National Football League

Worth The Bills?

Updated Jan. 27, 2021 1:21 p.m. ET

share

facebookxredditlink

This season, Bills Mafia had reason to rejoice.

The Buffalo Bills reached heights they had not seen in more than 25 years. They won their first division title since 1995 and made it to the AFC Championship for the first time since 1994 before falling to the Kansas City Chiefs 38-24.

On the list of reasons for the Bills' return to glory, the play of third-year quarterback Josh Allen is at the top.

Since being selected with the No. 7 pick by the Bills in the 2018 NFL draft, Allen has progressed each season under center, with his play reaching a new peak this year.

Allen rewrote the Bills' record books in his third season, setting single-season franchise records for passing yards (4,544), passing touchdowns (37), completion percentage (69.2%), completions (396) and passer rating (107.2).

Based on what Allen has accomplished in three seasons with the Bills, it could be time for the team to reinvest in him with a contract extension. Allen has 28 wins as the starting quarterback, with a 90.4 passer rating and 92 total touchdowns.

Comparing the start of his career to that of Bills Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly, Allen is ahead of the curve, with Kelly having 22 wins, an 81.7 passer rating and 56 touchdowns in his first three seasons.

Allen has also led the Bills to the playoffs in consecutive years, marking the first time that has happened for the franchise since 1998 and '99.

But even with his ascension, there are skeptics who wonder if Allen is the franchise quarterback he sees himself as.

Although he had a dominant regular season and the Bills reached the AFC Championship Game, Allen was uneven during the team's postseason run.

In two games against the Baltimore Ravens and Chiefs, Allen completed 60% of his passes while throwing only three touchdowns, with one interception.

Nick Wright believes the inconsistencies in the postseason are indicative of who Allen is as a quarterback, which he outlined on First Things First.

"Oh, my God, he was so good against Miami. And then bad and then worse and then terrible against the Chiefs."

Regardless of Allen's slight decline at the end of the season, he guided the team to 13 regular-season wins, tied for the most in franchise history.

That, combined with his individual mastery during the regular season, has put him in position to command an extension sooner rather than later.

How many bills he is worth is up to the front office in Buffalo to decide.

share

Get more from National Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

in this topic

National Football League

Buffalo Bills

Josh Allen

NFL - Buffalo Bills vs. Kansas City Chiefs - 01/24/2021