James Lofton 1989 and Amari Cooper 2024

[TheBrownBear]

I think Shakir and/or Kincaid are about to elevate their production big-time with the addition of Cooper.  I've been hammering the "Shakir is a poor man's Andre Reed" angle for awhile now, and I think we're about to see it come to fruition.

[Pete]

I had a similar thought.  Bills have added a veteran WR that greatly improved passing game a few times.  James Lofton and Frank Lewis came to mind, after we aquired Amari

[ToGoGo]

7 hours ago, GASabresIUFan said:

We can’t Cook, Kincaid, Coleman, Cooper and Shakir build HOF resumes?  Cooper adds another couple 1000 yards seasons he could easily be in the conversation.  The others are still NFL kids.  Coleman is just a rookie.  Shakir is proving himself to be one of the best possession snd YAC receivers in the NFL.   
 

It’s way pre-mature to put a ceiling on any if these guys careers.

Lots of Bills fans like to put low ceilings on everything, as if it’s fact. 

[ChasBB]

12 hours ago, Bill51390 said:

Not really comparable. Bills had Lofton and Reed both Hall of Fame receivers then. None of our current receivers are gonna be Hall of Famers.  

True, but is Hall of Fame the only standard?  I'd settle for All-Pro (Shakir).  Coleman may accomplish this in a few seasons, as well - who knows.

Edited October 27 by ChasBB

[US Egg]

9 hours ago, folz said:

I'll defend the OP.

 

Yes, some of us old heads like to draw parallels to the 90s teams at times. And many times, I'm sure, it is more wishful thinking rather than a solid comparison. But, I think the OP's comparison is a pretty fair one. Doesn't predict we'll see the same results, but it's definitely not an out-of-the-blue analogy.

 

1989

Jim Kelly: If you include his USFL years, Jim was in his 7th year and established as a very good QB in the league.

James Lofton: Arrived to Buffalo in his 11th season with approx. 10,000 receiving yards under his belt.

Thurman Thomas: Thurm was in his 2nd year, with approx. 1,100 yards from scrimmage the previous (rookie) year.

Andre Reed: Reed was in his 5th year with 3,096 receiving yards in his basket. (avg. of 774 per season, not quite the HOFer yet).

Kenny Davis: Played three seasons already, but in his first season with Buffalo, nice compliment back to Thurman. [Threw this one in for HansLanda 😉.]

 

[Other weapons: TE Pete Metzellars, TE Keith McKeller, WR Don Beebe, WR Chris Burkett.]

 

2024

Josh Allen: In his 7th year and already established as one of the best QBs in the league.

Amari Cooper: Comes to the Bills in his 10th year with close to 10,000 yards in his career.

James Cook: Cook is in his 3rd year having just had approx. 1,500 yards from scrimmage the previous season.

Khalil Shakir: Khalil is in his 3rd year with 1,086 receiving yards, with his snap count and production up significantly from his first two years.

Ray Davis: Rookie year, so first year with the Bills, nice compliment to Cook.

 

[Other weapons: TE Dalton Kincaid, TE Dawson Knox, WR Keon Coleman, WR Mack Hollins, WR Curtis Samuel.]

 

 

It's not an outlandish comparison by any means...again, not predictive, but pretty similar in fact, with the 2024 team having a clear advantage in the "other weapons" department, and probably at the QB position also (Sorry Jim...I love you). Now whether Cooper, Cook, Shakir, and Coleman can match what Thurman, Reed, and Lofton did remains to be seen (and are lofty goals no doubt...no pun intended). But again, pretty fair comparison overall.

 

Obviously, the other big question would be the offensive line. We have a very good line currently, but that 90s line was pretty special. If you compare the 1990 line (since Devlin retired after the '89 season) with this year's, at least the experience level is at about the same as it was when Lofton arrived.

 

                   1990                              2024

LT     Wolford 4th year          Dion Dawkins 8th year

LG    Ritcher 10th year           Edwards 6th year

C      Hull 4th year                 McGovern 5th year

RG    Davis 3rd year             Torrence 2nd year

RT    Ballard 2nd year           Brown 4th year

                     23 years                       25 years

Well done. That yeomans work. Had to contain a “hell yeah” with a fist pump. 
 

Anyways, props to you., you’re right. Patience is required with where the Bills stand.

[Mister Defense]

Yup, agreed, hoping this is the case.

 

I have said the same thing on the bizarre and  humorous thread implying/stating that the trades in Cooper's career were a canary in the coal mine that the Bills should take serious heed of, instead of the game changing player he is.

 

And has proven himself to be, even over the last two years, with much lesser QBs throwing him the ball than Josh Allen: 150 catches, 2,410 yards, and 14 TDS.

 

If he does that for the Bills over the next few years he may silence even the Beane and McDermott haters.

 

(Okay, that won't happen.  But it will be fun to see them falling over themselves to come up with new, creative things to trash them over!)

 

 

 

[EasternOHBillsFan]

On 10/26/2024 at 9:06 PM, Bill51390 said:

Not really comparable. Bills had Lofton and Reed both Hall of Fame receivers then. None of our current receivers are gonna be Hall of Famers.  

 

Judging by the shows Keon and Shakir put on, you can't definitively say that at all. Who could have predicted Andre Reed would be a HOF receiver in 1989?