Bills Remain Uncertain About Josh Allen After Switching to Walk-Through Practice

Coach Sean McDermott has to balance on-field work with late-season reality.

If the Bills know anything more about the condition of Josh Allen, their $258 million quarterback, than they did on Monday, they weren't saying this morning.

Allen is nursing a toe injury sustained in Sunday's overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and he will be officially listed as limited on the team's first injury report today, which will be an approximation because coach Sean McDermott changed the practice to a walk-though.

McDermott's decision to back off his players was based strictly on keeping them fresh and making sure they have their legs under them in time to host the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

"I'm always going to think of the overall team first," he said, "and certainly Josh is factored into that. So I just think what they need the most is to get themselves another day of a shortened schedule here and get themselves back mentally, physically and spiritually and still get work in and still have a normal flow of meetings from a mental standpoint and getting ourselves ready to go from a preparation standpoint."

As for Allen, "he's working through it," McDermott added. "He's a tough guy. The soreness is still there, and that's to be expected. So, you know, I love his attitude, and I think that's key when you're trying to come off of any injury is the attitude and the mindset."

The coach reiterated the team's trust in backup quarterback Mitchell Trubisky.

"He's more than capable," McDermott said. "We have 100% confidence in Mitch to go out and execute at the level that we expect him to execute at for us to play good football and winning football. And so there's no hesitation whatsoever there."

Also limited in practice on Wednesday were DT Star Lotulelei, DE Jerry Hughes and TE Tommy Sweeney.

DE Mario Addison (veteran rest day), RB Taiwan Jones (knee) and WRs Cole Beasley (veteran rest day) and Emmanuel Sanders (knee) did not practice.

Nick Fierro is the publisher of Bills Central. Check out the latest Bills news at www.si.com/nfl/bills and follow Fierro on Twitter at @NickFierro. Email to Nicky300@aol.com.