I’m looking some at the Buffalo Bills today, and I like the signing of John Brown. They like to throw deep, and he adds another speed weapon into that offense.
Josh Allen had some success on deep throws last year, especially late in the season. Rookie Robert Foster averaged 20 yards per catch. Brown gives them another one of those kind of receivers, only with more experience. Brown averaged 17 yards per catch for the Ravens.
Only nine wide receivers last year caught over 20 passes and averaged at least 17 yards per reception. The Bills are one of only two teams that has two of those wide receivers (49ers: Dante Pettis, Marquise Goodwin).
| AVERAGING 15 YARDS PER CATCH | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | No | Yds | Avg | TD |
| Robert Foster, Buff. | 27 | 541 | 20.0 | 3 |
| DeSean Jackson, T.B. | 41 | 774 | 18.9 | 4 |
| Josh Gordon, Cle.-N.E. | 41 | 737 | 18.0 | 4 |
| Mike Evans, T.B. | 86 | 1,524 | 17.7 | 8 |
| Dante Pettis, S.F. | 27 | 467 | 17.3 | 5 |
| Marquise Goodwin, S.F. | 23 | 395 | 17.2 | 4 |
| David Moore, Sea. | 26 | 445 | 17.1 | 5 |
| John Brown, Balt. | 42 | 715 | 17.0 | 5 |
| Tyreek Hill, K.C. | 87 | 1,479 | 17.0 | 12 |
| Tyler Lockett, Sea. | 57 | 965 | 16.9 | 10 |
| Courtland Sutton, Den. | 42 | 704 | 16.8 | 4 |
| T.Y. Hilton, Ind. | 76 | 1,270 | 16.7 | 6 |
| Tyrell Williams, LAC | 41 | 653 | 15.9 | 5 |
| Will Fuller, Hou. | 32 | 503 | 15.7 | 4 |
| Equanimeous St. Brown, G.B. | 21 | 328 | 15.6 | 0 |
| Mike Williams, LAC | 43 | 664 | 15.4 | 10 |
| Michael Gallup, Dall. | 33 | 507 | 15.4 | 2 |
| Marquez Valdes-Scantling, G.B. | 38 | 581 | 15.3 | 2 |
| TreQuan Smith, N.O. | 28 | 427 | 15.3 | 5 |
| Chris Hogan, N.E. | 35 | 532 | 15.2 | 3 |
| Kelvin Benjamin, Buf.-K.C. | 25 | 380 | 15.2 | 1 |
| Kenny Golladay, Det. | 70 | 1,063 | 15.2 | 5 |
| Geronimo Allison, G.B. | 20 | 303 | 15.2 | 2 |
| A.J. Green, Cin. | 46 | 694 | 15.1 | 6 |
| Brandin Cooks, LAR | 80 | 1,204 | 15.1 | 5 |
| Robby Anderson, NYJ | 50 | 752 | 15.0 | 6 |
| Albert Wilson, Mia. | 26 | 391 | 15.0 | 4 |
| Jordan Matthews, Phil. | 20 | 300 | 15.0 | 2 |
| Kenny Stills, Mia. | 37 | 553 | 15.0 | 6 |
Brown (who signed a three-year deal worth $27 million) finished last year with modest stats but was clicking along nicely until the Ravens switched quarterbacks. In nine games with Joe Flacco, Brown caught 34 of 67 passes for 601 yards and 4 TDs. He was on pace to finish the season with 1,068 yards.
Brown wasn’t a factor at all after they benched Flacco and went to a run-oriented offense. Lamar Jackson in eight games went 10 of 33 for 128 yards and 1 TD when passing for Brown.
Allen, of course, isn’t an experienced or accurate passer either. He’s not going to turn Brown into a Pro Bowl candidate. But I expect there will be some long touchdowns, and Brown and Foster should catch most of those long balls.
—Ian Allan