PITTSFORD, New York — The Bills held their last training camp week away from Orchard Park at St. John Fisher University following the highly publicized practice held under the lights of Highmark Stadium. Additionally, the Bills had their most intense 11-on-11 practice in full pads on Monday after a relatively light session on Sunday without the team wearing full pads.
throughout team drills, the offense and defense would typically work on particular scenarios that were provided by the team throughout sessions. But the lesson on Monday included real driving with distances and tracking. It was the closest the Bills had been to a scrimmage this summer.
What else stuck out from Monday’s practice, and how did Josh Allen and the starting offense seem overall? Here are a few takeaways from the team’s third-to-final Pittsford practice.
After a muted start, Josh Allen ends 11-on-11 on a high note
The Bills started team drills right away after their customary daily build-up of practice to go through positional work. The scrimmage-style part of practice started after all three quarterbacks went through a few controlled circumstances in team drills. Allen and the starting offensive group had a total of 15 plays and two drives. This is the outcome of each drive.
Drive 1
- 1st-and-10 – Allen finds James Cook for a quick pass near the line of scrimmage. Nickel corner Taron Johnson sniffed out the play, beat a block and it went for no yards.
- 2nd-and-10 – Allen kept the ball and ran it for seven yards.
- 3rd-and-3 – An intended pass past the first-down marker for rookie Keon Coleman fell incomplete due to a pass breakup by cornerback Christian Benford.
- 4th-and-3 – Allen finds Coleman in open space for a 15-yard gain to continue the drive.
- 1st-and-10 – A quick pass to Marquez Valdes-Scantling yielded a six-yard gain.
- 2nd-and-4 – With simulated crowd noise pumping in, the Bills offense was whistled for a delay of game.
- 2nd-and-9 – A quick attempt to Khalil Shakir was batted down at the line of scrimmage by defensive end A.J. Epenesa.
- 3rd-and-9 – A throw past the first down to Mack Hollins line fell incomplete, ending Allen’s drive.
Drive 2
- 1st-and-10 – A pass intended for Coleman fell incomplete with Johnson in tight coverage.
- 2nd-and-10 – A Cook rush attempt went for eight yards, setting up a third-and-short situation.
- 3rd-and-2 – Allen found Shakir on a quick pass toward the sideline, which gained six yards and a first down.
- 1st-and-10 – Another Cook rush attempt was blown up in the backfield by defensive tackle Ed Oliver. A four-yard loss.
- 2nd-and-14 – A quick pressure got close to Allen, but he was alert and pushed the ball out to tight end Dawson Knox for a seven-yard gain.
- Third-and-7: The Bills added wide receiver Tyrell Shavers to the lineup to block as the defense applied pressure. Allen was able to successfully loft the ball to tight end Dalton Kincaid after Shavers expertly squared the base. For a 29-yard gain, Kincaid outran safety Taylor Rapp in coverage. This was the final real drive play of the 11-on-11 segment.
Although Allen completed 6 of 10 throws for 63 yards overall, the most of the day was clearly spent by the defense dominating the offense.
Christian Benford and Kaiir Elam are both making a case
The Bills have seen one once-up-in-the-air position transform into a camp strength, leaving them in a position to choose between the two best players, as they look to address some critical defense-related questions. Christian Benford and Kaiir Elam, two third-year players, are vying for playing time at boundary cornerback. After a disappointing first two years, Elam is looking to push current starter Benford for a possible job. He is had his best training camp to date. However, Elam’s ascent is unrelated to Benford’s subpar performance. Ultimately, what the Bills value most from the position will determine how different the two guys are in what they have to give.
Elam is the most visually striking player between the two, possessing the length and pace they desire, along with the highest ceiling plays of the two. In addition to a pass that was swatted down at the line of scrimmage on Monday, he demonstrated it during camp this summer with a few pass breakups and turnovers.
Benford, meanwhile, plays a more subdued style with less volatility than some of Elam’s poor performances, which have continued to surface this summer. Benford is typically at the right place. He does all the small things, like giving solid leverage in edge contain during plays out wide to force ball carriers back inside to the rest of the defense, with great reaction time and stickiness with receivers.
Elam played well against Allen tonight, but Benford stood out for his performance in the 11-on-11 game. The most difficult thing for Elam to accomplish has been providing a firm bottom to his dazzling plays; it makes you wonder what Elam’s future holds at cornerback. The Bills have to hope that, if what they have seen thus far holds true, Benford and Elam might be their starting pair in 2025, regardless of how things work out in 2024 and who plays among Elam, Benford, and Rasul Douglas.
