Fairburn would swap Allen for Mahomes. Would you?

[CincyBillsFan]

I would not swap Allen for Mahomes and my reasons echo a lot of others:

 

*  I think they're about equal today with Allen having a slightly higher upside.

 

*  I think that over the course of a career Allen's bigger size and superior athleticism makes a difference.

 

*  I don't buy the argument that Mahomes outplaying Allen over the last couple of years matters to the discussion today.  Just put the Bills offensive roster from 2018 & 2019 alongside the Chiefs from 2018 & 2019.  Enough said.  Given the big difference in supporting personnel, the statistical comparison from those years mean almost nothing.

 

 

 

 

 

[Zerovoltz]

On 5/23/2021 at 2:45 PM, transplantbillsfan said:

I don't know how much this topic has been covered over the years and I'm sure this won't be the last of it, but in The Athletic's weekly mailbag Matthew Fairburn was asked the following:

 

If you could do a player swap for any player in the NFL, who would it be and why? Rules are as follows: both players have to be starters, and the players being traded have to occupy the same position. So no WR for CB. How specific are we getting? I think we should differentiate 1 tech and 3 tech. Hopefully, that gives you a good framework. – Matt W.

 

And here was Fairrburn's response:

 

I don’t mean to disrespect Josh Allen, but swapping him for Patrick Mahomes seems to be the move. I would say that about every team in the NFL right now. Quarterback is the most important position in football, and Mahomes is the clear best quarterback in the league. No player would have a bigger impact on a team.

 

I wouldn't. I guess this is just another indicator I'm too much of a homer...?

 

The thing is that I realize that at no point in the last 3 years can you necessarily say that Josh was better. But to me Josh is still ascending and Mahomes is pretty much what he is already... which is fantastic. I also think Mahomes has benefitted from a better roster (especially the weapons around him) and better offensive coaching and development (love Daboll but Reid >>>> Daboll). I also think Allen is more physically to last in the NFL. And frankly I just think Allen's mentality/attitude is better than Mahomes.

 

I readily acknowledge that Mahomes has been better than Allen. However, I don’t believe the Bills would be a better team over the next decade plus if we simply swapped QBs and kept everything else in place.

 

What say you?

 

This is the only response I even read....it's perfect.

 

There is ZERO reason for the Bills to think there is anyone in the NFL that gives them any better chance to win a game than Josh Allen already does. 

 

I hate this argument.  I am tired of it frankly.  Mahomes is an elite franchise QB.  I feel the very same about Allen.  He is an elite franchise QB.  Just as Mahomes has endeared himself to the KC fanbase.....we drafted him....we developed him....he's "ours"   ....SAME with the Bills fanbase....the Bills took the big risk on him, they stuck with a great plan and developed him...he's taken to your city..and your fan base LOVES HIM!   Nobody anywhere should suggest either of these guys should EVER be traded for one another or for anyone else. 

 

I Love it that we traded and got our guy....and the next year you guys worked the board and with assets from that trade...helped you to get your guy.....VERY VERY FEW TIMES in history has a trade ever worked out so exceedingly well for ALL PARTIES....someone ought to look into the history of that!

 

Let's enjoy these guys on our teams while we have them and quit arguing over wich one is better.....they are both awesome.

[transplantbillsfan]

Chris Simms was asked on his "Unbuttoned" Top 40NFL QB Countdown preview what would happen if Mahomes and Allen were swapped last year and Allen was on the Chiefs in 2020 and Mahomes was on the Bills.

 

He argues that Allen and the Chiefs still would have been in the Super Bowl.

 

That discussion starts about 23 minutes in for anyone interested.

[TheBrownBear]

Hell no.  Josh is my guy.  Ride or die, baby!

[Warcodered]

1 hour ago, Zerovoltz said:

 

This is the only response I even read....it's perfect.

 

There is ZERO reason for the Bills to think there is anyone in the NFL that gives them any better chance to win a game than Josh Allen already does. 

