The Bills had their final practice before the first preseason game on Wednesday morning, splitting time between inside and out because of a power outage caused by storms rolling through Orchard Park.
Let's get into what all went down.
No Allen Friday Night
Before practice, head coach Sean McDermott announced that Josh Allen will not play in Friday night's preseason opener.
McDermott added that some starters will play, but who exactly will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
This will be how the Bills handle their key players throughout the preseason, now having to divide reps across three games rather than four.
McDermott said that he has been pleased with the work put in by his starters in practice, including where their conditioning stands. While not where they need to be for the regular season, the Bills head coach feels comfortable sitting some to allow for other players to see game action and get evaluated.
Breida Breaks Loose
For the second-straight day, the Bills running game looked good.
While Tuesday it was Devin Singletary, today is was Matt Breida shining brightest.
He had a handful of longer runs that really showcased his speed, bursting through the hole and into the open field.
And it wasn't just carrying the ball. Breida also was in the mix in the passing game with a few catches.
From what we have seen on the field to what we've heard off of it from players and coaches alike, it is apparent Breida is going to have a role on this offense.
Expect him and Antonio Williams to be the featured backs Friday night, with Zack Moss and Christian Wade will out with injuries. Williams had some nice moments as well today.
Short and Sweet
The Bills passing game looked better Wednesday, but not with the big, flash plays.
A lot of what Josh Allen and company were working on was short-to-intermediate passes.
That allowed guys like Cole Beasley, Gabriel Davis, Isaiah McKenzie, Jake Kumerow, and Jacob Hollister to be in the mix.
Stefon Diggs was once again absent with a knee injury.
Brown Not Drowning With Bigger Role
The absence of Dion Dawkins has elevated the playing time in a big way for Spencer Brown.
As has been seen during the two stadium practices, Brown has filled in for Dawkins at left tackle on the 1st team offense.
Brown admits there have been good and bad moments, but he takes each as a learning experience, ones he wasn't expecting this early on.
As for Dawkins, he was seen out at practice for a 3rd-straight day. It appears he is slowly working his way back into things after testing positive for COVID.
It is hard to say what the timeline will be for Dawkins return to the field. Missing over two weeks would likely make it a longer process for him to get back into shape and ready for football activities.
That means more run for Brown, Bobby Hart, and Tommy Doyle, all of whom I expect to see a good amount of playing time Friday night.
Sweeney's Scare
The Bills tight end room looks a lot different from this time a year ago. Veterans Tyler Kroft and Lee Smith are gone, Hollister is in along with some added younger guys.
Tommy Sweeney is one of the few holdovers, although it doesn't feel like it. Sweeney missed all of last season after having foot surgery heading into camp and then getting COVID and myocarditis as a result.
Sweeney doesn't feel like his development was hurt too much by missing so much time, rather just can tell it's been a while since he suited up and got on the field.
After Dawson Knox and Hollister, you would have to think Sweeney is the front-runner to round out the TE room.
Still, it has been a while since he proved anything on the field, so the preseason will be very important for his roster status.
Johnson's Moment Still Full of Emotion
Taron Johnson's pick 6 against the Ravens in the Divisional Round of last season's playoffs is quite possibly the biggest play in Buffalo Bills history.
Like many of you, Johnson admits he can't stop watching, guessing he's seen the play at least 500 times.
But there also is part of Johnson that is trying to put that play in the past, shifting focus to this season.
It is a big one for the nickel corner, entering a contract year. As huge of a play as that was against Baltimore, let's not forget there was a point last season where Johnson lost his starting job to Cam Lewis. A Lewis injury, however, allowed Johnson to find his way back into the line-up, where he appeared to play better.
Staying healthy and continuing to play more consistently are Johnson's top priorities in 2021.
Injury Notes
- WR Stefon Diggs (knee)
- RB Zack Moss (hamstring)
- WR Duke Williams (hamstring)
- DT Vernon Butler (concussion)
- Forrest Lamp (calf)
- RB Christian Wade (shoulder)
Bills are off Thursday before their first preseason game Friday night in Detroit at 7 pm. Make sure to follow Jon Scott for all the latest Bills news (@JonScottTV).