How Will Josh Allen Handle Losing Davis and Diggs?

Will the departure of Gabe Davis and Stefon Diggs affect Josh Allen this season?

It’s no secret that Buffalo Bills’ quarterback Josh Allen is part of the glue that holds the team together, and his skills have helped lead the team to success.

Last season, he finished with 4,306 passing yards and 29 touchdowns while connecting on 385 of his 579 passing attempts.

But, some of the receivers Allen targeted are no longer in the building as faces like Gabe Davis and Stefon Diggs left for Jacksonville and Houston, respectively. 

Now, he needs to adjust to a different set of receivers.

New names like Keon Coleman, Curtis Samuel, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling have made their way to the roster to aid on the quest for a Lombardi while Allen already has familiarity with teammates like Khalil Shakir, Dawson Knox, and Dalton Kincaid.

Will this help, or harm Allen’s stats next season?

I think Allen will have a little better stats next season, but I believe part of that can be credited to having half a season and a full offseason with offensive coordinator Joe Brady. 

Allen already looked better last season with Brady calling plays, and the familiarity with each other, as well as being able to understand QB1’s strong suits, will benefit the Bills’ play and Allen’s yards. He led the NFL last season in total yards with 4,830, and I’d expect a similar performance.

However, I see 17 using his legs more throughout the season. I believe he will improve on last season’s 524 yards on the ground and that there will be more run plays designed for him. Allen set a career-high 15 rushing touchdowns last season, and eight of those TDs came in the last seven games under Brady. 

He also had three rushing touchdowns in the postseason, two of which were in the Divisional Round loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Allen has around the same amount of interceptions as last season (18), as he is adjusting to a new receiving crew, and tends to make some risky throws. 

I also think Allen and Co. will have more touchdowns than last season’s 29, but fewer passes. In addition, I see James Cook being utilized often as he has been useful for Buffalo as a back and catching passes.