Name a player who is comparable to Josh Allen.....

[Special K]

OK, we all know the correct answer is nobody, but if you had to pick somebody who would it be??

 

I am going to go with Randall Cunningham. They both are equipped with a cannon arm, elite athleticism, and an uncanny ability to escape the pocket under pressure.

 

The only differences are Josh is much bigger 6-5 240 to Cunningham 6-3 212, and more driven to be the best where the knock on Cunningham was he was more interested in the fame than being great.

 

However, Cunningham played in a time where the rules were different...QB's and WR's were not protected like they are now, and coaches did not use the QB as a dual run/pass threat like they do now.

 

I think if you "time-machined" an in his prime Cunningham to the present, he would be the third best QB in the league right now behind Allen and Mahomes, IMO.

 

For you Millenials and Gen Z'ers out there go on Youtube and watch some Randall Cunningham highlights!!

 

What do you think??

[Virgil]

Nathan Peterman.  Beat Josh for the starting job.   Had our receivers had any hands in that Chargers game, Nathan would have led us to a Super Bowl by now 

[LTT_BBFL]

I would say a bigger, stronger and faster John Elway with a little Big Ben thrown in there. Fortunately for us, he's one of a kind and the NFL may never see anything like him again. 

[Herc11]

There really isn't anyone comparable to him. A QB with his arm, talent, size, running ability, and athleticism is unprecedented. As his mental game gets more refined, he will continue to get better. 

[Sojourner]

10 minutes ago, Herc11 said:

There really isn't anyone comparable to him. A QB with his arm, talent, size, running ability, and athleticism is unprecedented. As his mental game gets more refined, he will continue to get better. 

Exactly. One of one. 

[Richard Noggin]

My honest memory is that Randall Cunningham was similarly gifted physically to Allen (which is to say absolutely ELITE arm and athleticism), but his release IIRC was much more elongated, and he was more about post-snap reactions than pre-snap reads. 

[Special K]

8 minutes ago, Richard Noggin said:

My honest memory is that Randall Cunningham was similarly gifted physically to Allen (which is to say absolutely ELITE arm and athleticism), but his release IIRC was much more elongated, and he was more about post-snap reactions than pre-snap reads. 

 

I remember that he did have a really big windup.

 

Like I said in my original post, there is no comparison to JA, but I just thought it would be fun to figure out who most resembles the qualities that Allen possesses.

[GASabresIUFan]

Cam Newton - 2015 MVP (age 26)

 

Cam 6-5 245

Josh 6-5 237 (currently age 28)

 

Cam 2015 - Car record 15-1; 296 Completions for 3837 yards (12.96 yards/catch) 35 TDs & 10 ints + 132 carries for 636 yards (4.82 yards/carry) & 10 TDs

Josh 2024 (YTD) - Bills Record 11-3; 275 Completions for 3395 yards (12.35 yards/catch) 25 tds & 5 ints + 91 carries for 484 yards (5.32 yards/carry) & 11 TDs

Josh projected - 334 completions for 4125 yards, 30 TDs & 6 ints + 111 carries for 591 yards & 13 Tds

 

I'd say those are very similar MVP caliber seasons by very similar players.  Josh has a higher completion % and Josh seems to actually getting better, while Cam's game began to deteriorate following his MVP campaign.  Cam remained a good QB for the next 3 years, but never got close to the MVP season again.  Josh is also the better QB and player, but the similarities and hard to ignore.

Edited Saturday at 01:57 PM by GASabresIUFan

[Richard Noggin]

It's always been Cunningham and Elway who most favorably compare IMHO. Both were a bit lighter and a little shorter, but both were the elite physical specimens of that era who could also play the position. Difficult to compare numbers across eras, but upon closer review, Cunningham was an effing monster for most of his career, relatively and statistically speaking. Elway was much more pedestrian throughout.

 

Both became better game managers later in their careers, with Elway winning a couple 'ships while hobbling around and handing it off and converting important downs, and Cunningham being the first QB to enjoy explosive productivity with the domed WR duo of Carter and Moss (Culpepper would inherit this historically rare privilege). That 1998 team was electric, and could have given the Broncos trouble if they'd defeated the Dirty Birds. Interesting little rabbit hole to go down here. 

