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ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Now that quarterback Josh Allen is under contract, the big question remaining is how long it will be before the Buffalo Bills' rookie first-round draft pick takes over the starting job.
The Bills signed Allen to a four-year contract on Wednesday, a day before they open training camp in the Rochester suburbs.
Allen is the heir-apparent starter after Buffalo traded up five spots to select the Wyoming player with the seventh pick in the draft. He was the third quarterback taken in April, and the first ever selected by Buffalo among the top 10 picks in the draft order.
The 22-year-old still has plenty of work ahead to establish himself, and coach Sean McDermott said in June that he has no intention of rushing the quarterback's development.
"It's about bringing him along the right way," McDermott said. "We're not going to put him out there unless we feel like he's ready."
Allen spent all but the final week of the Bills spring minicamps serving as the third-string quarterback, while free-agent addition AJ McCarron and returning backup Nathan Peterman split time with the starters.
At 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds, Allen is a raw but strong-armed and athletic quarterback. He was a two-year starter at Wyoming, where he completed 365 of 649 passes for 5,066 yards with 44 touchdowns and 21 interceptions.
The Bills are again shuffling starters after Tyrod Taylor was traded to Cleveland in March despite helping Buffalo to a 9-7 finish and ending a 17-year playoff drought.
Running back LeSean McCoy was among the players to report Wednesday for the start of camp, team spokesman Derek Boyko told The Associated Press.
McCoy's status was unclear after he was accused of playing a role in his ex-girlfriend being bloodied during a home invasion two weeks ago at a house the running back owns in the Atlanta suburbs.
McCoy denied any involvement in the home invasion and other allegations posted on social media by a woman who appeared to be a friend of his ex-girlfriend.
The Bills issued a statement saying they were gathering information and had been in contact with McCoy and the NFL. The league said it was reviewing the matter.
The Bills placed receiver Zay Jones on the active/non-football injury list. The second-year player had knee surgery in May, which forced him to miss all of the team's spring sessions.
Jones is allowed to work out individually, but is not allowed to practice with the team until the Bills remove him from the list.
Buffalo's second-round draft pick in 2017, Jones also had surgery in January for a shoulder injury, which had nagged him for most of his rookie season.
The Bills also released defensive tackle Tenny Palepoi. He signed with Buffalo in April after spending three seasons with the Chargers.
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