racketmaster

I’m not looking to give the O-line a pass because they were not good this year. But quality running backs can make a difference and we were counting on McCoy to help make the line look better. That never happened this year as his play dropped off significantly. Here is the yards per carry for our rbs who had 20+carries this year. Murphy 4.8 Ford 3.8 Ivory 3.3 Mccoy 3.2 Now game flow contribute to some of the difference in yards per carry between McCoy and Murphy but our starting rb was not good enough this year. He finished last amongst our rbs in yards per carry and that is compared to pedestrian runners like Murphy, Ford and Ivory. Too much dancing and not enough explosion to and thru the hole from our top back. I think it is a mistake to bring McCoy back especially at his salary. And at his age I see no reason to think he will be any better next year. But the Bills seem to believe in McCoy for some reason so I at least hope that the Bills draft an explosive rb who can also catch and run routes (Lindsay, Cohen type at very least). If they could have a little more power to their game ((Kamara) that would be even better. We may not get as good of players as above but something close would help. And then we could keep Ivory for short yardage if needed or acquire a cheaper alternative.

Quality running backs can make an impact and I just don’t see anything of quality on our roster at present. Shady looked hesitant and slower most of the year and at his age I just don’t see him getting back to what he once was. The other rbs on our roster are replacement level. It should not be necessary to make a huge investment in the rb position in order to find some quality players. Year after year, rbs drafted in the 3rd round and later are making significant impacts on their teams. I’d like to see a power/inside runner that can close out games and pick up short yardage. I’d also like to see the Bills acquire a pass catching speed back. I suppose Ivory could be the power back if needed but we are definitely lacking the speed back.

I have no problem with this approach as long as it includes us drafting and/or obtaining a pass catching stud tight end. A red zone/3rd down threat at the tight end position could do wonders for the offense and give Allen the safety blanket he needs to keep the chains moving and score touchdowns in the red zone.

Have no interest in him and he wanted to sign with Tampa because he preferred to play in a warmer climate. I think the feeling is a mutual No.

You can watch pretty much any NFL game and see a noticeable difference in wr/te play. Routinely I see pass catchers making diving, leaping, high pointing, one handed, contested catches that I rarely have see any of our receivers make this year. It’s hard enough for our guys to make the routine catches.

I just don't get the thinking of putting so many other young qbs ahead of Allen on a futures projection. I guess if your thinking is extremely conservative and the goal is to not have your quarterback bust, then players like Prescott and Mariota could be considered the safer picks. But those 2 (I'm just using those 2 as an example) will soon need to be paid and will end up like Andy Dalton. They are not terrible and can keep you in most games but you will not win big with them. Why would anyone want to choose that. It's like going on a game show and being offered the mystery prize that could be $1000 or zero and deciding to just take the $50 bucks because at least you won't end up with nothing. At some point, really good is good enough. I mean look at the Rivers, Big Ben and Manning draft. All their careers are winding down and there are still arguments over which quarterback was the best. All 3 were certainly good enough and the organizations did not have to worry about selecting a replacement for many years.

I agree and think with his attributes it is not a stretch to think he could be a top 3 qb in the NFL within 2-3 years. The only player on the list that I would take ahead of Allen is Mahomes. Mayfield should be very good as well but I think Allen is the right fit for Buffalo.

That is a great chart. Great seeing all the stats in one chart for comparison purposes. But as billspro stated above, Allen’s first few games will drag his stats down a bit.

I don’t have too much issue with the current play rankings above other than Allen is getting better each week and his stats from the first few outings weigh him down some. But if we are talking about future rankings, Allen is near the top of the list because of his enormous talent, character and controlled salary.