[Richard Noggin]

4 minutes ago, GASabresIUFan said:

Cam Newton - 2015 MVP (age 26)

 

Cam 6-5 245

Josh 6-5 237 (currently age 2

 

Cam 2015 - Car record 15-1; 296 Completions for 3837 yards (12.96 yards/catch) 35 TDs & 10 ints + 132 carries for 636 yards (4.82 yards/carry) & 10 TDs

Josh 2024 (YTD) - Bills Record 11-3; 275 Completions for 3395 yards (12.35 yards/catch) 25 tds & 5 ints + 91 carries for 484 yards (5.32 yards/carry) & 11 TDs

Josh projected - 334 completions for 4125 yards, 30 TDs & 6 ints + 111 carries for 591 yards & 13 Tds

 

I'd say those are very similar MVP caliber seasons by very similar players.  Josh has a higher completion % and Josh seems to actually getting, while Cam's game began to deteriorate following his MVP campaign.  Cam remained a good QB for the next 3 years, but never got close to the MVP season again

 

Newton used to be an easy and reasonable comp for Allen (especially physically), except Cam never grew enough as a processor and facilitator to remain in that company. Allen is playing the position on and off the field at a level Newton never even sniffed (despite Cam's statistical productivity, especially early on). Plus Newton's arm was kinda forever effed midway through his career. 

[Doc Brown]

3 minutes ago, GASabresIUFan said:

Cam Newton - 2015 MVP (age 26)

 

Cam 6-5 245

Josh 6-5 237 (currently age 2

 

Cam 2015 - Car record 15-1; 296 Completions for 3837 yards (12.96 yards/catch) 35 TDs & 10 ints + 132 carries for 636 yards (4.82 yards/carry) & 10 TDs

Josh 2024 (YTD) - Bills Record 11-3; 275 Completions for 3395 yards (12.35 yards/catch) 25 tds & 5 ints + 91 carries for 484 yards (5.32 yards/carry) & 11 TDs

Josh projected - 334 completions for 4125 yards, 30 TDs & 6 ints + 111 carries for 591 yards & 13 Tds

 

I'd say those are very similar MVP caliber seasons by very similar players.  Josh has a higher completion % and Josh seems to actually getting, while Cam's game began to deteriorate following his MVP campaign.  Cam remained a good QB for the next 3 years, but never got close to the MVP season again

Not a bad comparison as Arians once said about Josh that he's basically Cam Newton with a better arm.  I do know one thing though.  Josh would've jumped on that fumble if he was in Cam's shoes in that Super Bowl.

 

I think there's a lot of Favre and Roethlisberger in him too.  Even Daunte Cullpepper in his last years with the Vikings.  There's no perfect comparison.  To be fair though, I thought if we drafted Josh Rosen he'd be our Eli Manning so what the heck do I know.

[Peace Frog]

[dma0034]

Mario Lemieux. Huge powerhouse that could carry a team by himself. Was the best player in the world but was never considered that because he played with Gretzky. Changed the course of an entire franchise and he when he was on he was unstoppable.

[Doc Brown]

19 minutes ago, dma0034 said:

Mario Lemieux. Huge powerhouse that could carry a team by himself. Was the best player in the world but was never considered that because he played with Gretzky. Changed the course of an entire franchise and he when he was on he was unstoppable.

I don't even know if Josh could ice skate.

[RobbRiddick]

When I first saw Allen play I said he reminded me of a cross between Elway and Favre, I still stand by that.

 

I've heard some comparisons to Daunte Culpepper - looking at these highlights I can see what they mean. 

 

 

[MJS]

I guess Fran Tarkenton, but bigger.

[BuffaloBillyG]

Elway was always my closest comp. But I also see a lot of Steve McNair in his game. Especially the way both move in the pocket.

[HOUSE]

Tom Brady with legs, Peyton Manning with hair..

[Billsflyer12]

LeBron James

[machine gun kelly]

 

That’s about the only thing close.

 

In reality, the only QB who is slightly close is Elway.  Big, tough, athletic, accurate, excellent decision making skills.