Josh Allen leads a revamped Bills offense in 2024. These five moments are shaping the new approach
Josh Allen enters training camp with the same head coach but newbies at offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach, center and Nos. 1-2 receivers
Befitting his status as franchise quarterback, face of the organization and fulcrum of the Buffalo Bills’ hopes and dreams, Josh Allen resides in a premier piece of locker-room real estate.
Every player who walks out to the fieldhouse or the opposite exit toward other parts of the facility, Allen can see. The ping-pong table and cornhole games, Allen can monitor. And the card game in front of defensive end Von Miller’s stall? Allen can see that, too (and hear the cackles).
Season after season, Allen could look straight ahead and see center Mitch Morse, look semi-near left and see receiver Stefon Diggs and look far left and see receiver Gabe Davis. Guys he trusted. Guys who played well at the critical times. His guys.
So imagine Allen walking back into the room when the Bills started their offseason program April 15. Morse? Released and signed with Jacksonville. Davis? Left as a free agent to the Jaguars. Diggs? Traded to Houston.
“That’s the nature of the business,” Allen said. “Going into Year 7, it’s just kind of what it is. I don’t get paid to make changes to the team; I get paid to be the best quarterback I can be and try to lead the guys on this team.”
Yes, it was a cold, hard, figurative reality Allen experienced in March and April. Significant change. Rare change. Another day, another shift, it seemed, as the Bills reset after losing at home in the AFC’s divisional round for the second consecutive January.
When the Bills report to Pittsford’s St. John Fisher College on Tuesday for training camp, Allen will be working with a new offensive coordinator, quarterback coach, center and Nos. 1-2 receivers compared to Week 1 of last year.
The full list of five new people in those five positions among quarterbacks with returning head coaches: Allen. End of list.
Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson, San Francisco’s Brock Purdy and Indianapolis’ Anthony Richardson return all five of the aforementioned positions. Houston’s C.J. Stroud, the New York Giants’ Daniel Jones, Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa and Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes have only one newcomer.
Joe Brady is Bills’ full-time offensive coordinator, Ronald Curry the quarterback coach, Connor McGovern the center and Curtis Samuel and Keon Coleman the projected top two receivers. Brady was promoted, Curry was hired, McGovern moved to a new position, Samuel signed as a free agent and Coleman was drafted.
Just like their predecessors, they will all look toward No. 17.
“The pieces move around and it doesn’t matter,” left tackle Dion Dawkins told The Buffalo News. “Every year in this league, things shuffle. We know that and Josh knows that.”
Allen’s offseason of shuffling was marked by five events.
Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady confers with quarterback Josh Allen during a regular-season game against the Raiders in September. Harry Scull Jr./Buffalo News
Jan. 28, 2:27 p.m.
What happened: Brady, the interim offensive coordinator for the final nine games (playoffs included) of last season, was promoted from quarterback coach.A day after the Bills’ playoff loss to Kansas City, Allen stumped for Brady to be the full-time coordinator. Yes, that matters.
The Bills went 7-2 (including playoffs) after Brady replaced Ken Dorsey on Nov. 14. They scored at least 27 points in five games and rushed for at least 100 yards in every game.
By retaining Brady, the Bills salvaged some continuity in the relationship (he arrived as the quarterback coach in 2022) and in rhythm (those nine games established a foundation for how he calls a game for Allen).
But Brady has installed his playbook. This is the NFL. There is no time for a slow-burn or gradual build-up. The Allen-Brady partnership must be ready to thrive by Week 1 against Arizona.
“Joe Brady has said it plenty of times: ‘It isn’t a Joe Brady Offense, it’s a Josh Allen Offense,’ ” tight end Dawson Knox said. “He’s been doing a great job of really living by that. He has Josh in his office a lot, listening to what he wants and likes.”
Said Brady: “I want communication. I believe communication and collaboration is what it’s going to lead to success.”
Brady should want to rely less on Allen The Rusher to make key plays. The Bills entered last year with a commitment to not wearing out Allen as a runner, so as to save some of that punishment for got-to-have-it plays in December and January. In the first six games, he averaged 3.7 attempts; in the last 13 games, he averaged 8.4 carries when got-to-have-it time arrived early (the Bills were off to a 5-5 start).
Lean on tailbacks James Cook and Ty Johnson. Focus on quick passes to Samuel and Coleman that serve as glorified run plays. Get the ball out of Allen’s hands … but not too often.
“It’s a quarterback-driven league, and at the end of the day, we’re fortunate we have him and the offense will still run through him,” Brady said.
Buffalo Bills assistant coach Ronald Curry talks with quarterbacks during a mandatory minicamp June 13. Harry Scull Jr./Buffalo News
Feb. 7, 9:01 a.m.
What happened: Curry, who shared an office with Brady when both were New Orleans staffers, was hired away from the Saints to coach the Bills’ quarterbacks.Curry, 45, represents a new voice and set of eyes, and he brings a unique background – college quarterback at North Carolina, NFL receiver for the Raiders and long-time assistant for coach Sean Payton.
