Bills Rumors: Derek Anderson to Sign Contract with Buffalo to Mentor Josh Allen

Five weeks into the season, the Buffalo Bills are getting Josh Allen a mentor.

ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported Sunday the Bills are expected to sign veteran quarterback Derek Anderson by Monday.

Anderson, 35, spent the last seven seasons serving as Cam Newton's backup with the Carolina Panthers. Mortensen's report indicated Anderson could get playing time, which signals the Bills may not be happy with Allen's development.

Allen, the seventh pick in April's draft, has thrown for 666 yards and two touchdowns against four interceptions. His 63.8 quarterback rating is the third-worst among qualified quarterbacks and worst among current starters, and he's completed just 53.4 percent of his passes, which marks the second-worst rate in the league. He's also taken an NFL-high 18 sacks.

"[I'm] just trying to be the quarterback that this team needs," Allen told reporters. "I don't have to do everything and make every spectacular play, and every play doesn't have to be a great play. Sometimes, an incompletion, a throwaway, a one- or two-yard loss is a lot better than going backwards and putting the ball in harm's way. I know where I can be, I know where I want to be, and I've got a lot of ways to improve, a lot of ways to grow, and I'm looking forward to the entire process."

Allen was considered a project when he was selected out of Wyoming, but the Bills did not do a good job of acquiring veteran talent. AJ McCarron was supposed to be their starter, but he was injured in training camp, didn't see much action and was shipped to the Oakland Raiders.

The Bills started Nathan Peterman in Week 1—a move that backfired. Peterman threw for just 24 yards on 18 attempts and was picked off twice before being replaced by Allen against the Baltimore Ravens. The 2017 fifth-round pick has thrown seven interceptions with just one touchdown in three career starts.

Anderson should at least bring some veteran competency to a locker room that was sorely lacking in experience.