Rookie Javon Solomon continues to show flashes
The Bills selected a defensive end in the draft for the first time since 2021 in 2024, despite investing a significant amount of offseason resources in the position. Javon Solomon, a highly effective but rather small pass rusher compared to what they had previously targeted, was the guy they selected in the fifth round out of Troy. Although the 6-foot-246-pound Solomon is not even close to their typical prototype, his almost 34-inch arm length indicates that he can make the most of every pound during camp. Solomon has frequently demonstrated his pass-rush skills in one-on-ones and team exercises. He can surprise offensive linemen by using his powerful upper body to pack a blow and quickly break out of his stance.
Solomon is undoubtedly fulfilling the expectations of an NFL draft pick by demonstrating his readiness to play, and the coaching staff should definitely look to develop him. Solomon’s spot on the 53-man roster is a given. If he keeps up his promising play off the edge and displays some skill on special teams, he might find himself playing situational pass rusher early in his rookie campaign. He may be able to grow into something more than that in the future based on how well his first camp went, but he still has a long way to go before it is even taken into account. Even if they only end up with a pass-rusher who rotates and has some juice off the edge for
KJ Hamler gets heavy usage in 11-on-11
Despite the fact that Josh Allen did not complete the throws, wide receiver KJ Hamler worked hard during Monday’s team drills. On Buechele’s opening drive, backup quarterback Shane Buechele frequently and early targeted Hamler. When under pressure, Buechele’s go-to option was Hamler, which resulted in a few improved opportunities on first downs. Hamler completed his first two passes, both on first down, to create a situation where he could go for a second and short. Throughout camp this summer, Hamler has worked as a slot receiver or Z receiver. During Buechele’s drive, Hamler was also unsuccessfully targeted twice more. During that series, the quarterback only tried five passes.
The usage, trust and separation skills are huge for Hamler, who is fighting for a spot on the 53-man roster and is squarely on the bubble against fellow receivers Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Tyrell Shavers, Chase Claypool and Justin Shorter. Valdes-Scantling and Shavers appear to be the favorites at this point if the Bills keep six, with Claypool falling behind every day that he misses practice with a “day-to-day” toe injury. Claypool has missed the last five practices, and even while on the sideline during Monday’s practice, his talkative nature with some of the defenders did not go over well with the other side of the ball. Despite Claypool’s roster status, Hamler would still need to steal a spot from one or both of Valdes-Scantling and Shavers, but days like Monday certainly help his case.
Andy Isabella injury and how it impacts things
Though Monday’s injury may have been the worst so far, the Bills have been comparatively lucky not to have suffered a serious, long-term injury thus far in camp. During team drills, reserve wide receiver Andy Isabella caught a ball and was heavily hit by defensive tackle DeShawn Williams. Williams struck Isabella, causing a brawl surrounding him. The receiver immediately hobbled away from the group of Bills players and fell on the ground in agony. Isabella was checked on repeatedly by athletic trainers over the next few minutes, and then they loaded him onto a cart and returned him to the locker room area. The cart is usually annoying, but just to give you an idea, the dressing room is a good distance away.
Isabella has not been in the receiving race for a roster place up until this stage in the camp. His primary role has been that of a slot receiver, however Shakir, Curtis Samuel, Shavers, and Hamler have all demonstrated their ability to work from the slot when necessary. However, Isabella’s best opportunity to make the squad was as the starting punter and kickoff returner. Along with Daequan Hardy and Hamler, he has been one of the three guys receiving those reps; if Isabella misses a significant amount of time, the competition will probably come down to those two players. It is been tough to overlook Hardy’s development, and the player who demonstrates the greatest functionality to their side of the ball may win a tie.
Day 10 injury report
S Mike Edwards (hamstring) — Week-to-week, has not practiced since July 28.
WR Chase Claypool (toe) — Day-to-day, has not practiced since July 28.
RB Ty Johnson (hamstring) — Day-to-day, has not practiced since July 29.
OL Travis Clayton (shoulder) — Day-to-day, has not practiced since July 29.
S Cole Bishop (shoulder) — Week-to-week, has not practiced since July 30.
LB Edefuan Ulofoshio (ribs) — Has not practiced since Aug. 4.
LB Nicholas Morrow (core/groin) — Day-to-day, has not practiced since Aug. 4.
WR Justin Shorter (knee) — Day-to-day, did not practice Monday.
WR Andy Isabella (undisclosed) — Suffered an apparent leg injury on Aug. 5 and rode a practice cart the long stretch back to the locker room.
OL La’El Collins (knee) — Returned to practice Monday after missing two straight sessions.
(Top photo of Josh Allen: Shawn Dowd / USA Today)