 

I hate this argument.  I am tired of it frankly.  Mahomes is an elite franchise QB.  I feel the very same about Allen.  He is an elite franchise QB.  Just as Mahomes has endeared himself to the KC fanbase.....we drafted him....we developed him....he's "ours"   ....SAME with the Bills fanbase....the Bills took the big risk on him, they stuck with a great plan and developed him...he's taken to your city..and your fan base LOVES HIM!   Nobody anywhere should suggest either of these guys should EVER be traded for one another or for anyone else. 

 

I Love it that we traded and got our guy....and the next year you guys worked the board and with assets from that trade...helped you to get your guy.....VERY VERY FEW TIMES in history has a trade ever worked out so exceedingly well for ALL PARTIES....someone ought to look into the history of that!

 

Let's enjoy these guys on our teams while we have them and quit arguing over wich one is better.....they are both awesome.

It's also clearly for the reactions because it doesn't even make much logical sense. The two of them appear to be two of the top guys in the league so swapping them isn't likely to move the needle very much. It would make far more sense to swap at your weakest key position for someone top in the league.

[Putin]

9 pages and still going ha ? 

[BuffaloBill]

On 5/23/2021 at 3:57 PM, DaBillsFanSince1973 said:

two different breeds of QB.

 

JA fits buffalo perfectly.

 

I'll pass on mahomes.

 

 

 

never really understood what they get out of these hypotheticals other then, to just pass time?

 

 

This^^^^^

[transplantbillsfan]

10 hours ago, NewEra said:

We can discuss it, but I don’t see one iota of evidence that suggests that allen is better than Mahomes.  During the season that Allen edged Mahomes in mvp votes, Mahomes went 2-0 vs allen head to head watching Allen flounder in each game and ended his season in embarrassing fashion.  
 

If we’re discussing the future, I’ll bow out of that conversation because I don’t claim to tell the future very often.  All I’ll say is that 17 definitely has a chance to be better and I think he may eventually be the best qb in the league......but he hasn’t proven than to me yet.  He’s been great for one season, while Mahomes has been one of the greatest for 3, possibly having the best start to a career for any player in league history.  One great season, with no fans in the stands isn’t enough to have a real debate about this imo

 

But herein lies the problem:

 

This question is ALL ABOUT THE FUTURE!!!

 

Right?  This poll isn't really asking you who the better QB has been over the last 3 years or even just in 2020.  It's asking you a very simple question:

 

Do you believe Josh Allen or Patrick Mahomes will be better from 2021 to 2035+????

 

That's the question being posed.  What posters like @FireChans are doing is SOLELY looking backwards without even trying to look forward.

 

The point is what's in front of us?  Yes, their past play is obviously evidence, but the past play isn't the focus.  And I almost view this as 2 runners in a marathon and one got a one minute head start.  Both runners are roughly equal, but the guy who had to wait that extra minute is angry and extra motivated.

 

Mahomes has been the better QB, obviously.  But he's benefitted from so many things that have already been talked about, including growing up with a professional athlete as a father, being recruited by D1 schools out of HS and playing legit college competition along with all the other KC stuff (Redshirt year, Tyreek Hill & Travis Kelce, excellent OL right out the gate, Alex Smith showing him the ropes, Andy Reid, being on a team that's made the playoffs consistently, etc.) in ways that Josh simply hasn't... and yet Josh, despite starting out 1 minute behind has pretty much caught up with Mahomes--or is pretty close to it--and also benefits from the added internal motivation from his hundreds of unread letters/emails to college coaches out of HS, the continued disrespect, and all those physical traits he has that Mahomes doesn't have--Josh is taller, huskier and stronger and is at least the equal in terms of arm strength and mobility.  Plus, we've seen that he's now caught up (or is nearly there) in terms of accuracy, as well.

 

Do you think 2020 was a fluke year for Josh?  If not, why would you not expect him to continue to improve?  In the same way you're going on the past in terms of Mahomes's success, why aren't you also going on the past in terms of Josh's consistent offseason work that has contributed to drastic improvement that happened from year 1 to year 2 and then again from year 2 to year 3?

 

It's a funny argument to me to say that Mahomes has already done X and O while completely disregarding the Y for Josh, which has been constant work and consistent improvement in his game.

 

That's why you don't make that trade.

