Josh Allen might have opened Buffalo Bills training camp as the No. 3 quarterback, but he will get every opportunity to win the starting job.
To that end, the Bills are already giving the rookie reps with the first-team unit. It took all of two practices for Allen to take snaps with the starters on Friday.
Coach Sean McDermott confirmed to reporters on Saturday that all three quarterbacks -- Allen, AJ McCarron and Nathan Peterman -- will rotate regularly with the first-team unit for the foreseeable future.
Allen already siphoning first team reps is a positive sign for a QB many scouts believed would need some time before being ready to start, with questions regarding his footwork, decision-making and accuracy. While those issues remain, there is little doubt the rookie owns a mammoth talent advantage over McCarron and Peterman.
"I'm here to be the best quarterback I can be," Allen told NFL Network's Omar Ruiz. "I'm not going to worry about anybody else. I'm going to take things from Nate and AJ and learn."
Coaches constantly harp about how valuable every rep is, especially for quarterbacks learning a system. If we accept those comments as meaningful, then Allen already earning first-team reps is the first step in the rookie winning the job out of training camp.
It will be interesting to see how the Bills rotate their quarterbacks once preseason games begin Aug. 9 (vs. Carolina). If Allen continues his upward progression, it will be difficult for the coaching staff to ignore the hype and bench their most talented QB to open the season.
If Allen clearly outplays McCarron and Peterman, McDermott will have an interesting decision about whether to toss his rookie into the fire out of the gate with few receiving weapons at his disposal, behind a remade offensive line that lost three key players.
For now, Allen will settle for taking a few first-team reps here and there until he's handed the reins.