Curry’s first five years on the New Orleans staff (2016-20) coincided with quarterback Drew Brees’ final five years as a player. Observing the duo of Payton-Brees? Priceless, and particularly beneficial now that Curry gets to coach Allen.
“Man, there is some stuff you just can’t teach,” Curry said of Allen during an interview with The News. “He’s one of the best quarterbacks in the league, and he’s always looking for that next edge.”
The next edge for Allen – and undoubtedly a primary coaching point for Curry – is cutting down interceptions. Since entering the NFL in 2018, Allen’s 78 interceptions and 102 total turnovers lead the league. It doesn’t overshadow his 167 touchdown passes (fourth), 22,703 passing yards (sixth) and 63 regular-season wins (second), but it must be addressed, analyzed, improved.
Allen threw at least one interception in 14 of the Bills’ 17 regular-season games. Even after some wins, he would lament his errors – a sign of his standard, but also his frustration level.
Only one Allen interception came on a play snapped in the red zone, so in the money area, he was on point. But his turnovers (interceptions and fumbles) led to 61 opponent points.
By comparison, since Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow debuted in 2020, he has 37 interceptions in 52 games (0.71 per game) and Allen has 57 in 66 games (0.86 per game). Clean up the turnovers and Allen could be in the MVP conversation.
“I go from Drew Brees to Taysom (Hill) to Jameis (Winston), and you get a guy (in Allen) who has all of that wrapped into one,” Curry said. “Josh has natural ability and he sees the game clearly.”
March 6, 4:03 p.m.
What happened: In a day-long roster purge, the Bills released Morse, who was scheduled to make $8.5 million this year. The plan to replace him became immediately clear – McGovern would shift from left guard to center.The initial offseason theory had the Bills turning toward Ryan Bates to be the center if they moved on from Morse. But Bates was traded to Chicago on March 4.
Enter McGovern, who last played regularly at center for Penn State, and David Edwards at left guard.
“I knew since coming here (in March 2023) that I would eventually go to center,” McGovern told The News. “No one saw it coming how it did and (how) quickly.”
Nobody did.
A year after the same five linemen started all 17 games together, the Bills rattled the decks and will have new starters at center and left guard, though both players were on the roster in 2023.
McGovern was asked if shifting to center for the first time as a pro and mastering the basic (calling out the protections) and minute (pull-blocking after a shotgun snap) were big deals, little deals or no deals.
“I would say, ‘Little deal,’ ” he said. “I’ve learned all five spots, so I’ve always tried to make sure I knew what the other guys were thinking. I would say this is my natural position and this is the first time I truly (have) to show I can play center.”
The Bills allowed an NFL-low 24 sacks in last year’s regular season, a nod to the line but also Allen’s ability to escape trouble. The Allen-Morse partnership lasted five years, and the race will be on during camp for Allen-McGovern to create cohesion.
Buffalo Bills receiver Curtis Samuel runs after a catch during a mandatory NFL football minicamp June 12. Harry Scull Jr./Buffalo News
March 14, 5:50 p.m.
What happened: Three days after Davis joined the Jaguars, the Bills agreed to terms with Samuel on a three-year contract that could be worth up to $30 million.Samuel played for Brady in Carolina and was initially projected to be the Bills’ No. 2 behind Diggs, giving Allen and Brady a versatile player who can line up – and win – all over the formation.
That changed less than a month later when the Bills flipped Diggs to Houston.
Do they have a No. 1 receiver? No, but they really didn’t last year, when Diggs’ production plummeted down the stretch (no touchdown catches in the final seven games). And, really, a lot of teams don’t have a true No. 1.
Diggs was a high-usage and occasionally high-drama player for the Bills from 2020-23. Regular seasons of 127, 103, 108 and 107 catches on 166, 164, 154 and 160 targets.
Samuel will provide a dimension Diggs didn’t: versatility. During a November 2020 game playing for Brady in Carolina, Samuel had nine catches for 105 yards and three carries for 13 yards. He caught passes after lining up at tight left and right, inside of trips right, motion to trips right, bunch trips left and slot right and left. Last year for Washington against Philadelphia, Samuel had seven catches after lining up double-stack right, inside of trips left, motion to the flat, middle of trips right and wide left.
The NFL, as Bills coach Sean McDermott often says, is a “matchup game.” The more matchups you present a defense to prepare for, the better chance an offense has to probe advantages. Samuel could help tight end Dalton Kincaid. He could help Coleman and receiver Khalil Shakir.
“Defensively, when we go into a game-plan meeting, you look and say, ‘Who do we have to take away?’ ” McDermott said. “That’s where you like to have a No. 1 player. Having said that, there is also a lot of power in sharing the football.”
Buffalo Bills receiver Keon Coleman stretches following a minicamp practice June 13. Harry Scull Jr./Buffalo News
April 26, 7:19 p.m.
