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Buffalo Bills vs. Detroit Lions: Josh Allen officially declared out

Matt Warren is Associate Director of NFL coverage for SB Nation and previously covered the Bills for Buffalo Rumblings for more than a decade.

The Buffalo Bills won’t have their quarter-billion-dollar man on Friday night against the Detroit Lions, head coach Sean McDermott announced Wednesday. Josh Allen will not play in the preseason opener.

Allen isn’t injured, they just aren’t going to put him at risk.

“It’ll be on an individual player basis,” said McDermott on who will play Friday. “Some starters won’t play including Josh Allen. Some will.”

He did not name any other players but it would be surprising to see wide receiver Stefon Diggs play. He has missed this week with a knee injury and they won’t want to put him at risk.

In the past, starters have played two series in the preseason opener on McDermott’s Bills teams.

McDermott noted that after each game there are roster cuts in 2021, so they’ll need to get a good look at the back end of their roster on Friday night and younger players will be a focus.