[FireChans]

2 minutes ago, transplantbillsfan said:

 

But herein lies the problem:

 

This question is ALL ABOUT THE FUTURE!!!

 

Right?  This poll isn't really asking you who the better QB has been over the last 3 years or even just in 2020.  It's asking you a very simple question:

 

Do you believe Josh Allen or Patrick Mahomes will be better from 2021 to 2035+????

 

That's the question being posed.  What posters like @FireChans are doing is SOLELY looking backwards without even trying to look forward.

 

The point is what's in front of us?  Yes, their past play is obviously evidence, but the past play isn't the focus.  And I almost view this as 2 runners in a marathon and one got a one minute head start.  Both runners are roughly equal, but the guy who had to wait that extra minute is angry and extra motivated.

 

Mahomes has been the better QB, obviously.  But he's benefitted from so many things that have already been talked about, including growing up with a professional athlete as a father, being recruited by D1 schools out of HS and playing legit college competition along with all the other KC stuff (Redshirt year, Tyreek Hill & Travis Kelce, excellent OL right out the gate, Alex Smith showing him the ropes, Andy Reid, being on a team that's made the playoffs consistently, etc.) in ways that Josh simply hasn't... and yet Josh, despite starting out 1 minute behind has pretty much caught up with Mahomes--or is pretty close to it--and also benefits from the added internal motivation from his hundreds of unread letters/emails to college coaches out of HS, the continued disrespect, and all those physical traits he has that Mahomes doesn't have--Josh is taller, huskier and stronger and is at least the equal in terms of arm strength and mobility.  Plus, we've seen that he's now caught up (or is nearly there) in terms of accuracy, as well.

 

Do you think 2020 was a fluke year for Josh?  If not, why would you not expect him to continue to improve?  In the same way you're going on the past in terms of Mahomes's success, why aren't you also going on the past in terms of Josh's consistent offseason work that has contributed to drastic improvement that happened from year 1 to year 2 and then again from year 2 to year 3?

 

It's a funny argument to me to say that Mahomes has already done X and O while completely disregarding the Y for Josh, which has been constant work and consistent improvement in his game.

 

That's why you don't make that trade.

I don’t think there’s a rational way to argue that Josh will be better than Mahomes for the next 15 years.

 

“He’s angry and motivated and he wasn’t good his first season so he will be better than a guy who has been better than him” holds no water.

Edited May 25, 2021 by FireChans

[NewEra]

1 hour ago, transplantbillsfan said:

 

But herein lies the problem:

 

This question is ALL ABOUT THE FUTURE!!!

 

Right?  This poll isn't really asking you who the better QB has been over the last 3 years or even just in 2020.  It's asking you a very simple question:

 

Do you believe Josh Allen or Patrick Mahomes will be better from 2021 to 2035+????

 

That's the question being posed.  What posters like @FireChans are doing is SOLELY looking backwards without even trying to look forward.

 

The point is what's in front of us?  Yes, their past play is obviously evidence, but the past play isn't the focus.  And I almost view this as 2 runners in a marathon and one got a one minute head start.  Both runners are roughly equal, but the guy who had to wait that extra minute is angry and extra motivated.

 

Mahomes has been the better QB, obviously.  But he's benefitted from so many things that have already been talked about, including growing up with a professional athlete as a father, being recruited by D1 schools out of HS and playing legit college competition along with all the other KC stuff (Redshirt year, Tyreek Hill & Travis Kelce, excellent OL right out the gate, Alex Smith showing him the ropes, Andy Reid, being on a team that's made the playoffs consistently, etc.) in ways that Josh simply hasn't... and yet Josh, despite starting out 1 minute behind has pretty much caught up with Mahomes--or is pretty close to it--and also benefits from the added internal motivation from his hundreds of unread letters/emails to college coaches out of HS, the continued disrespect, and all those physical traits he has that Mahomes doesn't have--Josh is taller, huskier and stronger and is at least the equal in terms of arm strength and mobility.  Plus, we've seen that he's now caught up (or is nearly there) in terms of accuracy, as well.