If a hypothetical draft were to be held at the end of the season and I had the opportunity to choose from all those young quarterbacks I would want (1) Mahomes and then (2) Allen with it being a close call over Mayfield and Watson mostly because I’m assuming that I’m drafting for the Bills and I like Allen’s size and arm strength for the colder bad weather games. Admittedly I am going upside with that type of thinking but Allen’s arm talent, athleticism and size is extremely rare. The man can stretch the entire field forcing defenses to cover every inch and let’s not forget he can not only run away from defenders but jump over them. Just as important to me, Allen is very competitive, smart, displays excellent leadership and appears to have the necessary confidence of a franchise quarterback. All the above traits combined along with his very solid play the past 4 games give me reason to think Allen could be elite. I’m not talking about can Allen become a top 15 or 10 quarterback, I’m saying that he has a very real chance of being a top 3 quarterback in 2-3 years. That’s a risk I’d be willing to take. Mariota, Prescott and Winston, come on now. 2 of them are captain checkdowns and the other is a turnover machine that was benched in favor of Ryan Fitzpatrick this year. Wentz has proven to be injury prone so far in college and the NFL. He also has not looked particularly good this year when he was healthy. He has no where near the arm talent Allen has nor the athleticism anymore. If you watched Goff play the past 3 games no further explanation would be necessary. He has been shaky in the pocket and missing open receivers because he is seeing ghosts. He’ll turn it around but Goff is a good quarterback who has been elevated by tremendous coaching and talent around him. Put Goff on the Bills right now and he is getting killed as he has no ability to escape. Outside of Watson, the other rookie quarterbacks in Mayfield and Darnold would be considerations. Mayfield could b the next Brees and Darnold is similar to Romo but he might have more moxie at the end of close games. Still, Allen’s enormous potential and play the past 4 weeks has me taking him over those two. Rosen over Allen is ridiculous. He lacks any special qualities. His arm strength and athleticism is average and he is not a leader. He is struggling mightily in Arizona and can’t escape the rush. But excuses will continue to be made for him because he was the chosen one. He has David Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald so it is not like he has been completely devoid of weapons. His talent situation is no worse than what Buffalo has had (we had a 4th string practice squad rb playing last week and 2 WRs that were on the street earlier this season). And Jackson, I’ve said it before that he is a supercharged Taylor as a runner. Not impressed with his passing skills but his running makes him a headache each week. However, in 5-6 years the pounding he takes will diminish his running ability and he will have little value as a passer. In 5-6 years, Allen should be in the midst of his prime and have another decade to go. For a future evaluation, the writer did a horrible job other than putting Mahomes and Mayfield at the top. Dak Prescott and Mariota over Allen lol

We have had Big Ben, Peyton Manning, Rivers and of course Brady over the past decade and a half. Manning is retired and the others have a few years left at best. The good thing is that the Bills look to have one of the good young quarterbacks and that will make things a whole lot more interesting for us as opposed to trying to beat the elite guys with average to below average quarterbacking.

Good thoughts. Simple comparisons: Mayfield - Brees, Darnold - Romo, and Allen - Favre. All 3 have a chance to reach those comparisons if they avoid major injury, have proper coaching and are surrounded by enough talent. Rosen will likely end up a bust. Nothing was ever special about his arm, mobility, size, strength, elusiveness, character and/or leadership. He may stick around the league for a while like Jeff George or Jay Cutler but he is not someone I would want as my franchise qb. Jackson should be a good qb for the next several years but I don't see him ever being a long-term answer. A good player comparison is Taylor but Jackson his a more dynamic running threat. I think Taylor was a more careful passer but I just don't see Jackson ever developing enough to become a pocket passer. That's just not what he is and there is nothing wrong with it. Some games he will have great success when defenses are not disciplined in their containment responsibilities and other games he will be stymied when spied by an athletic linebacker/safety or when defenses remain disciplined. We saw this with Taylor, some games were quite successful and others were frustrating. But with Taylor he was always protective of the football and that usually kept us in games even if the offense was struggling to move the ball. Again, he is a qb that is hard to prepare for and should keep Baltimore around 9-10 wins each year. After a few years, he will begin to take more hits and the team or his representatives will want to keep him in the pocket more. He will be less of a runner and less effective as a result as I just don't see him being able to make a big leap as a passer (frame is slender for pocket qb, does not have a big arm and he is slow to make anticipatory throws). He still gives Baltimore a better option than Flacco and probably was worth a late first round pick.

