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Where do NFL execs, coaches rank Bills QB Josh Allen in poll?

Where do NFL execs, coaches rank Bills QB Josh Allen in poll?

USA Today16-07-2025
ESPN continued their offseason poll tradition but Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen did not come out on top.
ESPN insiders poll NFL coaches and executives to rank players in the league position-by-position each offseason. The quarterback spot is always the most anticipated result.
Bills QB Josh Allen was not at the top of his position despite his reigning MVP status.
Allen finished behind... you guessed it... Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes.
Here is the top 10 and what was said about Allen:
10. Baker Mayfield (Buccaneers)
9. Jalen Hurts (Eagles)
8. Jared Goff (Lions)
7. Justin Herbert (Chargers)
6. Matthew Stafford (Rams)
5. Jayden Daniels (Commanders)
4. Lamar Jackson (Ravens)
3. Joe Burrow (Bengals)
2. Josh Allen (Bills)
1. Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs)
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Best-case scenario The Bills have been one of the best teams in the NFL this decade. Here are their DVOA ranks as a team, starting in 2020: 3rd, 2nd, 1st, 3rd, 4th. That's remarkable. Bills fans would have been overjoyed to hear that news at any point from 2000-2016, when they missed the playoffs every season. But in this championship-centric era of sports, nobody is going to end up caring too much if the Josh Allen era doesn't end with a championship. That's unfortunate but it's not changing. The good news is the Bills haven't overreacted to close losses in a one-and-done playoff format. They realize they have a top-five team in the NFL, so they've maintained the status quo and hope that eventually they'll catch the right breaks in the postseason. Buffalo should have a fantastic offense again, Josh Allen could win another MVP, the defense could rebound back to a top-10 level, the Bills should run away with the AFC East, and yes, maybe they can finally catch some green lights in the inevitable playoff matchup against the Chiefs and move on to a Super Bowl. Nightmare scenario Among all 32 teams, the Bills are by far the biggest favorite to win their division at BetMGM. They're -250 to win the AFC East and that's fair. There's no serious contender to them. But how long will that be the case? The Patriots just had a great offseason, have a young quarterback they love (Josh Allen loves him too) and hired a top-tier coach. Buffalo seems like a near-lock to win the AFC East, if Allen stays healthy, but their reign over the AFC East might not last forever. There is urgency to break through and win a championship. Nobody knows when the window will close. The Bills are an obvious contender again. But getting back to the playoffs and losing to the Chiefs, Ravens or anyone else in the AFC would be crushing for a fan base that is still waiting for its first Super Bowl championship. It's hard to go into a season in which anything less than a Super Bowl appearance would feel like a failure, but there's nowhere else for the Bills to go. The crystal ball says The AFC is really good at the top. The Chiefs are in a dynasty, the Ravens were really good last season and should be again this season, and there are teams like the Bengals, Chargers and Broncos who are capable of improvement and making a run in the playoffs. There's no reason to disparage the Bills. Josh Allen is great, they're balanced on both sides of the ball and clearly capable of winning a championship. But in a league with a lot of worthy contenders, I have two AFC teams ahead of the Bills. It's hard to choose among the top three in the conference. The separation is slight. Whether the Bills break through will just depend on their luck running well in January. That has eluded this group so far.

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