Buffalo’s coach is expecting big things from Allen and Edmunds

—on the field and in the locker room."WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections NewsNotesOpinionAnalysisDiscussionPodcastNFL DraftSalary CapNotesSean McDermott counting on Josh Allen White Russell Bodine Jerseys , Tremaine Edmunds to develop as leadersNew,7commentsBuffalo’s coach is expecting big things from Allen and Edmunds—on the field and in the locker room.EDTShareTweetShareShareSean McDermott counting on Josh Allen, Tremaine Edmunds to develop as leadersWhen the Buffalo Bills used high draft picks on rookie quarterback Josh Allen (selected No. 7 overall) and middle linebacker Tremaine Edmunds (No. 16 overall) in the 2018 NFL Draft, head coach Sean McDermott knew it would take time for his youngsters to adapt to the speed of the professional game. Following their rookie seasons, which saw both Allen and Edmunds enjoy a fair share of success while enduring some rough patches, McDermott has issued a challenge to his offensive and defensive quarterbacks: develop into leaders on the playing field and in the locker room. Addressing the media Tuesday during the NFL’s annual owners meeting, McDermott singled out both Allen and Edmunds as young players who must bear more of the leadership responsibilities, especially in light of the leadership void created by the retirement of defensive tackle Kyle Williams. “We’re trying to put a team together and the bottom line is Josh is a big part of that Russell Bodine Jerseys 2019 ,” McDermott said of his strong-armed rookie quarterback out of Wyoming. “His leadership and Tremaine’s leadership will be key to our success, at a young age, because there’s a gap with what we had last year. Year-three and year-four players, there was an absence of that in our locker room. We’ve added there somewhat in free agency, but Josh and Tremaine on the offensive and defensive side are two young players who are going to have an added amount of responsibility from a leadership standpoint this year.”Both Allen and Edmunds assumed leadership roles thanks to their positions on the field.Allen, who bounced back from a right elbow injury against the Houston Texans to guide the Bills to a 3-3 record over their final six games, completed 52.8 percent of his passes for 2,074 yards with ten touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He also rushed for 631 yards and eight touchdowns on 89 carries White Phillip Gaines Jerseys , good for an average of 7.09 yards per rush. He had a 67.9 passer rating and a 52.0 Total QBR, second-best to Baker Mayfield among rookies and 12th-best among rookie quarterbacks since ESPN began tracking the stat in 2006.Edmunds overcame an erratic first half of the season to finish his rookie campaign on a high note, earning NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month honors after accumulating 43 tackles with 4 pass breakups, 2 interceptions, and a sack in December. When he recorded his first career interception in a Week 14 loss to the New York Jets, Edmunds, 20, etched his name into the league’s record books as the youngest player in league history with an interception. He led the team with 121 tackles and 12 pass breakups Phillip Gaines Jerseys 2019 , and added two interceptions and two forced fumbles while appearing in more than 96 percent of the team’s snaps. After one year of seasoning in the NFL, including taking their share of lumps, the torch has been passed to Buffalo’s two talented first-round picks to serve as exemplary members of the team on and off the field. Drew Brees and Tom Brady enter Week 10 of the NFL's schedule neck and neck in closing in on matching Brett Favre for second place on the career regular-season list.Brees has 506 touchdowns passing, two behind Favre, as the New Orleans Saints play at Cincinnati. And Brady has 505 with his New England Patriots playing at Tennessee. Both are a little more than 30 behind Peyton Manning's record of 539.Brady does have chance to pass Manning on the career touchdowns passing list, including playoffs. Manning has 579, only three more than Brady. On the other end of the quarterback matchup spectrum Sunday, the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets will feature a battle of the backups rather than far more intriguing AFC East showdown of two rookie first-round picks.Matt Barkley is starting in place of Buffalo's Josh Allen White Marshall Newhouse Jerseys , who will miss his fourth straight game with a sprained throwing elbow. For New York, Josh McCown is starting in place Sam Darnold, who is sidelined by a strained right foot. Darnold was drafted third overall, four spots ahead of Allen.