What happened: Bills general manager Brandon Beane traded down twice to move out of the first round. At No. 33 overall, with the first pick of the second round, the Bills drafted Florida State receiver Keon Coleman.If the Bills envision Shakir as the No. 1 slot receiver, it puts Coleman outside opposite Samuel in three-receiver personnel.
Allen should be equipped to assist Coleman in his move to the NFL. In 2018, when Allen was a rookie, Zay Jones was a second-year receiver and had 56 catches (seven touchdowns). In 2020, Davis caught 35 passes (seven touchdowns) in his debut. And last year, Kincaid had 73 catches as a rookie.
Expectations for Coleman should be reasonable – the Bills’ passing game should go through Kincaid. A full, healthy season for Knox (22 catches in 2023) will also help, the same if Shakir takes another step forward and one of the non-Samuel veteran receivers – Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Chase Claypool or Mack Hollins – has an impact.
Twenty-three players had at least 80 catches in the NFL last year. The Bills may not have a player reach that mark this year, and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The days of drawing up an opening play script to create (maybe force?) the football to Diggs are over.
“Sometimes it clicks right away for some guys; sometimes it could take a season, or it could take three seasons,” Allen said. “Obviously, the faster we expedite that process, the better.”
Wednesday, 9:45 a.m.
What’s happening: Allen will start his seventh training camp (sixth as the starter) when the Bills hold their first practice. In the NFL, times are always a-changing, and the quarterback needs, in equal parts, to adjust quickly and lead the train.“He’s definitely become more of a vocal leader,” Kincaid told The News last week. “You want that from your quarterback, and he’s stepped into those shoes and done a great job. It’s fun to see that.”
Allen is still chasing Mahomes (three Super Bowl titles) and even Burrow (one Super Bowl appearance). Allen is entering his age-28 season, so there is still time. Peyton Manning reached his first Super Bowl at 30 and earned a ring by defeating the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI.
As long as Allen is healthy, the Bills’ Super Bowl window is open.
“I hold myself to a very high standard,” Allen said last month. “I put a lot of pressure on myself, more so than what anybody can put on me.”
The external pressure will ratchet up if the Bills get off to a slow start against a schedule that includes early-season games at Miami, Baltimore and Houston. A year humming with intrigue ideally features a humming-right-along start by the offense.
The locker-room consensus is that Allen will make it work.
“Josh is a different type of guy,” Dawkins said last week. “If you gave him a basketball and told him to play football with it, he would make it work. That’s Josh. He’s going to go do what he does no matter what the lineup is, regardless of who the receivers are. Josh is going to make things happen. He takes pride in that.
“He’s shooting for the stars.”
Significant changes
Among 2023 Week 1 starting quarterbacks with the same head coaches returning this year, none has experienced more surrounding turnover than the Bills’ Josh Allen:| Quarterback, team | OC | QB coach | Center | WR1 | WR2 |
| Josh Allen, Bills | Joe Brady | Ronald Curry | Connor McGovern | Curtis Samuel | Keon Coleman |
| Joe Burrow, Cincinnati | Dan Pitcher* | Brad Kragthorpe | |||
| Derek Carr, New Orleans | Klint Kubiak | Andrew Janocko | |||
| Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia | Kellen Moore | Doug Nussmeier | Cam Jurgens | ||
| Lamar Jackson, Baltimore | |||||
| Daniel Jones, N.Y. Giants | Malik Nabers | ||||
| Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville | Mitch Morse | Gabe Davis | |||
| Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City | Marquise Brown | ||||
| Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay | Liam Coen | Thaddeus Lewis | Graham Barton | ||
| Kyler Murray, Arizona | Marvin Harrison Jr. | Zay Jones | |||
| Dak Prescott, Dallas | Cooper Beebe | ||||
| Brock Purdy, San Francisco | |||||
| Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis | |||||
| Aaron Rodgers, NY Jets | Joe Tippmann | Mike Williams | |||
| Matthew Stafford, LA Rams | Dave Ragone | Steve Avila | |||
| C.J. Stroud, Houston | Stefon Diggs | ||||
| Tua Tagovailoa, Miami | Aaron Brewer | ||||
| Deshaun Watson, Cleveland | Ken Dorsey | (None) | Jerry Jeudy |
The Allen File
The Very Good …Where the Bills’ Josh Allen ranks among quarterbacks since he entered the league in 2018 (regular season statistics unless noted):
| Category | No. | NFL rank |
| TD passes | 167 | Fourth |
| Passing yards | 22,703 | Sixth |
| Games started | 93 | Second |
| Wins | 63 | Fourth |
| Snaps | 6,090 | Third |
| Postseason TD passes | 21 | Second |
The Not Very Good ...
| Category | No. | NFL rank |
| Interceptions | 78 | Most |
| Total turnovers | 102 | Most |
Reach Ryan at rohalloran@buffnews.com or 716-849-6133. Follow on Twitter at @ryanohalloran.