ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) 鈥� After months of seeking to develop an on-field connection with receiver DJ Moore during the Buffalo Bills spring practices, Josh Allen concluded he might be the one holding up the process.
Too often, Allen realized he was doing too much in attempting to impress by aiming or even forcing the ball Moore鈥檚 way. So , Allen informed Moore about trying a different approach.
鈥淚 felt myself trying to be perfect when I鈥檓 throwing to him,鈥� Allen said.
鈥淪o I walked to him and said, 鈥業鈥檓 just going to throw it. I鈥檓 just going to pick a spot and let it go. I鈥檓 not going to aim it anymore,’鈥� he added. 鈥淎nd I feel once I said that, things kind of clicked for us.鈥�
The revelation and the duo鈥檚 newfound rapport was no more evident than during a team drill on the fifth day of camp.
Allen goes deep to Moore
With time in the pocket, Allen glanced to his left in seeing Moore running at full speed and gaining a sliver of separation against three of Buffalo鈥檚 best defenders. Without hesitation, Allen heaved a spiral which Moore brought in over his shoulder with two out-stretched hands, and without breaking stride before tumbling to the turf for a would-be 60-yard touchdown.
Allen called it 鈥渙ne of the better or more impressive catches and throws that I鈥檝e made.鈥� His only regret was that it didn鈥檛 happen during an actual game.
Moore chalked it up to reflecting a new level of trust with Allen.
鈥淢y confidence is high, regardless,鈥� Moore said. 鈥淣ow, I just know he鈥檚 going to let it rip and I just got to be there at a certain spot.鈥�
With one crowd-buzzing moment, the play represented why in trading a second-round pick to Chicago in March. And it also signaled what may well be the return of the big-play dimension Buffalo鈥檚 offense has lacked in the two seasons since Stefon Diggs鈥� departure.
However much the Bills bought into the so-called 鈥渆verybody eats鈥� spread-the-ball approach to the passing game minus Diggs, Moore鈥檚 addition places him at the head of the table.
A departure from 鈥渆verybody eats鈥� approach
First-year head coach Joe Brady avoided the suggestion of Moore representing a philosophical departure from he oversaw over the past two seasons as Buffalo’s coordinator.
And yet, Brady acknowledged Moore bringing a new dimension to the offense.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a reason we wanted him,鈥� Brady said in detailing Moore’s speed, route-running technique and leadership. 鈥淟ook, it鈥檚 training camp, right? We haven鈥檛 played a damn game yet. But you can feel him out there on the football field.鈥�
Though older by NFL receiver standards, the 29-year-old Moore has an accomplished resume entering his ninth season. He鈥檚 topped 1,100 yards receiving four times, including a career-best 1,364 yards and eight TDs in 2023, Moore鈥檚 first season in Chicago.
Though his numbers have dipped over the past two years in combining for 1,648 yards, he still accounted for 148 catches and 12 touchdowns. He became expendable in Chicago in part because of the Bears changing coaches last year, while also placing an emphasis on developing their younger receivers.
Moore spent his first five seasons in Carolina, and is reunited with Brady, who was the Panthers offensive coordinator from 2020-21.
鈥淏eing here in Buffalo is definitely a new start,鈥� Moore said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 really worry about expectations. I just go out there and be me each and every day and try to get better and better.鈥�
Age doesn鈥檛 appear to have slowed Moore, defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard noticed.
鈥淗e鈥檚 bigger than you think he is. He鈥檚 stronger. He鈥檚 more explosive than you think,鈥� Leonhard said. 鈥淵ou see it live and you鈥檙e like, 鈥榃ow, that鈥檚 why he鈥檚 so hard to tackle,鈥� or, 鈥橳hat鈥檚 why he鈥檚 always creating separation.’鈥�
Bills lacked a proven deep threat
A lack of separation and having a bona fide deep threat led to a sag in Buffalo passing attack. Though productive, the Bills leaned more on completing short passes and relying on receivers to break tackles.
From 2020 to 2023, the Bills ranked no worse than seventh in the NFL with an average completion of 6.5 yards or longer beyond the line of scrimmage. Over the past three years, the Bills have ranked in the bottom half of the league with a sub-6-yard average.
Allen鈥檚 numbers dropped, too. After averaging 4,385 yards passing from 2020-鈥�24, he鈥檚 down to 3,700 over the past two years.
It鈥檚 no wonder why Allen placed an emphasis on trying to impress Moore from the beginning, and realizing he doesn鈥檛 have to be perfect with each attempt.
How imperfect, Allen was asked on Thursday.
鈥淧retty imperfect,鈥� he answered. 鈥�(Moore) can erase a lot of mistakes.鈥�
___
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
