How fast is Josh Allen and can he get faster?

[transplantbillsfan]

Josh Allen obviously isn't Lamar Jackson or Mike Vick in terms of speed specifically, but Allen was clocked in at a 4.75 at the Combine.

 

Here's a list of QBs who ran faster than 4.75 at the combine:

 

Derek Carr

Blaine Gabbert

Marcus Mariota 

Andrew Luck

Mitchell Trubisky 

 

Ben Roethlisberger had the same time.

 

I challenge folks to watch these 2 highlight videos and focus solely on his "breakaway runs." 

 

 

Personally, I see him running with and even outrunning DBs frequently.

 

We all know Jerry Rice was clocked at 4.7 and that simply wasn't his game speed. His game speed was more like 4.5 or 4.4.

 

So how about Josh once the pads go on? Does he look faster than any/all the guys mentioned above?

 

What about Aaron Rodgers?

 

What about Russell Wilson?

 

And finally... can players train and get faster? Is it possible that's what actually happened between the Combine and the 2018 season or was it just "pajama speed" vs "pad speed?"

[Reality Check]

I would prefer that he gets the ball out faster, even if that includes throwing it away. I am not a fan of the hits he was taking towards the end of the season. For every one of those hits, his future gets a little dimmer. Not good. They need to get this kid help. Against the Texans, that o-line couldn't even handle 5 on 3 defenders. Completely unacceptable.

[Buddo]

He could undoubtedly train to go faster.

 

It would almost certainly require a different set of exercises, and emphasis, than he has now.

 

Very likely to the detriment of his ability to play QB, mainly due to weight loss and consequently being less able to absorb punishment.

 

Iirc his combine 40 didn't look as though he was going at it full on, so I'd treat that time with a pinch of salt.

 

Allen was often around the lead of the guys for top speed attained - more particularly in the 2018 season. I would assume that those top speeds, could be extrapolated, and put into a different 40 time, that might give a better idea of how quick he is relatively.

 

I wouldn't say he's the quickest 'off the blocks', but you really don't want to give him a few yards to get going, because he's plenty quick enough to make many guys look silly.

 

I've only watched the first of the two clips, but I didn't see (m)any instances of him being brought down from behind, which is a pretty decent indicator of having some serious game speed.

[bmur66]

I don't know about speed but he goes from having his arm cocked and almost getting sacked to being 20 yards down field pretty quickly.

Edited February 1, 2020 by bmur66

[JMF2006]

Matter2003 posted this thread it shows Josh Allen clocked  at over 20 mph on one run vs Vikes in 2018

 

 

[EmotionallyUnstable]

The 40 yard dash does not measure how fast a player can run. It is a indication of how quickly they can reach their top speed. Often the two are very closely related, which is why we generally assume that a 40 yard dash time gives us insight into their speed.

 

Allen has more top end speed than lots of QBs in the league. He is quite fast. If you watch him run, you'll notice it just takes him much longer to reach that max speed, than say, Lamar. 

 

This is one reason Lamar is a dangerous runner. His short area acceleration is unmatched. He is through a hole and into the secondary in a heart beat.

 

I don't think Allen needs more speed. I would, however, like to see him be more decisive when he runs with the ball. Pair that with better ball security and I think he gives you a great threat from the pocket with his legs.

[atlbillsfan1975]

He needs to improve in other areas, running speed isn’t one of them. 

[K-9]

Never gets old watching him embarrass Kiko. 

[whorlnut]

I’m not exactly worried about how fast he can get. I’m more worried about improving as a passer. He has the drive to do so, so I am more than optimistic he will get it done. 

[Johnny Hammersticks]

I don’t know, but a grizzly bear running top speed is faster than Usain Bolt!  Put that in your pipe and smoke it!

[JMF2006]

3 minutes ago, Johnny Hammersticks said:

I don’t know, but a grizzly bear running top speed is faster than Usain Bolt!  Put that in your pipe and smoke it!

 

A wise man once said you don`t need to be faster than the bear or lion.....just faster than the friend your with

[Hapless Bills Fan]

12 hours ago, transplantbillsfan said:

Josh Allen obviously isn't Lamar Jackson or Mike Vick in terms of speed specifically, but Allen was clocked in at a 4.75 at the Combine.

 

Here's a list of QBs who ran faster than 4.75 at the combine:

 

Derek Carr

Blaine Gabbert

Marcus Mariota 

Andrew Luck

Mitchell Trubisky 

 

Ben Roethlisberger had the same time.

 

I challenge folks to watch these 2 highlight videos and focus solely on his "breakaway runs." 

 

Personally, I see him running with and even outrunning DBs frequently.

