The Buffalo Bills have an advantage over most teams in that they’re returning plenty of starters on both sides of the ball in 2020.

Even after veteran starting defensive tackle Star Lotulelei and depth cornerback E.J. Gaines opted out for the season, the Bills still have plenty of options to fill in for those players.

Speaking at his first official press conference of the season on Monday, Bills quarterback Josh Allen spoke about the players that chose not to play this season. He said there’s no hard feelings toward anybody who didn’t want to take the risks associated with this year’s NFL season.

Why was Allen willing to take the risk?

“I love this game and … I think it’s a great opportunity to give this nation hope. Allow them to see us go out there and do what we do. Because we know that Sunday is a very special day in the lives of a lot of fans around the world,” Allen said. “It’s our jobs and it’s my passion to play this game. There is obviously some things that we’re sacrificing and risking our health and what not to do this. But at the same time … We’re built and wired as football players, and we want to play.”

Allen went on to say the Bills are committed to doing what’s necessary off the field to ensure that they’re a season. Players have to be responsible at the facility, but maybe more importantly they must be diligent away from the facility to protect against contracting the virus. Once the practices begin and players start to come into contact even more there will be heightened risk of infection within the Bills’ facility.

“We’re gonna continue to find ways to adjust. We know that the season’s not gonna be perfect by any means,” Allen said. “I think all 32 teams are thinking the same thing that in an instance it could change. We got to have that mentality of next guy up and control what you can control. Put the team first, and it’s really the embodiment of putting the team first this season.”

The Bills began light practice on Monday with players finally able to get out on the field a bit. Allen said that the offense began walk throughs to put into practice the months of work the team has done on zoom calls during the virtual offseason.

Allen said he’s treating every rep, even the ones at half speed or slow speed, like it’s a game. With just a few weeks of actual football practices on deck without any preseason games, getting things up to speed is going to be a challenge.

“It’s extremely frustrating when we’re going walk through and I want our guys to go full speed and get that timing down. I understand why we’re doing it, but it’s hard to tell our guys to slow down,” Allen said. “They want to go out there and they want to run and I want to throw. But at the same time we’re doing it for safety precautions and we know that.”

Allen built a home office where he can break down film and go through as many mental reps as he can fit in. When he gets on the field it’s about improving in the areas he can.

“(I’m) Making sure that I’m going through my reads correctly. In the OTAs if I make a mistake and I throw (a bad ball) here or there, it’s not that big of a deal,” Allen said. “But here I’m treating it like it means a lot to me because it does. I gotta continue to keep doing that, and I’m very hard on myself. I’m a very harsh critic on myself and I think that’s gonna help me during this time span where I’m gonna feel like I’m getting better because I’m doing things the right way, making the right decisions, trusting my guys to make some plays.”

Bills coach Sean McDermott conducted a recent team meeting while wearing a mask throughout. Bills general manager Brandon Beane said that’s not normal.

But these aren’t normal times. The message has been clear from the top all the way down to the players.

Allen is trying to set an example as well.

“Coach McDermott is always talking about playoff caliber and when we get to the playoffs it’s championship caliber. Nothing’s changed there,” Allen said. “We got guys coming in ready to work. We understand that there’s going to be a lot of different obstacles this year that teams have likely never faced. But I feel confident with the guys that we got in the locker room and our coaching staff that we’re going to be led in the right direction. … We’re going to be able to adapt and overcome to anything that’s going to be put in our way. It’s taking it one day at a time and then relying on each other. Having that next man up attitude, where I think that’s gonna be the most important thing this season.”