Bills QB Allen skips practice to rest right shoulder

Alaina Getzenberg, ESPNNov 1, 2023, 04:10 PM ET
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ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. – – Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen did not participate in Wednesday’s practice due to his right shoulder injury but expressed afterwards that this was part of the training staff’s plan to have Allen ready to play in Sunday’s game vs. the Cincinnati Bengals.

“Talking with the training staff, and just having a plan with [head athletic trainer] Nate Breske,” Allen said. “Obviously, a lot of moving parts but didn’t do too much today. Just taking it easy and making sure I’m putting myself in the best position for Sunday and making sure that I’m not sore. So, didn’t throw a lot today and hopefully by tomorrow, we’ll be on the field like nothing happened.”

Allen, 27, initially injured his throwing shoulder in the team’s Week 6 win over the New York Giants and was listed on the injury report in the following weeks, but he was only limited in a walkthrough practice on the Wednesday after the game against the Giants. The other days he was a full participant. Allen had the shoulder checked in the medical tent during last Thursday’s win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when he landed on it, but ultimately didn’t miss a play.

He said on Wednesday that if he had to practice today, he would have and that if there was a game on Wednesday, he would be playing.

“Obviously, unfortunate when it’s your throwing shoulder,” Allen said. “As a thrower, you don’t like feeling any sort of, I wouldn’t even call it pain, just discomfort in there. So, we’re just trying to stay on top of it and get ahead of it when we can. Obviously, I hate not practicing, I hate not being involved in what we’re doing, but at the same time I know this is probably what’s best and putting myself in the best situation to make sure that I’m ready to go tomorrow and for Sunday.”

Coach Sean McDermott said prior to practice that the quarterback would be limited in practice and had experienced no setbacks.

There has been a conscious effort to limit Allen’s running this year to lessen the number of hits he takes with his attempts per game down to 4.5 from his 7.1 attempts per game average over the first five seasons of his career.

Despite the injury, Allen has put together some impressive performances this season, including completing 31 of 40 passes (78%) for 324 yards, two touchdowns and an interception vs. the Buccaneers and getting the ball out in 2.27 seconds, the shortest amount of time in his career, per Next Gen Stats.

Going forward, being “smart” when Allen is throwing it and keeping his shoulder from getting sore will be the priority for making sure it’s not a bigger issue. “I don’t think it’s going to linger too much,” Allen said “But I think this was the best thing for me in making sure that, just trying to stay ahead of it and not let this affect me long term.”