ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Bills have named Nathan Peterman their starting quarterback in a job the second-year player is expected to hold until rookie first-round pick Josh Allen is deemed ready.
The Bills made the announcement on their Twitter account before practice Monday morning as the team prepares for its season opener at Baltimore on Sunday.
“It was great to hear the news about being named the starting quarterback," Peterman said on Twitter. "I’m excited for this opportunity but we have a big challenge ahead of us this weekend.”
Peterman put up the best numbers during the preseason in finishing a combined 33 of 41 for 432 yards with three touchdowns and an interception in two preseason games last month. He was involved in an offseason-long, three-way quarterback competition that was cut to two Saturday when free-agent addition AJ McCarron was traded to Oakland.
The decision to start Peterman is an indication Allen needs more time to develop after an inconsistent preseason. In three appearances, he went 24 of 44 for 210 yards and two touchdowns. The 22-year-old struggled in a 26-13 loss to Cincinnati on Aug. 26 in his only preseason start.
Buffalo traded up five spots in the draft order to select Allen with the seventh pick. Peterman is a fifth-round draft pick out of Pittsburgh, and is best remembered for throwing five interceptions in the first half of his first start in a 54-24 loss at the Los Angeles Chargers on Nov. 19.
Peterman will get an opportunity to face the Chargers again on Sept. 16, when Buffalo hosts Los Angeles.
