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‘If you’re looking for a silver lining, this is the best we can come up with: At least the Bills will know if Allen can play before the team is faced with using another high first-rounder on a franchise quarterback.’

‘It was Peterman’s third start of his career, and this one was somehow better than his first. Last year, in a matchup with the Chargers, Peterman went 6 of 14 for 66 yards and five interceptions in the first half alone, before being replaced by Tyrod Taylor, who was named the full-time starter again. Peterman started another game later in the season (the snow globe game against the Colts) when Taylor had to miss the game due to injury. Once Taylor was healthy, he resumed his place in the starting lineup.’

‘Peterman remained on the shelf for the rest of 2017 but the Bills traded Tyrod Taylor in the offseason, did the same just before the regular season with free-agent acquisition AJ McCarron, and with rookie first-rounder Josh Allen apparently not ready to see the field, Peterman won the starting gig by default. The results, as you might expect, were disastrous.’

‘It’s fairly clear that Allen will take over the team’s top job sooner or later, but the Bills want him to wait a little while before ascending to the QB spot. Buffalo’s early-season schedule is pretty tough, with the Ravens, Chargers, Vikings, Packers, Titans, and Texans on tap in the first six weeks of the season. It’s possible Allen takes over at some point during that run, but the Bills also might elect to keep him on the bench until the schedule eases up a bit over the second half of the year.’

‘But McCarron is an upgrade for Oakland, which previously had Connor Cook and EJ Manuel behind Derek Carr on the depth chart. Cook was cut by the Raiders on Saturday, according to Schefter.’

‘Instead, Sunday afternoon ended up being a nightmare for Allen and the Bills’ first-team offense. The nightmare ended with Allen in the locker room as he got evaluated for a head injury. Allen would be cleared to return by doctors, but when the second half started, it was Peterman under center.’

‘The 35-year-old free agent, released by the Bills in May, announced on Twitter over the weekend that his father had passed away. On Monday, while visiting Scottsdale’s Messingers Funeral Home, Incognito “created a disturbance” by “acting erratically” and at one point making a “gun gesture toward one of the employees,” per Florio. Police reports indicated that Incognito also said he had guns in his truck, which proved to be true after police located and impounded weapons in his vehicle.’

‘These are all good signs for the Bills, a team that made the playoffs last season for the first time since 1999. But there’s still a long way to go. First, Buffalo’s schedule over the first two months of the season is brutal — the first eight games are against the Ravens, Chargers, Vikings, Packers, Titans, Texans, Colts and Patriots.’

‘With that being said, it still seems like McCarron is unlikely to win the starting job. Allen and second-year quarterback Nathan Peterman appear to be favored. After the Bills’ preseason opener, the battle appeared to be between Peterman and McCarron — and it was Peterman who looked the most impressive at the time. But Friday night might’ve drastically altered the race.’

‘The news Bills receiver actually got to face his former team on Friday in a preseason game that Buffalo won over the Browns 19-17. After the game, Coleman was asked about his portrayal in the latest episode of “Hard Knocks,” and let’s just say, he wasn’t happy about it.’

‘And so, that means that either Allen or Nathan Peterman will likely emerge with the Bills’ starting job heading into the regular season. After the Bills’ preseason opener, the race appeared to be between Peterman and McCarron — and it was Peterman who looked the most impressive at the time. But Friday night might’ve changed the race.’

‘There is healthy skepticism whether Allen will ever approach anything resembling a franchise player. At issue: Even though the team traded up from No. 12 to No. 7 to draft him, Allen’s college numbers at Wyoming were pedestrian; he completed just 56.3 percent of his passes last season, ranked 72nd in the country in passing efficiency, and struggled against better teams.’

‘A picture from Max Henson of Panthers.com confirms Cam’s, ahem, displeasure with the situation.’

‘Coleman has struggled with both injuries and inconsistent play during his two years in the league. He has played in just 19 of a possible 36 games, missing time with several hand injuries. During his two seasons in Cleveland, he managed just 56 catches for 718 yards and five touchdowns.’

‘Completion percentage isn’t always the best way to measure accuracy, but it is worth noting that Newton’s career completion percentage sits at just 58.5 percent. Among 58 quarterbacks with at least 16 total starts from 2011-17, Newton ranks 48th in completion percentage around the likes of Blake Bortles, Matt Cassel, EJ Manuel, and Mark Sanchez. Newton’s been erratic, but that doesn’t make him a bad quarterback. He just happens to be a very good, but flawed player.’