Bobby Burack
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Trevor Lawrence is deemed worthy to tank a season for. Two teams, the Jets and Jags, did just that. Scouts cite Lawrence’s size, strength, athletic ability, mind, precision, and talent as reasons for the hype. If every category is shown on the next level and all goes right, perhaps Lawrence can evolve into a version of … Josh Allen?
Size, strength, talent, athletic … yeah, sounds like Josh Allen. Film analyst Greg Cosell agrees that Lawrence is a generational talent, but says Allen is the more talented QB:
“Josh Allen is more talented than Trevor Lawrence,” Cosell said on One Bills Live. “And Trevor Lawrence is a generational talent, so I don’t know what that makes Josh Allen, but he has more talent than Trevor Lawrence. You’re dealing with a guy with the highest end of talent, and when you see him play now with the precision that was definitely a question when he came out, as you guys know, but the precision with which he’s playing and his much better understanding now of what kinds of throws are required.”
Cosell’s take alone is worth a talking point, but it also happens to be correct.
We are always looking for the next and overlooking the present. It’s more fun to project than dissect. Since the creation of the league, NFL executives have dreamed of finding the ideal QB, the guy who checks off every box and can redefine the way the game is played.
Mock drafts said Andrew Luck was that guy. Before his injuries, he may have been. The same experts and scouts now say Lawrence is. He could be. Yet neither Luck (before retirement) nor Lawrence have ever shown the skill set, upside, and raw talent that Allen has. It’s not close.
This season, Allen grew into a top-level NFL QB, trailing only Aaron Rodgers in productivity. Allen has Patrick Mahomes’ arm, Cam Newton’s size, Russell Wilson’s escape ability, and Brett Favre’s down-field vision. Who has ever brought that combination to the game?
Jim Miller, former NFL QB turned SiriusXM NFL Radio host, put it best:
“Mahomes can’t do what Josh Allen can do. Josh Allen has the bigger arm than Mahomes. Josh is the better athlete than Mahomes. He may not be as savvy as Mahomes right now. Mahomes is a savvy player, and he’s gifted athletically too. But I’m telling you, Allen is more physically gifted.”
Allen doesn’t receive the praise Mahomes and Lawrence do. The football world watched Allen grow up in the NFL. His early career struggles and mistakes were witnessed on TV by millions of viewers. Mahomes’ were hidden in practice as the backup. Coming into the NFL, Allen wasn’t as polished as Andrew Luck was or as Lawrence is now. But it’s never about what a player comes into the NFL with, it’s what they develop into. Lawrence could have a long Hall of Fame career and never be as good as Josh Allen has been in 2020.
Then there are the egos. Oddly, football writers and film-watchers have egos that extend beyond the players. They would rather crown a player they have already praised than a player, like Allen, who becomes a star despite their doubts and criticisms. They don’t like it when they can’t claim any credit for such a player’s success.
Now, comparisons to Allen should in no way undermine Lawrence’s potential. He is a stud. But let’s stop looking ahead and ignoring what’s in front of us. Trevor Lawrence could be special one day. Josh Allen is special now.
If he didn’t play in the ACC, he’d be Mahomes, right? Mahomes was *never* called a generational talent at TT. 80% of the ACC schedule they played was a W, more a testament to Dabo than to Lawrence before he arrived. I’m not saying Lawrence isn’t a good/great/awesome QB, but shit like “generational” gets thrown around way too much. Assuming “generation” doesn’t mean this draft class or the next draft class, that literally has to mean he’s the best QB since Aaron Rodgers (I’m too old to know if I skipped a generation), but that cuts out Smith, DeShaun, Herbert, Wentz, and a bunch of other people. (A Generation is what, a 15-20 year period?). Tank for Tua? Why isn’t anyone saying tank for Mac Jones :shudder:?
My guess is that if the Pats had the first pick, they wouldn’t be picking him. Is he so generational you don’t trade for a bunch of 2-4 round picks for someone like the Jets to swing for the foul pole and mortgage their future?
I realize this is just commentator shorthand for “busted his ass for 10 years in the weight room and in drills” but I really dislike people saying, “physically gifted.” If you look at everyone in any of these QB classes when they were eleven years old, would they really look that much different than each other?
C’mon man. I’m an FSU fan and I’m willing to admit Lawrence is indeed a generational talent. That term, in my mind means a QB that comes around every 5-10 years – a QB that is virtually bust-proof. Aaron Rodgers went 1st round but was the no. 25 pick. People thought he would be good but no one saw him being multi-MVP good. Lawrence prolly is the 1st guy since Andrew Luck where virtually every GM would agree he is a surefire franchise QB.
If that Pats had the 1st overall pick they would damn sure select Lawrence and secure the QB position for another 20 years. They would have to be given an insane offer to move from pick 1.
“Then there are the egos. Oddly, football writers and film-watchers have egos that extend beyond the players. They would rather crown a player they have already praised than a player, like Allen, who becomes a star despite their doubts and criticisms. They don’t like it when they can’t claim any credit for such a player’s success.”
Bobby speaking GOSPEL here! Let a player they deem to be terrible actually turn out to be terrible and these writers/film-watchers beat their chest harder than King Kong in saying “I TOLD YOU SO!” Let the opposite happen and they’ll pretend they never said it and/or even worse, when called out on it, become hella snarky and condescending to the person/people who bring it to their attention.
There should be many mea culpas going around (and I’m guilty my damn self) but we all know that ain’t happening.
I do know one sports talking head Colin Cowherd…also talked about how he wasn’t sold on Josh Allen because of his completion percentage in college and played at Wyoming. I haven’t seen many highlights about being wrong on that one (I could be wrong).