Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

‘It’s a valid concern because even with the strides he made between 2018 and 2019, Allen has a long way to go before anyone outside One Bills Drive will have complete confidence in him.’

‘“Quarterback is probably the most valuable position in sports, definitely in football, and we invested in Jake in the fifth round,” Beane said Monday. “Unfortunately, no offseason for him. He didn’t get any reps in May and June, and then now you come into a condensed preseason with no games. You don’t want to give up on that position this early. I’d hate to release him and never have seen him play in a game for us.”’

‘Josh Allen and Matt Barkley are the undeniable 1-2, and Jake Fromm, at least for now, is the third-stringer while Webb is on the team for added security. The Bills apparently want to take a longer look at Fromm, their fifth-round draft pick, but were afraid that he would have been claimed if he was cut Saturday.’

‘In his first three seasons, White has emerged as one of the best players at his position, someone who came in and replaced the departed Stephon Gilmore who signed a big free agent deal with the Patriots in 2017, the year White was drafted.’

‘Based on what the Bills may do when they begin scouring the waiver wire and then the free agent lists, several players will continue to sweat things out through the weekend.’

‘“He’s grown since he’s been here,” Daboll said. “He grows every day. He’s dedicated to his craft, he’s an excellent leader, he understands what we want. He goes out there and he tries to do it on a daily basis. He’s got great relationships with people in the building, not just his teammates but with everybody in the building. He’s the leader of our football team.”’

‘“I don’t get paid to make decisions, I get paid to play quarterback, but come Saturday, it’s in my opinion the saddest day in all of sports. A lot of guys are losing part of themselves in the game of football.”’

‘“I’ve played with a chip on my shoulder since when I wasn’t on varsity my freshman year in high school,” said Wallace, now heading into this third NFL season. “That’s just how I play, that’s who I am, and I’ve carried that same chip each and every day from high school, college, even the NFL. That’s just me, so even now I’m established I guess a little bit … I still get nervous. Anything can happen. I never take any rep or any practice for granted.”’

‘For the most part, I’m not expecting too many surprises Saturday, but I’m going to make a case for three potential cuts you may not be considering.’

‘Wide receiver John Brown and defensive end Quinton Jefferson were out with what McDermott termed an “illness” so right away, the thoughts went to COVID-19. “The two illnesses, with what we know now at this point, are not connected to COVID, but it’s always a concern,” McDermott said.’

‘So, in a year when the Bills have high expectations and firmly believe they are a legitimate Super Bowl contender, they are entrusting the kicking duties to a rookie who has never faced the pressure he’ll be under in the NFL, especially if the games are indeed massively important.’

‘“I’ve said this plenty of times before; Josh is a guy that has come in, has worked hard and aims to improve every day, and he has done that every day since he’s been here,” said Daboll. “I have total confidence in him as a player and as a person. He just needs to keep grinding out, we all do, keep grinding out to get better. He’s a hard-working quarterback, he’s a hard-working player, and he’s a good leader. He’s the leader of our football team.”’

‘“The thing that I noticed is the decision making,” Frazier said Friday. “It’s what you thought it would be going into his third season. He’s grown so much in that area, protecting the football and making good decisions.”’

‘The two kickers were fairly close in terms of accuracy during training camp, but Bass’ leg was clearly superior, especially on kickoffs. On Thursday, Bass drove two kickoffs into a stiff wind for touchbacks, he made both of his extra point attempts and a 41-yard field goal, then missed a 55-yarder. Hauschka came up well short of the end zone into the wind on a kickoff and missed one of two extra points.’

‘“I can tell you that I thought about it, we thought about it from the administrative side,” coach Sean McDermott said of postponing the scrimmage. “We’ve had, and will continue to have, ongoing conversations about things that are going on in our world and the result of those things.”’