 

Do you think 2020 was a fluke year for Josh?  If not, why would you not expect him to continue to improve?  In the same way you're going on the past in terms of Mahomes's success, why aren't you also going on the past in terms of Josh's consistent offseason work that has contributed to drastic improvement that happened from year 1 to year 2 and then again from year 2 to year 3?

 

It's a funny argument to me to say that Mahomes has already done X and O while completely disregarding the Y for Josh, which has been constant work and consistent improvement in his game.

 

That's why you don't make that trade.

Dude.....I said I’d take 17.  Multiple times.  I’ve stated, multiple times, that Josh may very well be the better qb in the long run.  
 

To this point, Mahomes is the better QB.  What you’re quoting is a different conversation, of who’s the better qb

Edited May 25, 2021 by NewEra

[Allen2D̶i̶g̶g̶s̶TBD]

Josh Allen would break every single season qb record with Andy Reid and that supporting cast

[transplantbillsfan]

5 hours ago, FireChans said:

I don’t think there’s a rational way to argue that Josh will be better than Mahomes for the next 15 years.

 

“He’s angry and motivated and he wasn’t good his first season so he will be better than a guy who has been better than him” holds no water.

 

Yeah, you're right. That argument holds no water. It's also a disgusting twisting of one small part of what I said while leaving out a bunch of other important stuff:

 

Mahomes has been the better QB, obviously.  But he's benefitted from so many things that have already been talked about, including growing up with a professional athlete as a father, being recruited by D1 schools out of HS and playing legit college competition along with all the other KC stuff (Redshirt year, Tyreek Hill & Travis Kelce, excellent OL right out the gate, Alex Smith showing him the ropes, Andy Reid, being on a team that's made the playoffs consistently, etc.) in ways that Josh simply hasn't... and yet Josh, despite starting out 1 minute behind has pretty much caught up with Mahomes--or is pretty close to it--and also benefits from the added internal motivation from his hundreds of unread letters/emails to college coaches out of HS, the continued disrespect, and all those physical traits he has that Mahomes doesn't have--Josh is taller, huskier and stronger and is at least the equal in terms of arm strength and mobility.  Plus, we've seen that he's now caught up (or is nearly there) in terms of accuracy, as well.

 

Pretty much that entire paragraph is why I choose Josh on the Bills over Mahomes on the Bills. 

 

Which parts are irrational?

4 hours ago, NewEra said:

Dude.....I said I’d take 17.  Multiple times.  I’ve stated, multiple times, that Josh may very well be the better qb in the long run.  
 

To this point, Mahomes is the better QB.  What you’re quoting is a different conversation, of who’s the better qb

[GunnerBill]

I think when Mahomes retires he will have multiple Superbowl titles and every major passing record in NFL history. He has already had the best 3 year start to a career ever and I don't see much reason to expect it to slow down. 

[just1hugheser]

1 hour ago, GunnerBill said:

I think when Mahomes retires he will have multiple Superbowl titles and every major passing record in NFL history. He has already had the best 3 year start to a career ever and I don't see much reason to expect it to slow down. 

 

I'm as big a Bills fan out there, and Josh Allen fits Buffalo perfect, but the only way he becomes better than Mahomes is if he continues to improve from year to year like he did from year 2 to year 3 which of course is possible but most likely unsustainable because once you fix something you've fixed it.

 

Mahomes is a freak of nature, barring injury he will be the best of all time.(this assumes his coaches stay with him, which I think Reid will, because why wouldn't you, 3 years 1 conference championship loss, two wins and one super bowl ring and maybe two super bowl rings if not for destiny and the nfl lining up for brady).  And he has the best offensive line and weapons he has had to date as well as probably the best defense he has had to date.

 

I love Josh but hes just not quite at that level, can he get there?  it'll be fun to watch him work toward it and hopefully McBeane can continue to surround him with the absolute best they can get.

[GunnerBill]

4 minutes ago, just1hugheser said:

 

I'm as big a Bills fan out there, and Josh Allen fits Buffalo perfect, but the only way he becomes better than Mahomes is if he continues to improve from year to year like he did from year 2 to year 3 which of course is possible but most likely unsustainable because once you fix something you've fixed it.

