The Bills lost Stefon Diggs in the offseason, which stripped some star power from their wide receiver room.
But that’s not necessarily a bad thing, as former Buffalo pass catcher Stevie Johnson believes removing the pressure to pass the ball to Diggs could help quarterback Josh Allen.
“It’s perfect for Josh,” Johnson told SportsCasting.com. “There’s no one to force it on. I don’t think there’s going to be a drop in performance at all. The only drop in performance is going to be in the eye if there’s not a 1,200-yard player.”
“They may not have that, but what you’re going to see is a looser quarterback because instead of thinking about two options and then having to go, there are so many options. It’s good for a quarterback to have a level head, a clear head, and know I can use any shape – and not be forced to look one way for a certain amount of time.”
Committee approach appears “more efficient”
Tight end Dalton Kincaid and holdover Khalil Shakir will team with new additions Curtis Samuel, Mack Hollins and Keon Coleman, among others, in hopes of making up for the lost production with the departure of Diggs and No. 2 wide receiver Gabriel Davis.
Johnson, who recorded 1,000 yards as a receiver three times during his six-year career with the Bills from 2008 to 2013, recognized the potential of the revamped passing game during offseason training.
“It was more efficient,” Johnson said. “(Allen) wasn’t expecting a big play. He was just expecting to move the sticks. He’s digging five yards, six yards. You can throw the ball to guys who are in open space and can turn around and make the play instead of waiting for that super cool post corner, you know what I mean? He’s not waiting for that kind of long pattern. (The new setup) is pretty dynamic.”
While the offseason additions may not have the raw talent of Diggs, Johnson said a guy like Hollins has a style of play that fits well with Allen.
“Mack Hollins, I watched his film and then saw him at practice, and he’s perfect for our offense with Josh,” Johnson said. “He finds the weak spots, finds the gaps. We needed a lot more of that on the team than we had with our other players. We needed those space finders.”
Johnson said the running game should be good and he was particularly impressed with fourth-round pick Ray Davis.
“He has that Le’Veon Bell style,” Johnson said.
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Johnson felt that the lack of titles during this sustained streak of regular season success contributed to the disintegration of the wide receiver position.
“I don’t know if it had to close, but it took three or four years, and when you see other people winning championships, you think, ‘What are they doing differently?'” Johnson said. “The pressure builds and you expect more from a person. Diggs can only do so much. Gabe can only do so much.
“The new guys that have come in have the skills and the technique of the older guys. You have to put them with a guy like Josh Allen who creates opportunities – who doesn’t just make checkdowns – and that’s why you have to keep going.”
The situation is similar to that of the Chiefs after Tyreek Hill, when Patrick Mahomes had to deal with a new cast of receivers.
“You have to give credit to Mahomes because I think his situation was maybe worse than ours on offense,” Johnson said. “And the numbers might not be as eye-popping and record-breaking, but what did he do? If he has the ball at the end of the game, the Chiefs are going to win. And that’s exactly what happened (in the Super Bowl).”
“People still expect a Super Bowl” by Josh Allen
As with Mahomes, expectations for Allen remain huge after the loss of Diggs and Davis.
“People still expect a Super Bowl,” Johnson said.
The Bills will do things a little differently this season, and while some critics expect a drop in performance, Johnson is confident the committee approach will work.
“When you bring in a star player, you have to root for him,” Johnson said. “That’s a credit to a star. But that’s why I said there’s not going to be a drop in performance with those guys leaving, because management brought in guys who aren’t necessarily stars, but are veterans and hungry to be in the position Diggs was in when he came out of Minnesota – that chance for an elite quarterback to throw to them.”
