Who are the Bills "freakazoids" or potential "freakazoids"?

[Beck Water]

Emmanuel Acho (I think) on "Speak!" alluded to every team having 3 or so "freakazoids", freakishly talented players who could ruin your day at any time during the game.

 

Who are the Bills "freakazoids" on offense, defense, and ST?

 

Offense: 

Josh Allen, no question

I think James Cook has freakazoid potential, but to date, not fully realized - too many drops in the passing game, some amazing runs and some stuffs.

I think Dalton Kincaid could grow into a freakazoid but not there yet

Really, that's it.  Dion Dawkins is a freakishly athletic "big guy" who does a good job, but it's hard for me to call him a "freakazoid".

 

Defense:

Matt Milano

would we give this to Ed Oliver, the last season and a half?  He's been claiming more and more snaps, and had 9.5 sacks last year - which isn't Justin Madubuike,  I think is 4th for DT and is one fewer than Nick Bosa or Chris Jones?  

what about Terrel Bernard?  he was 12th for combined tackles in the league last year - not Roquan Smith, but he's getting up there.

 

ST:

I got no one.  They're all gone, and Bass-o-matic seemed to have the "yips".

 

[vtnatefootball11]

Other than Allen, we don't have one.  Many people have kind of made this point that while we have an above average roster overall at almost every level, with many good players, we don't really have any true elite players, like game wrecker types, other than Allen.

[K D]

[Warcodered]

We had Siran Neal on STs I think, I remember that still of him having like 3 guys on him as a gunner but he fell off which is too bad.

[boyst]

2 minutes ago, Warcodered said:

We had Siran Neal on STs I think, I remember that still of him having like 3 guys on him as a gunner but he fell off which is too bad.

he and matakavich were quite talented on ST.

 

tawain jones was also solid a few years ago.

[Buffalo_Stampede]

Ours happens to be the single most important position in all of sports. So he counts as 3 himself.

[Cash]

6 minutes ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

Ours happens to be the single most important position in all of sports. So he counts as 3 himself.

 

I was going to say Allen should count double.

 

BW, I mostly agree with your list.  A few thoughts to add:

• Von Miller was supposed to be one of them on defense.  It was looking good until he got hurt.  There's still a chance (I'd say about 5%) that he gives us some level of Freakazoid play in 2024.
• Rousseau has the talent to get there, but hasn't shown it over the course of a full season yet.  Two years ago, he was on pace for like 15 sacks or something when he got hurt.  Last year, he spent a ton of time at RE, and was significantly less effective there than at LE.  There's still hope, but it would be wishful thinking to include him on the freakazoid list.

[Beck Water]

22 minutes ago, Warcodered said:

We had Siran Neal on STs I think, I remember that still of him having like 3 guys on him as a gunner but he fell off which is too bad.

 

20 minutes ago, boyst said:

he and matakavich were quite talented on ST.

 

tawain jones was also solid a few years ago.

 

I agree with you both, but who we got now?

[uticaclub]

Diggs, White, Poyer & Hyde were on that list until they aged out. You are never going to replace those individual players but you need at least find that level of talent at other positions

[MrEpsYtown]

I would say Josh, Milano, Ed Oliver...Kincaid maybe eventually. 

[Beck Water]

17 minutes ago, Cash said:

 

I was going to say Allen should count double.

 

BW, I mostly agree with your list.  A few thoughts to add:

• Von Miller was supposed to be one of them on defense.  It was looking good until he got hurt.  There's still a chance (I'd say about 5%) that he gives us some level of Freakazoid play in 2024.
• Rousseau has the talent to get there, but hasn't shown it over the course of a full season yet.  Two years ago, he was on pace for like 15 sacks or something when he got hurt.  Last year, he spent a ton of time at RE, and was significantly less effective there than at LE.  There's still hope, but it would be wishful thinking to include him on the freakazoid list.

 

I think that kind of sums up where we are.  I thought about including Von on the freakazoid list, and didn't, for the same reason you cite.

 

In terms of roster planning, Beane had us lined up to have 2 freakazoids on offense - Allen and Diggs, with Kincaid and Cook as freakazoids-in-training.

