PITTSFORD, N.Y. (WROC) — As the Bills begin training camp at St. John Fisher, there are a whole lot of new faces to learn.
“That’s kind of life in the NFL,” said head coach Sean McDermott. “It’s a new year every season and a new team every year.”
But this team is a lot newer than in the past. After years of continuity, just 63% of the roster returns from last year, the 7th biggest turnover in the league, and there’s no better time to get to know your teammates than training camp.
“There are many steps between where we are now and where we’re trying to get to a football team and as an organization, and this is a critical first step,” said McDermott. “Coming to camp and really winning this first step at camp and accomplishing the goals we want to accomplish.”
“Leaning into each other and sitting by different people at dinner and talking and discussing family and life off the field,” said Josh Allen. “Even though we’ve only had some of these guys for a few months I feel like I’ve known them for a long time, that’s how close and quickly we’ve bonded. The more that you can trust someone off the field, the more you can trust them on it.”
Being friends with your teammates just doesn’t make everyone feel warm and fuzzy inside, the team truly believes that togetherness pays off when adversity hits.
“Every team’s going to go through it, a side of the ball, an offense may go through a funk,” said GM Brandon Beane. “Having that trust and camaraderie helps you work through the highs and the lows.”
Not only is there a big roster turnover, there’s a big change in the leadership of the team. Six of the team’s eight captains last year are no longer walking the dorms at St. John Fisher. Josh Allen has tried to fill that void, with his head coach saying he’s seen a ratcheted-up version of Josh from a leadership standpoint.
“Just being intentional about working extra with his core receivers, backs, and tight ends,” said McDermott. “If something’s not right, being proactive and saying let’s run this again. 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.”
Allen is taking charge in the dorms as well, winning the first game of Settlers of Catan here at training camp.