Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

‘“These games mean a lot to a lot of different players,” Allen said. “I know that, I understand that, so getting to sit back and watch my buddies do good and have fun and make plays out there, it’s exciting for me.”’

‘“It was awesome,” Brown, the Buffalo Bills third-round draft pick, said recently following practice at One Bills Drive. “Joe just blew the door off the hinges from a knowledge aspect. UNI really gave me a good base to go off of and understanding things, and then Joe came in and he started fine tweaking everything. It was insane.”’

‘“That’s what you’d like,” McDermott said. “The more you can do, that’s true for all of us. I think it has evolved, yes, like the game has evolved. I think certain fundamentals and the core of football will always be there, but it’s a space game and that’s why these positions on defense, we’re seeing the evolution of some defenses because of what’s happening on offense.”’

‘“Just taking little pieces of everybody’s game and trying to apply that to myself whether it’s a release, whether it’s a top of a route or something in the pass protection world,” he said. “I’d say I learned the most from Greg Olsen. He’s like a professor of football. He’s so smart and he’s the man.”’

‘That should count for something, but it might not mean as much for a practice squad quarterback as knowing the offense; being able to run the scout team and give the defense a good look at the upcoming opponent; and having a rapport and serving as a knowledgeable sounding board to exchange ideas with Allen, Trubisky, QB coach Ken Dorsey and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll.’

‘Rousseau hasn’t played a down in anger since the end of the 2019 college football season with Miami as he opted out of 2020 due to concerns about COVID-19. But throughout the first two weeks of training camp he hasn’t looked rusty at all, and now that the preseason games have begun, Rousseau made a fine early statement.’

‘Sweeney said there were some moments early on when he wondered if he’d ever be able to play again. However, the doctors who treated him assured him throughout that he would recover and be able to resume playing in 2021, and that has proven to be the case.’

‘“Early stages, I was OK with it,” Obada said the other day following a steamy practice at One Bills Drive, referring to the constant re-telling of his story. “As the years keep adding on and as I’m applying myself and making my sacrifices in order to close that gap, I definitely want to be known as a player now. I don’t really want to be known as a story or a good time. I just want to be known for my work and what I bring to the team, and how I can affect winning.”’

‘The first two games, at Detroit and then at Chicago on Aug. 21, will feature heavy doses of the young players who are trying to make the back end of the roster. And then in final game at home against Green Bay on Aug. 28, you’ll probably see the starters play longer, perhaps as much as a half or three quarters.’

‘“I kind of saw it coming, just the way I was progressing,” Trubisky said Tuesday following practice with his new Buffalo Bills teammates. “Year two was really good and then year three and four, not as good; I was dealing with some injuries and some other things going on there. It was disappointing but it wasn’t a surprise. You can kind of see that they were just continuously believing in me less and less and that’s just kind of how that process went.”’

‘Tyler Bass, the rookie sensation from a year ago when he set a new Bills single-season scoring record with 141 points, is unchallenged as the kicker. Newly signed free agent punter Matt Haack (who will double as the holder) is replacing Corey Bojorquez and is all by his lonesome, too. And to take it a step further, factoring in the other key position in the kicking/punting operations, Reid Ferguson is the only long snapper in camp.’

‘“I think (he) fits Buffalo, right?” coach Sean McDermott said. “We went through that vetting process (before the 2018 draft), the scouting process of making sure that we could check that box of the fit with Buffalo and the community. People say things about Buffalo, but they really don’t know. They don’t take the time to come find out. I think Josh is changing that and I think we’re changing that.”’

‘By no means were the Bills terrible because they did generate pressure, but the sixsome of Jerry Hughes, Mario Addison, Trent Murphy, A.J. Epenesa, Daryl Johnson and Quinton Jefferson was a bit underwhelming, particularly in terms of sacks, of which they combined for just 16.5. Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt had 15 by himself to lead the NFL.’

‘Now, all Allen needs to do is live up to what is not only the largest contract in Buffalo sports history, by a whole lot, but one that also makes him the second-highest paid player in NFL history for now in terms of average salary per year.’

‘Make no mistake, the football he will play from here on out will be done so with a glaring spotlight shining on him. He’s in a new stratosphere in NFL circles and in terms of average salary starting in 2023, his $43 million would rank second in the league behind only Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes, $45 million.’