non-contact injury' after a 'freak trip up' during an individual drill. Video of the evaluation following the injury showed the team's athletic trainers looking at Hairston's right knee, and the rookie did not return to practice. Advertisement Hairston has been in a battle with veteran cornerback Tre'Davious White for the starting job opposite Christian Benford, though White has taken the vast majority of first-team reps since camp began. White has also been the better and more consistent player of the two, as Hairston has had good moments, but needs to fine-tune some techniques that led to losses on reps. Even without the injury, White looked to be the favorite to head into Week 1 as the starter, though there was a long way to go before the regular season began. If Hairston's injury is as serious as it's feared, that likely secures White's spot in the starting lineup in his return to Buffalo after one year away. Should Hairston land on an injury list, it would also potentially absolve the Bills from having to cut someone they may not have wanted to from their cornerback room, with bubble players such as Ja'Marcus Ingram or Dane Jackson potentially being on the cut line. It would also open up the possibilities of them going to free agency at cornerback, though they'd probably like to see what they have in-house before pulling that tab. On the flip side, Benford has looked like one of the best players on the field, and should his current playing level continue, he seems primed to make another leap after signing a long-term extension with the team that keeps him signed through 2029. This time last year, the Bills had a completely open competition for the starting safety job that Damar Hamlin ultimately won, thanks in part to both his consistency and the rest of the competition having multi-week injuries last summer. This year, the competition has been anything but open. When Cole Bishop has been available, he has been the first-team safety along with Taylor Rapp throughout practices when the full first-team defense has taken reps. The Bills are hoping for a big jump from Bishop in what should be his first full season starting, as he is a critical piece for defensive improvement in 2025.
New York Times
09-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Bills training camp 2025 quarterback preview: Can Josh Allen have another MVP-caliber season?
It surely isn't a coincidence that when the Bills became perennial threats to make it to the Super Bowl, it happened at the same time as franchise quarterback Josh Allen took a massive step forward in the 2020 season. The entire organization knows that they will go as Allen does, and have treated their operation with that at the forefront of their minds since the quarterback turned the corner into one of the best in the league. And with Allen's marquee 2024 season now behind him, the Bills must prepare for another opportunity to help Allen reach a new goal, getting to — or even winning — a Super Bowl. As the Bills approach training camp, what stands out about their quarterback room? Here is a detailed outlook for when the Bills return in late July. The Bills made their only move at quarterback at the end of last season by signing Mike White to a two-year contract when they called him up to the 53-man roster. That ensured that the same four quarterbacks they had in 2024 would remain the group heading into 2025. Allen is the franchise player, Mitchell Trubisky and White are the second options, and practice squad option Shane Buechele returns after spending all last year on Injured Reserve. Advertisement Can Josh Allen have a repeat performance in 2025? Allen became one of the star quarterbacks of the NFL several years ago, and he's continued to evolve year after year to stay in those conversations. But even by his incredibly high standards, Allen's 2024 season was easily the best football he's played over his entire career. He continued doing all the things that made him one of the best players in the league, highlighting his outstanding arm strength, his mobility and a special knack for making clutch plays when his team needed him the most. But above those known attributes, Allen delivered a season that showed immense growth in his decision-making as a pocket passer to keep the ball in the Bills' possession. Since Allen made his NFL debut in 2018, one of the things he has had to work on was finding a necessary balance between taking calculated risks while resisting the urge to be too aggressive and forcing the ball into coverage. Allen towed that line in 2024 better than he ever has. He has learned to get through all his progressions and recognize tight but exploitable throwing windows as opposed to when to keep the ball in his hand and live to fight another down. Doing all of that, along with the gaudy statistics that come with being both a throwing and running threat at the top of his game was one thing. Then, when you add in all the wins and the pizzazz with some of his highlight-caliber plays, you yield a player who was in clear control almost the entire year. He was rewarded with the NFL's Most Valuable Player award for the first time in his career for those efforts. The question of Allen's potential for a repeat performance doesn't have much to do with him coming away with the MVP award in 2025. It's a pretty rare feat to win the MVP award in back-to-back seasons. It's only been done twice since the turn of the century when Peyton Manning did so in 2008 and 2009, and then Aaron Rodgers in 2020 and 2021. Allen's marker of success, and living up to what he was to the Bills is not and should not be confined to winning the MVP award. Rather, it's about Allen sustaining the level of play he discovered last year — being smart with the football, continuing to be one of the most dynamic and difficult-to-defend quarterbacks in the league and putting the Bills in a position to win every week. On top of that, just as he did last year, boosting the game of the relatively unproven receivers around him was also a factor in such a successful year. Last season was his first chance to prove that he could be a talent elevator to his teammates, and he took the challenge head-on and helped lead one of the most successful scoring offenses in the NFL. Advertisement Now that's not to say it was perfect in 2024. The Bills receivers struggled with separation, and it impacted the team's overall ability to challenge opponents consistently in the intermediate-to-deep areas of the field. Allen has shown throughout his career that he can win as a passer to those spots on the field, but the farther the ball travels, the higher the degree of difficulty becomes, which could lead to more potential turnover-worthy plays if the receivers show a better knack of getting open in those areas. The Bills approached their offseason to improve just that with the additions of Joshua Palmer, Elijah Moore and their optimism for a fully healthy Dalton Kincaid being able to push down the field as a tight end. Working in Allen's favor is that the Bills will return the same starting offensive line as they had in 2024, which was one of the best in the entire NFL last season. They'll also bring back the same stable of running backs to alleviate some pressure from being too pass-heavy an operation, and two of Allen's three most successful wide receivers in Khalil Shakir and Keon Coleman. But it all revolves around Allen. Was his decision-making and efficiency combined with his usual high-level, multi-faceted quarterbacking a one-off, or was it the beginning of Allen's true prime as one of, if not the best, player in the entire league? If it's the latter, there could be another special season ahead for the Bills in 2025. Mitchell Trubisky vs. Mike White The Bills haven't given Trubisky much competition over the years, but that's changed a bit this season. After being Allen's backup in 2021, Trubisky spent two years with the Steelers before hitting the open market again in 2024. The Bills were ecstatic to get Trubisky back under contract, especially after the Bills' depth at quarterback beyond Allen in 2023 was a legitimate concern. Trubisky remains the slight favorite to retain the backup role. However, unlike last summer, the Bills have another quarterback under contract, Mike White, who has both starting experience and as a primary backup for a team. It could set up for Trubisky to have a little more heat on his job than he's faced previously in Buffalo. If the Bills did cut Trubisky, they would save $1.5 million on the 2025 salary cap, so there are positive cap ramifications. More than anything, though, the Bills will want the best player for the job, and Trubisky should be viewed as the favorite at this point, but White is an experienced player with more natural passing deeper down the field. It could easily sway in White's favor by the end of preseason. Josh Allen and Mitchell Trubisky Although the Bills will entertain the idea of White stealing the backup spot or keeping three quarterbacks for the season, I have them going with the status quo in 2025. Trubisky has more starting experience and is a better athlete than White, and Trubisky would be able to access more of the playbook designed for Allen. With the Bills adding a huge draft class and likely to keep most of them, it likely discourages them from using a 53-man roster spot on the luxury position of an emergency quarterback. The inevitable truth is that the Bills hope Trubisky, White, or anyone else not named Josh Allen will have to enter the starting lineup in a meaningful situation.
