Why Josh Allen Should Not Play at All In The Preseason

The Buffalo Bills have been at training camp for three weeks now and they're preparing for the second of three preseason games this month; this time, in Chicago to play the Bears.

Many are wondering just how much the Bills starters will play in the preseason and as of now (late Tuesday morning), there is no word).

Josh Allen, along with the majority of the starters, did not play in the first preseason game against the Detroit Lions and it's reasonable to think you won't see much of them in the last two preseason games, either.

Allen said he doesn't know if he will play on Saturday but is prepared to do so if he is asked to.

However, there are a few good reasons why Allen, Stefon Diggs, Micah Hyde, Tre-Davious White, and other starters should not suit up at all this preseason; but especially Allen.

For starters, left tackle Dion Dawkins is still on the "long road" to recovery from the COVID-19/reserve list, according to head coach Sean McDermott.

Dawkins will probably not play this preseason and yes, having your franchise quarterback who just got a new $258 million deal under center without your starting left tackle, isn't ideal.

Stefon Diggs is also nursing a knee injury, but McDermott said as of now they're not worried it will linger into the regular season. No Diggs this month? No reason for Allen to play. Why risk an injury when you have Super Bowl aspirations?

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The last reason is last year's training camp. There was no preseason because of the pandemic and judging by the way that the Bills offense performed during the 2020 regular season (second-best offense in the NFL), it's safe to say that the starters don't "need" the preseason action.

Perhaps Allen plays a little against Chicago, but we're already seeing Los Angeles Chargers head coach Brandon Staley sit both starting quarterback Justin Herbert and running back Austin Ekeler the entire preseason, and Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay sit newly-acquired starting quarterback Matthew Stafford the whole preseason.

There will be others who won't see the field at all and last year's season without a preseason was proof to a lot of teams that it's just not worth it and their starters will be ready to go in the second week of September.