The Cleveland Browns’ selection of Josh Allen in the 2018 draft was the most controversial pick in the history of the NFL draft, and for good reason. The quarterback-needy Browns passed on a potential franchise quarterback in the first round, and instead opted for a running back, wide receiver, and offensive lineman.
“I think he’ll be a really good player in the NFL. I think he’s going to be an exceptional NFL quarterback. Josh Allen is in the conversation for the best quarterback prospect to come along, in the last five years, since I’ve been around. I’m not sure anybody has done what Josh Allen has done in half a season to get himself in the conversation. I think he’ll be the best quarterback that gets drafted in this year’s draft.”
Josh Allen is the latest passer to open some eyes in the NFL. His skill set is rare for a player his size, as he has the athleticism and arm strength to make plays from the pocket. These traits are attractive for a team looking to re-establish their franchise quarterback, and Josh Allen has a chance to be the best of the bunch.
Remember when football fans wanted to write off Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen after a disappointing debut season? Mike Florio remembers.
We also remember how Allen gradually improved over the course of his three seasons in the NFL and became one of the league’s top 10 signal-callers. Don’t think Florio, NBC Sports analyst and founder of ProFootballTalk, hasn’t noticed.
Mike Florio thinks Josh Allen could be a role model for Daniel Jones
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen could be a role model for future quarterbacks, according to NBC Sports’ Mike Florio | Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images
Sports fans want instant gratification, especially when it comes to the quarterback position in football. Social media and people like Stephen A. Smith has turned the sensible idea of getting a quarterback developed into a crazy, outdated concept.
That’s the case for the New York Giants with Daniel Jones, who was selected with the sixth pick in 2019. Jones has an 8-18 record in two seasons as a starter, and in that time he has struggled to throw interceptions : He threw 22 interceptions and lost 17 fumbles.
Is it time to write Jones off? During a recent appearance on WFAN’s Moose and Maggie in New York, Florio said the third-year quarterback could save his career by following in the footsteps of another quarterback in the tri-state area.
I think the goal for [Jones] is to take the same leap forward that Josh Allen did last year in Buffalo. That would have been a leap, but everyone was surprised at how well Josh Allen played last year and how the offense revolved around Allen. And he used his skills to the full.
Mike Florio
It’s not a perfect comparison, but let’s put it this way. If Jones plays twice as well in 2021 as Allen did last year, he and the Giants should be the favorites to win the NFC East division.
Anyone who saw Allen in his first two seasons probably never thought he was paving the way for future quarterbacks to succeed.
As a rookie, Allen threw 12 interceptions against 10 touchdowns, which of course caused some fans to ask for his head. But the Bills relied on the young quarterback, who threw for 20 touchdowns in 2019 and allowed another nine to run. Although Deshaun Watson and the Texans beat the Bills in the AFC Wild Card Round, it was clear that Allen had taken a big step forward.
Then came 2020, when Allen tore through the defense for 4,544 yards and 37 touchdowns, won Pro Bowl honors and played in the AFC Championship Game. Remember, this is the same quarterback that fans wanted to send away after a few mistakes in his first year.
The Bills worked with Allen and did not force him to become the player he will never be. Instead of asking him to be a pocket passer like Peyton Manning, the team decided to use him as a dual-threat player, like the Panthers did a decade ago with Cam Newton, who could beat teams with his arm and could fight for every yard on the ground.
Teams like the Giants and Dolphins, who have their own issues with Tua Tagovailoa, can learn from what the Bills did with Allen. Instead of demanding immediate gratification, they worked through the blows and came out victorious on the other side.
Allen and Jones have very different goals for the 2021 season
For the first time since Jim Kelly was there in the ’90s, the Bills are legitimate Super Bowl contenders and favorites to win the AFC East division.
At the time of publication, Odds Shark had the Bills as +1200 ($100 bet and $1300 win) favorites to win Super Bowl 55. Only the Kansas City Chiefs (+500) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+650) had higher ratings. The next step for Allen and the Bills, of course, is to beat Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in the Super Bowl.
The Giants, meanwhile, are last in the league at +8000 after going 6-10 late last season. If Jones can make the same jump as Allen has in recent years, those chances will quickly increase as the season progresses.
However, it may be some time before another match is played between Allen and Jones. Bills and Giants won’t face each other until fall of 2023….. Unless they meet at the Super Bowl first. If Allen and Jones are the starting quarterbacks that night, football fans will never have to blame Smith or Skip Bayless again for a quarterback being a loser after his first four starts.
– Odds Shark will announce betting opportunities from 15. July 2021 provided.
COMPARED TO: Forget Buffalo, Josh Allen and the Bills may soon be playing their home games in Toronto
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