Who are the Bills elite players and do the Bills have enough elite players to win a Super Bowl?

[uticaclub]

23 minutes ago, harmonkillebrew said:

Elite?:

Josh

Dawkins

Cook

 

Good?:

Milano

Oliver

Groot

Shakir

McGovern

Brown

Rapp
Benford

 

There are guys, like AJE, Coleman and Bernard that need to and can get better. And there are guys like Milano and Oliver that could become (or regain) elite status.

Regardless, I think we are seriously lacking in elite, impact players at very key positions (DE, DT, WR, CB) and should look to add one in FA and maybe trade up to get higher picks in the 1st and 2nd and swing for the fences with guys with elite talent and potential

Bernard is worlds ahead of AJE & Coleman

[GASabresIUFan]

6 minutes ago, uticaclub said:

Bernard is worlds ahead of AJE & Coleman

True.  AJE might not even be a Bill next season.  He is part of the problem not the solution.  His pressure rate is terrible which is why McD removed him from the field on passing downs.

[JohnNord]

1 hour ago, GASabresIUFan said:

The definition of elite is subjective.  Sure All-pro and Pro Bowl nods are good indicators if a player is considered elite, but they also, especially the Pro Bowl, tend to be a little bit like popularity contests.  For example, take Spencer Brown, the guy allowed 1 sack all season and only 2 pressures.  That's it.  IMHO those are the stats of an elite tackle, despite him not being recognized as such by PFF grading system or selected for the Pro Bowl.   

 

The reason I created this thread is that this is an important discussion and it was prompted my a comment in another thread that Beane has not drafted any elite players for the defense.  My initial reaction to that statement was that it simply wasn't true, but generally speaking, the comment does have some merit.  The only Beane drafted defenders I'd consider elite are Taron Johnson and Christian Benford.  

 

So who are the elite Bills?

 

1) Josh Allen - Obviously.  IMHO he is the best QB in football, including Mahomes, but he lacks enough good WRs to make him unstoppable

2) James Cook - If the Chiefs game didn't solidify his elite status for even the I hate RBs crowd, I don't know what will.  

3) Dion Dawkins - Multi-time Pro Bowler.  He is one of the best tackles in football

4) Spencer Brown - He has improved every year in the NFL and this season was spectacular.  

5) Christian Benford - Was 5th overall in PFF grading system out of 223 DBs.  

6) Taron Johnson - Arguably one of the best 2 or 3 slot corners in the NFL.  

7) Khalil Shakir - Like Brown & Cook, has improved every year. 2nd in the NFL in YAC this past season.

8.) Matt Milano - When healthy he is one of the best LBs in football.  Improved every game this season once he finally became mostly healthy.  I think the elite game is still there.

 

Developing players 

1) Terrel Bernard - 100+ tackles 2 straight seasons, but fell off 2023 numbers due to injuries.  I wish would McD to use him more on the pass rush.

2) O'Cyrus Torrence - How many guys start 33 of their 1st 34 games on the Oline coming right out school? No sacks allowed this past season.

3) Dalton Kincaid - Has all the skills to be an elite pass catching TE.  Knee injuries hampered this past season.  Lets see how he recovers.

4) Keon Coleman - Has the size and hands to be a good to excellent physical boundary receiver like a Higgins or Pittman, but needs to be more dedicated to get to that level.

5) McGovern - 1st time center did an elite job this season.  Let's see how year 2 goes.

 

Very Good but not great

1) Rousseau - I like Groot a great deal, but he very inconsistent game to game.  Part of that is how the Bills have utilized him, but his motor isn't always on

2) Oliver - Much like Rousseau, inconsistent motor.  We have all seen him dominate, but also seen him disappear.

 

So is this enough "elite" talent to win a Super Bowl?  I think it is with some smart additions at WR, DL and another good CB.  Remember the Bills were likely one Kincaid catch away from being in the Super Bowl this season without an adequate defense.  

 

 

I guess it all depends on what you consider “elite.”  I like to think of elite meaning top 5 at the position or somewhere close.

 

I don’t think any of those players are elite besides Allen, of course.  
 

What you have is a mix of players on the spectrum of very good (Dawkins, Cook, Brown, Johnson) to good (Shakir, Benford, Oliver, Rosseau)

The rest fall somewhere in average range - slightly above and below.
 

Compare this to the teams playing in thr Super Bowl

 

[LABILLBACKER]

1 hour ago, uticaclub said:

Taron WAS one the best slot guys, he struggled a lot this year

 

Milano WAS an elite LB, he looked good in the playoffs and I hope he has yuge bounce back year in 2025.

 

Shakir is our best WR but might not crack the top 40 WR in the NFL

 

I don't have any hope of Kincaid or Coleman being in the elite category, their ceiling seems to be role players.

 

Thank you....someone who's glass isn't half full while wearing rose colored glasses.  We have exactly 1 elite player on this team...17 and that's it.

Cook is approaching that status very quickly.  Dion & Spencer are good tackles but hardly elite. We have no elite WR'S or TE'S.

Milano was the closest defensive player to elite but constant injuries have ended that narrative. Oliver, Rousseau Benford, Taron and Bernard are good but not great. The rest of our defense are just rotational Jags. We don't need elite players at LB or DB, but for McD's scheme to work, he must have at least 1 elite player on the DL.

[Warriorspikes51]

Josh

Cook  (never thought I'd say this. Huge props to him) 

 

Borderline:
Benford
Dawkins
Taron

Spencer Brown 

 

TBD & has been elite:
Milano 
 

 

Edited 2 hours ago by Warriorspikes51

[DeltaDigital]

Josh allen is the only "elite" player. 

Dawkins and Cook are really really good. 

[I'm Spartacus]

I'm counting on Bass to be elite next year.

🙂

[bigK14094]

3 hours ago, uticaclub said:

AJE is a bust too, he should have never received a second contract

The Bills turned AJE into a pass rushing DE.  He came out of IOWA as a DT.   I wonder if that decision was wrong and he should have bulked up and play DT.  Just saying, the Bills did what they wanted w him, and may not have gotten it right.  I rate him a journeyman DE, but not great.