 

Mahomes is a freak of nature, barring injury he will be the best of all time.(this assumes his coaches stay with him, which I think Reid will, because why wouldn't you, 3 years 1 conference championship loss, two wins and one super bowl ring and maybe two super bowl rings if not for destiny and the nfl lining up for brady).  And he has the best offensive line and weapons he has had to date as well as probably the best defense he has had to date.

 

I love Josh but hes just not quite at that level, can he get there?  it'll be fun to watch him work toward it and hopefully McBeane can continue to surround him with the absolute best they can get.

 

Agree. It is in no way a knock on Josh Allen to say that I'd still take Mahomes for the long term. I think he might end up the goat. 

[Teddy KGB]

Yes I’d throw in Motor and Moss to sweeten the deal. 
 

Anyone that says no is hurting this franchise with emotions 

Edited May 25, 2021 by Teddy KGB

[HOUSE]

Patrick Mahomes would be a really good #2 on this team but he would need a pay cut.

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

11 hours ago, transplantbillsfan said:

This question is ALL ABOUT THE FUTURE!!!

"The future, transplantbillsfan?"

[FireChans]

8 hours ago, transplantbillsfan said:

 

Yeah, you're right. That argument holds no water. It's also a disgusting twisting of one small part of what I said while leaving out a bunch of other important stuff:

 

Mahomes has been the better QB, obviously.  But he's benefitted from so many things that have already been talked about, including growing up with a professional athlete as a father, being recruited by D1 schools out of HS and playing legit college competition along with all the other KC stuff (Redshirt year, Tyreek Hill & Travis Kelce, excellent OL right out the gate, Alex Smith showing him the ropes, Andy Reid, being on a team that's made the playoffs consistently, etc.) in ways that Josh simply hasn't... and yet Josh, despite starting out 1 minute behind has pretty much caught up with Mahomes--or is pretty close to it--and also benefits from the added internal motivation from his hundreds of unread letters/emails to college coaches out of HS, the continued disrespect, and all those physical traits he has that Mahomes doesn't have--Josh is taller, huskier and stronger and is at least the equal in terms of arm strength and mobility.  Plus, we've seen that he's now caught up (or is nearly there) in terms of accuracy, as well.

 

Pretty much that entire paragraph is why I choose Josh on the Bills over Mahomes on the Bills. 

 

Which parts are irrational?

Like I said.

 

You can try to make a predictive argument, “this guy isn’t better than the other guy but will be,” which is based on nothing.

 

Your issue is that everyone picking Mahomes is talking about the past. Unfortunately, in a situation like this, the past is reality. It’s all we truly know. There is a bunch of a fluff arguments as to why Josh will be better than Mahomes (and this is a Bills board so I get it, I get caught up in it too) but that’s it. It’s based on nonsense like “he’s hungrier! He’s perfect for Buffalo! He’s tough!! He didn’t get offers in college, he got so much better from SUCKING that he will put up 80 TDs on this TRAJECTORY” all of which are absolute JOKES in terms of argumentative gravity. It’s the same spin of why Tyrod is quietly spectacular and the rest of the clown car of QB’s in Bills past. Just pure nonsense and fandom. “He’s got a bigger frame so he’ll be better” is not an argument, it’s a prediction. What am I supposed to say to that, no he won’t? He isn’t bigger? It’s like two children in a sand box playing pretend trumping each other with super powers. “I shoot you with my eye lasers and you die” “well I have a super secret eye laser shield so I deflect it and you die.” 
 

Again, it’s a Bills board so whatever. Half of these folks thought Mahomes 2018 was a flash in the pan and he was gonna be the next RG3. I really don’t care to convince homers not to be homers. Do your thang. I’m just pretty confident on 31 other NFL teams message boards and in a majority of NFL front offices, they are picking Mahomes over Allen. And guess what, I’m okay with that too. Allen is the second best young QB in football, he’s a great kid, he’s easy to root for and he’s a superstar. The best QB doesn’t win the Super Bowl every year. This isn’t the NBA.

Edited May 25, 2021 by FireChans

[GoBills808]

Pretty hard to look at Allen’s statistical ascendancy and claim there is zero reason to predict he’ll be better than Mahomes but eh