PITTSFORD, N.Y. — If you want a clear picture of what Josh Allen means to the Bills organization, take the fiery comments Wednesday from General Manager Brandon Beane as the latest example.
A recent ESPN article quoted an anonymous NFL executive in a survey as calling Allen "one of the more overrated players" in the league.
With the Allen and the Bills opening training camp Wednesday in Pittsford, it gave Beane a chance to address those comments.
Let’s just say, he disagrees.
“It’s frustrating, you try to ignore this stuff, but Josh is going into year 7 and there’s still the naysayers," Beane said. "I don’t get it. If I was going to use rated, I would say underrated before I said overrated.”
Beane was passionate in the defense of his quarterback.
“There’s idiots everywhere,” Beane said. “For what he’s done for this team and what he’s done in the league with his own accomplishments, to say he’s overrated, and to point out a flaw here or there, it’s ignorant.
As for QB1 himself, Allen was in an upbeat mood Wednesday speaking with the media at the first day of camp, a time of the year he calls his favorite because of the bonding time with his teammates. He knows it’s not all fun and games though, as there’s one goal he and the team are still chasing.
“There’s one job to get done, and that’s to win a Super Bowl,” Allen said. “Putting in the work in the spring and the summer is going to pay the dividends right now. We’ve got to keep continuing to work hard and trying to be the best versions of ourselves each and every day.”
Part of the best version of himself: an increased leadership role this season.
“I’ve noticed a ratcheted-up form of Josh from a leadership standpoint," said Bills head coach Sean McDermott. "Going back to the spring, just being intentional about working with, extra with his core receivers, backs, tight ends."
McDermott added: "I think that's a big piece of really getting our level of execution up to where it needs to be and as consistent as it needs to be."
"Execution" and "consistency", not "overrated", are the words that Allen and the Bills will continue to focus on as training camp rolls along.