Buffalo Bills camp got off to a bang this season, but not the healthy kind. 15 players have already appeared on the injury report, a new training camp high. “We’ve got more guys dinged up than I remember,” Sean McDermott said following Wednesday’s practice (August 6), his tone revealing the pressure of keeping everyone healthy as preseason approaches. With crunch-time preparation in full swing and the Giants visiting this weekend, Orchard Park’s normally charged atmosphere has been somewhat subdued, especially for Josh Allen.

Sean McDermott grows increasingly frustrated with the Bills’ deep injury list, revealing a team struggling to stay together as key players go down. Wide receiver Khalil Shakir, out with a high-ankle sprain. Rookie Maxwell Hairston, sidelined with a knee problem… And the domino effect is having throughout the receiving corps and beyond… Units that require every practice repetition to gel in advance of Week 1. McDermott was blunt: “I am concerned with some of the pieces being out there together,” as per Jonathan Acosta on X.

Drilling down, it’s not only the numbers but the positions taking the hit, such as with Josh Allen. Offensive linemen have rotated in and out, pushing backups into first-team practice reps, and reserves at linebacker and safety find themselves suddenly pushed into more-leverage work. McDermott dialed back contact to help, but the ongoing bumps and strains reveal underlying wear and are testing the depth that seemed so promising just weeks ago, according to ESPN.

So, the lesson is that the Bills’ blueprint for a championship campaign rests on timing, chemistry, and a healthy roster. With every important player out, McDermott has to redo his plan, weighing practice applicability against the risk of injury. Let’s build upon that and see how his cautionary approach colored his biggest decision of the week.

What is McDermott’s decision regarding Josh Allen?

Following up on a report from his coaching staff that this camp’s injury list “longer in this camp than year’s past,” through Jonathan Acosta on X, McDermott came with another jaw-dropping decision: Josh Allen will not start Saturday vs. New York. In lieu of this, backup Mitch Trubisky will be starting, providing Allen with additional rest and the coaches an opportunity to determine who else can contribute. Leading us into many things now.

This is where McDermott’s reserve is evident: he’s benching Josh Allen for Saturday’s preseason game against the Giants and taking a week off with him while Mitch Trubisky gets the start. It’s a decision that sends mixed messages in that protecting your franchise quarterback is understandable when your backups are shallow. But on the other hand, Allen has to have live reps so he can find timing with a receiving corps short of Shakir and maybe others. “Josh will not play this week,” said McDermott on Thursday (Aug. 7). “The starters, the ones, will play five or take one quarter. And then it’ll flow from there.”

This is not something new. Coaches league-wide have rested stars in preseason. But in Buffalo’s situation, the plan B carries more significance. Trubisky will receive “give or take” a quarter, and the coaches will keep an eye on other starters to determine which areas can keep up with the game pace and which require additional rest, especially for Josh Allen.

Resting Josh Allen ultimately just seems like a good insurance policy against the injury plague that is sweeping this roster. Yes, you fret over chemistry and rust. But the larger concern is losing your MVP quarterback to a preventable injury and losing the entire season. Now the true test for McDermott will be how he deals with the fallout: can Trubisky keep the ship afloat? Does the injured core recover in time? Most importantly, will the Bills’ depth ultimately withstand when the games really matter?