I enjoy stats as much as the next guy but if you watch the games it is pretty evident that Allen has been a different player since returning from injury. He has been essentially the Bills offense and for a rookie he has performed quite well under the circumstances (limited weapons and experience around him). Allen was down to his 4th string RB yesterday and his biggest playmakers are an undrafted rookie and a second year 5th round pick that was released midseason. Allen's physical tools in terms of pure arm talent and running ability are extremely rare. Add the fact that he has great size for the position, competitive spirit, intelligence and gunslinger mentality make him fun to watch right now and it should only get better. I watch a lot of NFL football games and for the first time in many years I feel good about where the Bills are at qb and what the future holds. There are several qbs that are nearing the end of their careers even though some are still playing at a high level (Rivers, Brees, Big Ben, Manning, Brady). There are many others like Dalton, Smith, Prescott, Mariota, Carr, Flacco etc. that are just plain average. Others like Stafford leaving you wanting more. Wentz has suffered injuries since college and you wonder how long he will last. Others like Goff and Ryan have been anointed franchise qbs but are surrounded by so much talent that they are just good distributors if given great protection. If things breaks down they don't have the ability to extend plays. Rodgers and Wilson have years left of highly productive play. I like Watson and Newton as well. Mahomes looks to be a star and Luck has returned from injury as is a franchise qb playing at a high level. Mayfield and Darnold look like they could be hits as well but I think Allen can go toe to toe with either of them. I was not high on Rosen and I just don't think he has it. There is nothing special about his game or ability to lead a team. I'm curious about Jackson. Right now he is what I thought he would be an explosive runner who can throw at times. I have serious concerns that his career will last more than 5 years playing his style and I'm not convinced he will make the transition to more of a pocket passer (just don't see much from his arm). But looking at the landscape, Allen has as much upside as any qb out there and he is already playing well. I'm just happy he is a Bill and I think the future looks bright regardless of what the stats say because the stats also were used to point out how bad of a NFL qb he would be.

They have been very competitive most years and even made the SB a few years back. They play in an extremely competitive division as well with Atlanta and New Orleans being good teams most years. Although they have similarities, I think Allen will become a better pure passer than Newton and will never be the same type of running threat. But most fans and analysts believe Newton is a franchise guy, so if Allen tops out at his level that is still a player you can win with in this league.

Cam Newton has spent the majority of his career as a sub 60% passer until this year. He now throws a ton of dump off passes to McCaffery and bubble screens to Moore and Samuels to elevate his completion percentage. But Newton was still effective prior to this year as he has a strong arm and could make big plays down the field in the passing game. He is also a running threat. No two players are exactly alike, but there are some significant similarities to Allen and Newton. Allen getting more comfortable as a passer and additional weapons that catch better will up the percentage some. But he is a big play passer and that's just what he is. If the Bills felt completion percentage was necessary for his success, they could have him throw a bunch of dink and dunk passes like so many other qbs around the league do on a week to week basis. But when those same qbs need to make a play on 3rd and 15, they check it down and punt.

If Jones can't play well on special teams, I just don't see a lot of value in keeping him around. He has done nothing in 2 years to show that he warrants being a top 3 or 4 wr in this league. He knows where to line up and what routes to run. Other than that he offers no real speed, separation, run after the catch, consistent pass catching and/or the ability to make difficult/contested catches. He has been clearly passed by McKenzie and Foster and more weapons will be added next year. If he ends up as our 5th or 6th wr, then he will need to be an asset on special teams.

Had Foster been a first or second round pick last year, most fans would feel very comfortable with him being our #1 or #2 next year. I was very disappointed with the way he started the season but he has been the wr he was in the off season workouts since he returned. Foster was a 5 star recruit at Alabama. Due to a variety of reasons (injuries, qb play and change in offensive coordinators) he never really was able to show his talent on the field. But when his teammates at Alabama talk about Foster it is evident that they respect his talent. Some were even saying he has top 5 draft pick type talent. If he continues to play well the next 2 games, I have no problem viewing Foster as a #1 or #2 next year. He has the size, length, speed and change of direction needed to fill that role. Foster's speed and change of direction jump of the screen. It's like watching McKenzie, the talent is clearly there it is now about progressing and learning the nuances of the game.

I don't think Allen's completion percentage will be near the top of the league anytime soon but I don't think it is that big a deal. First, he needs better weapons that will catch some of the passes that are being dropped. A reliable #1 type tight end on this team could go a long way in giving the young qb a security blanket over the middle. We have already found better receiving options in McKenzie and Foster and more help will be on the way next year. Second, Allen is much more of a chunk yardage qb. He will never be the Alex Smith dink and dunk type. He is not going to throw an endless amount of bubble screens and short crossers. He has mobility to extend plays, a big arm and the confidence to throw downfield. He attempts more difficult throws and there are big payoffs when he hits. The downside is that there are more incompletions. But I'll take his style any day over the safe dink and dunk qb. On 3rd and 15, I actually think the Bills have a chance to pick up a first down and I don't recall feeling that way since maybe the Bledsoe days.

