Bills’ rookie QB Allen to get start vs. Bengals
Rookie quarterback Josh Allen is set to move one step closer to becoming the Buffalo Bills’ starter, and he will get that chance against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Coach Sean McDermott is providing the strong-armed, first-round draft pick his opportunity to win the job by naming him the starter for the Bills’ preseason game at home against the Bengals on Sunday.
Allen practiced with the first-string offense on Monday. Allen’s chance comes after he showed continued improvement working with the second- and third-stringers in Buffalo’s first two preseason games.
The Wyoming product went 9 of 19 for 116 yards and a touchdown in overseeing the third-string offense in a 28-23 loss to Carolina in the preseason opener two weeks ago.
On Friday, he went 9 of 13 for 60 yards and a touchdown in leading the second-string offense on scoring drives — including two field goals — on each of his three series in a 19-17 win at Cleveland.
Allen’s timeline sped up against the Browns when he replaced AJ McCarron, who was sacked once and hit several more times in failing to generate a first down during his four series with the starters.
But after the Browns game, Allen wasn’t prepared to say whether he had made a case to earn a shot at starting.
“That’s not up to me. That’s completely up to the coaches,” he said. “As of now, I’m looking to improve. I know there’s a lot of things to improve on and I’ll continue to do that.”
Washington signed four-time All-Pro Adrian Peterson, but Ravens receiver John Brown hauls in a touchdown catch in front of Colts linebacker Skai Moore, left, and defensive back Clayton Geathers in the first half of a preseason game on Monday in Indianapolis. The Ravens won 20-19.
Rob Kelley is likely to remain the Redskins’ top running back.
Jamaal Charles and Orleans Darkwa also visited the Redskins the past two days after several injuries at the position, but the team opted to sign Peterson and De’Veon Smith of Michigan.
Peterson, 33, joins
his fourth team as he enters what would be his 12th NFL season. The 2012 MVP is 12th all-time in rushing with 12,276 yards and needs 37 to pass Jim Brown.
Washington lost second-round pick Derrius Guice to a season-ending knee injury, won’t have Samaje Perine and Byron Marshall for an extended period of time because of lower-leg injuries and waived undrafted free agent Martez Carter with an injury designation.
Cornerback Jalen Ramsey and defensive end Dante Fowler are back from suspension, but neither is talking about what got them banned for a week or how they spent their time away.
Coach Doug Marrone suspended Ramsey and Fowler for violating team rules and unbecoming conduct. Neither traveled to Minnesota for two days of joint practices with the Vikings and a preseason game.
“They’re back and we’re ready to go,” Marrone said.
Los Angeles Rams right tackle Rob Havenstein agreed to a four-year, $32.5 million contract extension through the 2022 season. Havenstein has started 43 games over the past three seasons since being drafted in the second round out of Wisconsin in 2015. … The Seattle Seahawks put an end to the kicking competitions in training camp, releasing punter Jon Ryan and kicker Jason Myers. Ryan had been the longest-tenured member of the team, first joining the Seahawks in 2008. Sebastian Janikowski, entering his 19th season, is now the only kicker on Seattle’s roster. … Linebacker Leonard Floyd, the Chicago Bears’ first-round draft pick in 2016, suffered a broken right hand in Saturday’s 24-23 preseason win at Denver. Coach Matt Nagy said on Monday that the injury would not be healed by the season opener on Sept. 9 at Green Bay. “I think he’s going to have to end up playing through it,” Nagy said.