1 – Player-driven leadership a success at camp
As training camp at the St. John Fisher campus came to a close Wednesday, head coach Sean McDermott was particularly pleased with the level of commitment from the players from start to finish.
"This is one of the more focused, harder working groups that I've been around," he said. "Now does that mean we're going to have success? There's no guarantee. But I thought the player-driven leadership was really good and allowed us to stay focused and to put in a good day's work each and every day. That's all you can ask for at this point as we continue to focus on the process of what leads us up to the season."
McDermott still sees value in going away to camp as a team feeling it helps to bring a team closer together. Some players even mentioned how their relationship with other players on the roster went deeper because they were away together at training camp for the better part of the last three weeks.
"The best part about being in Rochester and not in Buffalo is you develop the relationships I talked about and that carries over to the field," said Josh Allen. "To have that relationship then go on the field whether I'm with the ones, twos or threes, I feel like I've got a really good rapport. Talking off the field, being pals, eating lunch and dinner together. It helps."
2 – Allen still with the second team
In what could be a possible preview of the quarterback rotation on Friday night against Cleveland, AJ McCarron was back with the starting unit on Wednesday with Josh Allen practicing for a third consecutive day with the second unit. Nathan Peterman worked with the third string.
It doesn't sound like Allen will see any time with the starters on Friday night, but the rookie would naturally welcome such an opportunity if it presents itself at some point this preseason.
"Whenever my number is called I think I will be ready. I think the coaches understand that," he said. "They're not going to throw me into a situation where I wouldn't be ready. I'm just going to put my trust in them. That's all I can do. Coach McDermott is a smart man and smart coach, so whatever he says is what we're going to do."
Allen doesn't yet feel he's at the point where he's refining what he knows within the scope of the offense. He's still trying to recognize what the defense is giving him and reacting with the proper solution.
"I'm still trying to get to know the offense. It's not too difficult for me, but just understanding what coach Daboll wants me to do in certain situations," he said. "Just trying to play the part and being the quarterback that this team needs me to be."
3 – Secondary notes
There was some shuffling in the secondary the last couple of days. On Wednesday, Kelcie McCray and rookie Siran Neal lined up alongside fellow safety Rafael Bush with the second unit.
At cornerback, undrafted rookie Levi Wallace saw time with the second team. The other second team cornerback position has also seen a change the last two days. It had been Lafayette Pitts manning a second team corner spot, but the last two days Breon Borders has taken over the role with Pitts running third team. Borders has stepped his game up the last week of training camp and has made more plays on the ball, so the time he's gotten with the second unit has been well deserved.
Finally, with CB Phillip Gaines not seeing much action Wednesday, rookie Taron Johnson was the first team nickel corner at practice.
