Bills star Josh Allen recognized as one of NFL's elite in QB tier rankings

Buffalo Bills star Josh Allen is one of three quarterbacks included in the top tier of NFL signal-callers in CBS Sports' recent ranking.

Kyle Silagyi | Jul 21, 2024

Jan 15, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) runs the ball in the first half against the Pittsburgh Steelers in a 2024 AFC wild card game at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports / Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

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Though there’s some objectivity to NFL positional rankings—some players are simply better than others regardless of how one may feel—we sometimes reach the point where it’s difficult to definitively slot one player above another because the gap between them is so marginal. Rankings that do so, thus, often spark unintended debate—instead of celebrating a player for being ranked as the league’s third-best at their respective position, fans will discuss why they actually should’ve been placed at No. 2.

This is why tiers are perhaps a more useful tool with which to rank professional athletes. They eliminate semantical arguments about who is ranked where and instead group players based on their general talent and ability, which is useful in both painting a picture of how the writer views individual players and preventing discourse-induced headaches. CBS Sports analyst Will Brinson recently penned his NFL quarterback tiers entering the 2024 NFL season, naming only three signal-callers to his top tier: Kansas City Chiefs passer Patrick Mahomes, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, and Buffalo Bills franchise centerpiece Josh Allen.

Allen’s inclusion, though objectively deserved, may be met with a bit of pushback from national fans who point to his team’s lack of postseason triumph. Brinson dismantles those critiques in his analysis, concluding that Allen can cement himself in this tier by lifting a comparatively lesser supporting cast this fall.

“Like last year, Mahomes could warrant his own category, a 'One of One' type of designation for the two-time reigning Super Bowl champ,” Brinson wrote. “I think Allen and Lamar are close enough to warrant being included. . . Allen is now heading into the criticism cycle after another year of falling short of the Super Bowl. It's hard to get there and it's even harder when Mahomes/Andy Reid are busy ripping off a dynasty in your conference. With Stefon Diggs traded, it could be Allen's turn to show what he can do without his No. 1 wideout.”

Jan 15, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) celebrates a touch down in the first half against the Pittsburgh Steelers in a 2024 AFC wild card game at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports / Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

Allen’s inclusion in this tier goes to show just how good he is—he doesn’t have the individual accolades that Mahomes or Jackson have earned (both are multi-time NFL MVPs), but his placement in this tier cannot be realistically pushed back upon. He’s finished in the top two in total touchdowns in each of the past four seasons, leading the league with 44 total scores in 2023. He’s the only player in NFL history who has totaled over 40 touchdowns in four straight seasons—if any non-MVP deserves to be grouped with no multi-time award winners, it’s Allen.

As Brinson notes, he’ll have the opportunity to solidify his place among the league’s elite if he’s able to succeed with a weapons group that lost Gabriel Davis and perennial Pro Bowler Stefon Diggs in the offseason. If Allen can lead a receiving corps headlined by rookie Keon Coleman, third-year contributor Khalil Shakir, and versatile free agent signee Curtis Samuel to elite production, his status in this tier could no longer be reasonably questioned.

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