1 – Josh Allen practices with the second unit
Throughout training camp, head coach Sean McDermott and his staff have used a quarterback rotation in which each quarterback would see time with different groups. However, on day 14 of camp, a switch was made. Josh Allen spent the entire practice with the second team offense, marking the first practice in which the Bills have used this defined quarterback setup.
In yesterday's practice, Nathan Peterman was mainly with the first team and he alternated with A.J. McCarron. Today, McCarron saw most of his reps with the first team, Allen was with the second team exclusively, and Peterman worked with the third team. Allen even took a couple of extra reps with the second team in the second team session of the day.
2 – Zay Jones returns to full contact
For the first week and a half of training camp, wide receiver Zay Jones was first on the non-football injury list and then practicing with a red non-contact uniform. However, Jones took the field today to participate in his first full contact practice. While practices do not always hold the same level of physicality as live games, it was a relief for Jones to get back into the full swing of things.
"Being away from the game gives you an appreciation of the game," said Jones.
Jones participated in 15 of the Bills' 16 regular season games in 2017, and he started in 11 of those contests. The Bills coaching staff knows how important it is for him to be a productive member of the team, and Jones says that he is farther ahead than he was at this point one year ago.
"Drastically," he said. "I would say that I have learned more mentally and physically about myself."
As he embarks on his sophomore season in the NFL, Jones is poised to be a key member of the Buffalo receiving corps, and he is back 100 percent for the first time since undergoing a procedure on his knee in the offseason.
3 – Bills gain defensive line help
In Thursday's contest with the Carolina Panthers, Bills defensive tackle Star Lotulelei injured his back against his former team. The injury was not considered serious, and Lotulelei missed just two practice sessions before returning today.
His injury, combined with those of fellow defensive linemen John Hughes and Marquavius Lewis, prompted the Bills to part ways with Hughes in favor of newest Bill, Tyrunn Walker. Walker is in his seventh NFL season, spending three years in New Orleans, two seasons in Detroit, and 2017 with the Los Angeles Rams.
Normally, when a player is practicing for the first time after sustaining an injury, they will not participate in team sessions in that practice; as was the case for Trent Murphy in yesterday's practice. Conversely, Lotulelei jumped right back into action as he was in his usual spot with the first team defense. The sixth-year man out of Utah figures to be a big part of what the Bills are trying to do on defense in 2018, and the coaching staff appeared pleased with his return to action.