 

He had us lined up to have 4 freakazoids on defense - Von Miller, Ed Oliver, Matt Milano, and Tre White, with Rousseau and Bernard as freakazoids-in-training.

 

Then injuries took out Tre White, Von Miller, and Milano, and the "very intelligent, thoughtful, and self-aware" Diggs couldn't figure out how to manage a good relationship with his QB (who Palmer has said is "a sweetheart, but I wouldn't want to mess with him")

 

So we're paying big cap # for two departed former freakazoids in White and Diggs, and two once-were freakazoids who we hope get it back.

 

8 minutes ago, uticaclub said:

Diggs, White, Poyer & Hyde were on that list until they aged out. You are never going to replace those individual players but you need at least find that level of talent at other positions

 

I agree on Diggs and White until they got traded/injured/cut (they haven't quite aged out.

 

I respectfully disagree on Poyer and Hyde, and I LOVED Dr Poyer and Mr Hyde.  But they were never freakazoids.  They were players whose Football IQ, synchrony and hard work made them a far greater whole than the sum of their physical abilities.

Edited April 11 by Beck Water

[boyst]

8 minutes ago, Beck Water said:

 

 

I agree with you both, but who we got now?

don't you dare forget Reid Ferguson!

[uticaclub]

3 minutes ago, Beck Water said:

I agree on Diggs and White until they got traded/injured/cut (they haven't quite aged out.

 

I respectfully disagree on Poyer and Hyde, and I LOVED Dr Poyer and Mr Hyde.  But they were never freakazoids.  They were players whose Football IQ, synchrony and hard work made them a far greater whole than the sum of their physical abilities.

I billieve their high level football IQ & work ethic is what would put them in the “freakazoid” category. Hyde & Poyer could put them in better positions to make plays than someone who was a better athlete. 

[Beck Water]

1 minute ago, uticaclub said:

I billieve their high level football IQ & work ethic is what would put them in the “freakazoid” category. Hyde & Poyer could put them in better positions to make plays than someone who was a better athlete. 

 

Fair take.  If so, Terrell Bernard may earn "freakazoid" status.

[uticaclub]

9 minutes ago, Beck Water said:

 

Fair take.  If so, Terrell Bernard may earn "freakazoid" status.

I hope so.

[eSJayDee]

I think on offense, besides obviously JA, Knox might qualify.  He's certainly inconsistent, but he makes some amazing catches & has been known to run people over.

[ddaryl]

right now Allen is it


potentially Kincaid, Milano if he returns to form. Same goes for Von

Oliver has moments but I would not put him on the list at this junction

[Charles Romes]

Rousseau if he was more consistent. 

[BBFL]

2 minutes ago, Charles Romes said:

Rousseau if he was more consistent. 

Hopefully. 
 

Like others have said, which is sad, it’s only Josh. 

[Yantha]

2 hours ago, Beck Water said:

Emmanuel Acho (I think) on "Speak!" alluded to every team having 3 or so "freakazoids", freakishly talented players who could ruin your day at any time during the game.

 

Who are the Bills "freakazoids" on offense, defense, and ST?

 

Offense: 

Josh Allen, no question

I think James Cook has freakazoid potential, but to date, not fully realized - too many drops in the passing game, some amazing runs and some stuffs.

I think Dalton Kincaid could grow into a freakazoid but not there yet

Really, that's it.  Dion Dawkins is a freakishly athletic "big guy" who does a good job, but it's hard for me to call him a "freakazoid".

 

Defense:

Matt Milano

would we give this to Ed Oliver, the last season and a half?  He's been claiming more and more snaps, and had 9.5 sacks last year - which isn't Justin Madubuike,  I think is 4th for DT and is one fewer than Nick Bosa or Chris Jones?  

what about Terrel Bernard?  he was 12th for combined tackles in the league last year - not Roquan Smith, but he's getting up there.

 

ST:

I got no one.  They're all gone, and Bass-o-matic seemed to have the "yips".

 

 

If an NFL team has more than 3 freakazoids, that's a good team.

 

I say we have ONE, but my definition of freakazoid is a first ballot HOFer.