Buffalo Bills QB A.J. McCarron goes down with collarbone injury

The Buffalo Bills' three-player competition to determine their starting quarterback has been reduced to two players, at least for the time being.

AJ McCarron, who started at quarterback for the Bills in Friday's preseason game against the Cleveland Browns, suffered a hairline fracture of his collarbone near his right shoulder, the Buffalo News reported.

McCarron completed 3 of 6 passes for 12 yards before leaving the game. In four offensive possessions with McCarron at quarterback, the Bills' first-team offense gained just 7 yards and failed to get a first down.

He was sacked in the first quarter but stayed in the game until early in the second quarter.

It is unclear how long McCarron will be sidelined, but presumably he will be out for a while.

McCarron has been competing with first-round draft pick Josh Allen and Nathan Peterman for the starting quarterback job.

When McCarron left Friday's game, he was replaced by Allen, who might have improved his chances of becoming the starter.

He led the Bills' first-team offense on an 80-yard touchdown drive in the second quarter.

While playing three possessions, Allen completed 9 of 13 passes for 60 yards and a 2-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Rod Streater.

Allen was replaced by Peterman in the third quarter.

Peterman started the preseason opener before being replaced by McCarron in that game.

Peterman and McCarron have generally split the time with the first-team offense in practice.

McCarron signed a two-year, $10 million contract with Buffalo in March after four seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals.

He has played in 11 regular-season games, including three starts. All three of those starts came in 2015, and the Bengals had a 2-1 record in those games.

McCarron played in three games last season and completed 7 of 14 passes with no touchdowns and no interceptions.