When you have what appears to be your franchise qb, draft position is not nearly as important. For the past 15 years or so, it seems that being near the top for a qb or an elite talent was necessary in order to give hope for the next year. But with Allen looking like the answer, he already gives us hope for next year. And with the scouting staff seemingly being able to identify talent in the later rounds or on the street, it also gives you confidence that dropping down a few slots is not going to matter as much. Too many times in the past I have wanted the Bills to lose games at the end of the season to gain draft position. This year and of course last year have been different. I just want to see the young guys like Allen, Foster, McKenzie, Edmunds etc. keep building and having success. That is much more important that losing a few draft slots. Having a franchise qb completely changes the mentality surrounding the draft and it feels great to finally have that feeling.

I’d rather the Bills go in a different direction next year. Foster and McKenzie have clearly passed him as receiving threats. If he has to remain on the team next year let it be as a 4 or 5. But he would have to be effective on special teams.

Foster, not Zay Jones, is clearly our number one option at present. He has dramatically improved since the start of the season. Foster has a nice combination of speed, size and ability to gain separation. I don’t know if he will ever be a true #1 but he has been a pleasant surprise and is currently our best option. Zay Jones is a 3 or 4 at best. Lacks speed and separation and has inconsistent hands.

I was impressed with the reports on Foster going back to mini camp but he was less than impressive once the pads came on in training camp. He clearly has speed and change of direction but appeared to have no ball awareness/tracking skills. I was actually happy when the Bills released him as he seemed lost whenever he was out on the field. But since being recalled to the team he has been our best wr option. I don't ever recall seeing anything like this before. Foster was downright awful just a few weeks before and has been excellent since. If he can continue what he is doing then Foster is a top 3 wr option for us next year. His speed is evident and it is necessary to have some speed on the outside. McKenzie has been another pleasant surprise. I think every team needs a player like him (gadget player). He can play special teams, run reverses and has done an excellent job of creating space and making catches. He is a nice asset and if he continues with his growth, I don't mind him being our 3rd or 4th option next year. Zay Jones was awful last year and he has made significant progress this year. But he still drops too many passes for my taste and does not make nearly enough contested/difficult catches (eg. back shoulder throw in Miami game on 3rd down of final drive and last week the missed opportunity in the end zone on 3rd down). Are those challenging catches, yes. But for a wr who does not possess game breaking speed, making difficult and contested catches on a weekly basis is necessary if you want to be a top 3 wr. Right now, out of the 3 (Foster, McKenzie and Jones), Jones is the most replaceable. Foster offers speed and has been much more reliable catching the ball and McKenzie is the gadget player. Jones is the possession wr that has had inconsistent hands. Again, no need to get rid of Jones as he could be a 4 or 5 and is still on a cheap contract. But if we could find an affordable wr option (Williams, Jones, Robinson type player) then that would be a good idea. Maybe even John Brown as I have no issues adding more speed to the outside. Then, upgrade the tight end and RB positions in free agency and/or draft. With Allen's continued development and those additions, we could have a solid offense next year. I just think after the season it would be best to move Jones down the depth chart which would be more in line with his play.

If true, Bills would be overpaying Clay by 4 million dollars. Need to move on from him as it would be a good idea to identify and draft a receiving tight end this year.

Bills need to move on from McCoy. They need to add at least 2 backs and 1 needs to be an explosive pass catcher. Look what McKenzie and Foster have done for the wr corps and offense. They gain separation and can make explosive plays and we are talking about an undrafted guy and a player signed off a practice squad. Bills need to make upgrading the rb position a priority. McCoy being on this team next year will impede the progress we can make as an offense. Because of his stature he would require a certain amount of touches whether he deserves it or not. This is an easy decision and a position that can be easily upgraded without having to spend too much draft capital and free agent dollars.

I'm shocked by how much better Foster has looked since returning to the lineup but he is not a number 1 wr and would best be suited for a number 3 or 4 role. I like his speed and he can be a nice option f he continues to improve.