Orchard Park, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - The Buffalo Bills have begun offseason workouts in Orchard Park, and quarterback Josh Allen is back with his teammates.
The last time Allen was on the field, it was the AFC Championship Game, where the Bills lost by three to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Buffalo did have the ball with 3:33 left and an opportunity to tie or go ahead in the game. The Bills started on their own 30-yard line and got the ball to the 47-yard line with a 4th-and-5 situation with two minutes left in the game. Allen was able to dodge a fierce pass rush and get the ball downfield to Dalton Kincaid, but the tight end couldn’t secure the catch and the Bills lost.
Allen says that loss drives him three months later.
"It will still sit with me," said Allen on Tuesday. "A lot of 'shoulda, coulda, woulda' in that game, and that’s why we play to be in those types of situations. But we’re still fighting and still trying to find a way to push through that. I just use it as fuel to have a good OTAs and a good camp, and try to go into the season starting strong."
Allen puts in a lot of work in the offseason, and says he came out of last season in good shape injury wise.
"It’s the best I’ve felt physically after a season," he said. "I really didn’t have any ailments. I didn’t take too many hits this last year, so the body felt good."
This is the time of year where Allen and offensive coordinator Joe Brady can look at last season and how the offense was run, and the plays they liked and disliked. Allen says he looks forward to that, because it will lead to a more efficient offense.
"I go back and look at what was good and what was bad, and when I go back and look at the film, it seems like every year I learn more," Allen said. "But there’s still so much to learn, and that’s the exciting part of going into these meetings and trying to break down my film, and how I can be better for this football team."
Allen feels there can be improvement in how he sees the field before the play begins. He says that work is already underway.
"Pre-snap is what we’re looking at right now, and just trying to help me identify what I’m seeing, be better with my footwork on certain routes, making sure within the offense that I’m doing a good job of setting the protections the right way knowing where my answers are. That’s all stuff that we can control, and as I’m learning to do that better and relying on the quarterbacks in the room and Joe and 'R.C.' (quarterbacks coach Ron Curry)," Allen said.
When OTAs begin, they aren’t mandatory, but Allen is almost always here throughout. He feels as a leader, he needs to be present.
"It’s showing up and making sure that I’m here, and letting the new guys see what this culture is all about. And how to vibe in this locker room and making sure we’re hanging outside the facilities and starting to develop that team," Allen said.
"There’s going to be a few new faces, and I just saw that we got Tre White back, which is pretty cool. I’m off social media so I didn’t know that. I was walking into the locker room today and I peaked him, and I went to the equipment manager and asked, ‘Is that Tre White over there?’ just making sure. But it’s good to see some familiar faces back, and good to add some new pieces."
The Bills signed free agent wide receiver Joshua Palmer from the Los Angeles Chargers, and Allen can’t wait to get to work with him.
"I’m excited to get to throw with him pretty soon," he said. "He’s very fluid in his routes, he creates a lot of separation, and there’s a lot of advanced stats that show that. But he’s a Toronto kid too, so I know he’s got a big following here."
Another player that the Bills signed away from the Chargers was pass rusher Joey Bosa. Allen says he tried to help with that.
"I’m excited to have him up here," he added. "I made a few calls and tried to recruit him, and I don’t have much success with those. But I had success in that one, so we’ll take it."
The Bills are returning most of their first- and second-team offensive line, as well as Kincaid and Dawson Knox. Allen says that puts them ahead of the game.
"It’s the familiarity having the same O-line, having basically the same receiving and running back core and tight ends. It means we’re returning a lot of guys, and that helps when guys are fresh and understand what Joe’s trying to implement," Allen said. "That mantra that everybody eats, that’s not just a one-year thing. It’s what this offense is, and it’s what it takes to be a good offense."
Both general manager Brandon Beane and head coach Sean McDermott thought wide receiver Keon Coleman wasn’t as good last season after a wrist injury suffered in the middle part of the season. Allen is working to improve the chemistry between the two.
"We’ve had a couple of conversations, and he knows that he wants to be better," Allen said of the second-year receiver. "He sent me a couple of long texts of wanting to be better, and we’re going to continue to work extremely hard to try to get on the same page. He’s got so much ability, he’s so athletic, he’s already put on some weight, and he’s gotten a little bit stronger. So I’m excited to see his progression, and he’s still so young. He’s still got a long ways to go, in terms of learning the nuances of the wide receiver position. So I’m so excited for his future because of the ability that he has. It’s off the charts."
Allen says it’s important for him to be in the building at this time of year because he wants the new players to know what goes into getting ready for a season and the hard work that goes into it.