1. Josh Allen ready to be in the spotlight
Josh Allen has firmly established himself as the leader of the offense and as the face of the Buffalo Bills. Being the starting quarterback comes with a lot of responsibilities on and off the field. Between making appearances to the public and media obligation it's easy to say Allen is busy without adding in his football responsibilities.
"I made the bed I got to lay in it. It kind of comes with the territory here," Allen said. "I understand being what a quarterback entails and I wouldn't want it any differently. I love playing this game, love playing this position and whatever is kind of thrown my way I got to handle it."
"That's something that can apply on and off the field. We're going to have times of adversity or something's going to change and you've got to roll with the punches. I've got a family saying that's APO, adjust, persevere, overcome."
2. Heath Farwell: Pat DiMarco is a leader
When it comes to leadership on a football team, most fingers don't point toward the fullback. But, as one of the longest tenured members of the Bills, Patrick DiMarco is making his impact known on special teams.
"It's always been unbelievable in my meetings and on the field there's leadership but Pat [Patrick] DiMarco, I think has covered a million kicks and has played for a long time," special teams coordinator Heath Farwell said. "He's been huge in the leadership, in the meeting rooms, on the field and all that stuff. He's giving me feedback, you know, what's going on out there, and what can I work on. He's been great and I rely on those guys big time. My relationship with those guys is unbelievable and I hope that they would agree."
3. Andre Roberts a model for young players
Andre Roberts is on his sixth NFL team with the Bills this season. The All-Pro return man signed on with the Bills this season after spending last year with the New York Jets. Since his first three years in Arizona, Roberts has found himself on a different team every season.
Roberts, who is known for his prowess on special teams, has made a lengthy NFL career playing the majority of time with that is considered phase three of a team's game plan.
As the Bills fill out their roster, Roberts understands the importance of being a young player and earning their spot with special teams.
"Yeah that's the goal for every young guy, especially if they're not drafted is finding a role on special teams," Roberts said. "Doing a good job with that and then producing when the time comes for them to get in on defense or offense."
Heath Farwell spoke about Roberts at his press conference on Thursday.
"Everybody loves him here, I think that's the best part about him," Farwell said. "We know what he does in the return game but I think what he does is provide leadership off the field in the meeting room and in the classroom. Out on the field, that's unbelievable. I'm really impressed with him, but you know his talent. You see it and he practices that way every day. His effort, his focus, how smart he is, it's obvious."
4. Quarterback Tyree Jackson receiving lots of support
Former UB quarterback Tyree Jackson made a number of plays in Thursday's practice. The undrafted free agent was able to sling the ball into tight spaces and convert a couple of red zone opportunities into touchdowns. He's looked toward Josh Allen and Matt Barkley for guidance during his first week of training camp.
"I look up to both of them a lot," Jackson said. "Even Josh being just a year older. I've learned a lot from him and Matt. They've helped me throughout practice every play, they tell me what they see and tell me what I maybe should have done and then in the film room they're very helpful."
5. Cornerback Taron Johnson embraces physical style of play
The second-year cornerback is recovering from a shoulder injury that limited him during his rookie year. Despite that, Johnson prides himself on a hard-hitting style of play and an attitude that allows him to play as hard as he can.
"I feel like it's in me," Johnson said. "I mean, you've heard people say corners and DB's are a little soft sometimes and from the time I was young, I never wanted anyone saying that about me. So, since the time I was young, I've always been aggressive."