 

We all know Jerry Rice was clocked at 4.7 and that simply wasn't his game speed. His game speed was more like 4.5 or 4.4.

 

So how about Josh once the pads go on? Does he look faster than any/all the guys mentioned above?

 

What about Aaron Rodgers?

 

What about Russell Wilson?

 

And finally... can players train and get faster? Is it possible that's what actually happened between the Combine and the 2018 season or was it just "pajama speed" vs "pad speed?"

 

Various pundits have commented that Josh "plays faster than that" with regard to his combine speed.   Defensive players have said that they were surprised by him on the field, and watching film didn't really give them a sense of how hard he is to bring down.  I don't *think* I've heard that said of Carr, Gabbert, Mariota, Luck, or Trubisky.

 

Josh has said he trained with a running coach prior to the combine.  I think part of it is he isn't initially explosive and the crouching start of the 40 yd dash didn't suit him (or maybe he didn't train for it enough) even though he felt the coach he worked with improved his speed.  I think part of it is he's a gamer, and he gets his adrenaline up for games in a way that pajamas didn't evoke. 

 

One of the things that frustrates me in some of the designed run plays we call for him is that at times, it appears to me that he's a step slow behind his blockers and a player with quicker acceleration (*cough* Motor *cough*) would hit the hole faster and be more elusive.  There's a reason why big TE guys don't play running back often

 

But in the open field, where he can hit his full stride, I think he's faster than his combine time implies.  He also has that athleticism that can just step aside and make guys miss.

 

Athletes can definitely train to improve speed as with anything - but for Josh there are probably two limitations: 1) how much would training to optimize speed take time/effort away from the training the team may prioritize more highly for him?  2) how much would physically optimizing himself for speed interfere with other physical attributes?  I don't think it would serve his durability well to become a "greyhound".

 

Lastly one thing to keep in mind about Josh.  He was apparently 6'3, 180 coming out of high school, and that represented a late growth spurt where he's said "I couldn't run  - they called me tortuga".  He grew more during JuCo and went to Wyoming at 6'5", 215.  It was only after he rehabbed from his injury there that he hit the weight room and bulked up to 6'5", 240.  So he's ~4 years at his current physique, and may still be adjusting to it a bit.

 

 

 

 

[123719bwiqrb]

I would like him to run a little less at the same speed.

 

Maybe throw for 4000, 35 TDs would be nice.  Bring the rushing TDs down to 5, that sounds perfect.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

2 minutes ago, ScotSHO said:

I would like him to run a little less at the same speed.

Maybe throw for 4000, 35 TDs would be nice.  Bring the rushing TDs down to 5, that sounds perfect.

 

I think you need to raise your bar for him a lot, 35 passing TDs would only put him at #3 on this year's passing TD list.

And 4000 passing yds?  Pfbt, only 8th in the league.

 

I can hear all the whinging now if Josh were to put up a Winston- or Prescott- or Ryan- like passing season and the Bills go 7-9 or 8-8 and miss the playoffs.

 

Just Win, Baby.

[Buddo]

2 hours ago, JMF2006 said:

Matter2003 posted this thread it shows Josh Allen clocked  at over 20 mph on one run vs Vikes in 2018

 

 

 

Thanks for that. In that thread it shows Allen's 40 at the combine. There is no way he is 'full on' when doing it. He eases up in the last few strides at the very least, and tbh, if he was particularly trying, he would be showing a deal more signs of effort after it.

[JMF2006]

2 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

I think you need to raise your bar for him a lot, 35 passing TDs would only put him at #3 on this year's passing TD list.

And 4000 passing yds?  Pfbt, only 8th in the league.

 

I can hear all the whinging now if Josh were to put up a Winston- or Prescott- or Ryan- like passing season and the Bills go 7-9 or 8-8 and miss the playoffs.

 

Just Win, Baby.

 

Who cares if they win as long their fantasy stats are good or great

[JOE IN HAMPTON ROADS]

15 minutes ago, ScotSHO said:

I would like him to run a little less at the same speed.

 

Maybe throw for 4000, 35 TDs would be nice.  Bring the rushing TDs down to 5, that sounds perfect.

with a true #1 wideout this is doable.

[ExiledInIllinois]

Fast.  No.

[JMF2006]

3 minutes ago, JOE IN HAMPTON ROADS said:

with a true #1 wideout this is doable.

 

Maybe a true number one TE that doesn`t drop half the  catchable  passes thrown his way

[JOE IN HAMPTON ROADS]

1 minute ago, JMF2006 said:

 

Maybe a true number one TE that doesn`t drop half the  catchable  passes thrown his way

imagine when we have both