There are two wide receivers in the NFL this year that have had at least 50 yards receiving in every game they’ve played. One of those wide receivers is Michael Thomas, the best wide receiver in the NFL. The other is Buffalo Bills receiver John Brown. The Bills signed Brown to a three-year $27 million deal this past off-season, in hopes of boosting their offense. 10 games into his Bills career, the sixth-year man has done that and more. Primarily a complementary receiver in previous seasons, Brown has produced as the number one for Buffalo this year. And with a tough stretch of games coming for the Bills, he will need to continue that production.
Buffalo Bills Number One Receiver: John Brown
56 catches, 817 yards, and four touchdowns. Those are John Brown’s numbers 10 games into his Bills career. When he signed with the team, everyone knew about his speed. In fact, his speed overshadowed all other aspects of his game. But what’s been most impressive about Brown’s play this year has been everything else. The route running. The hands. His ability to find space in the defense and make himself open. And last but not least, his functionality as the number one receiver in the Bills offense and security blanket for Josh Allen.
The Impact of a Number One Receiver
For the Bills this season, John Brown has been more than advertised. He leads the Bills in receiving yards, with 368 more than Cole Beasley who’s in second. Brown also leads the team in receiving touchdowns and leads the team in receptions with 13 more than Beasley who is again in second place. He’s even setting franchise records.
With the injuries to fellow wide receiver Robert Foster, John Brown has been the only deep threat for the majority of the season so far in Buffalo. As such, he accounts for the most deep yards for the Bills and is second in the NFL in the percentage share of a team’s air yards (TAY percentage). This stat is significant because it represents how much of a team’s air yards a player accounts for. At 41.31 percent, Brown accounts for a very significant portion of the Bills total air yards. Time and time again, Brown has been the only reliable vertical threat in his offense.
He’s also provided consistency in an offense that has yet to gel. The Bills returned only three starters on offense from last year. One of them was their second-year project quarterback Josh Allen. The offense is young, and still getting a feel for one another. Brown has been a calming presence in the offense and most importantly a calming presence to Allen. When your young quarterback says things like he “wouldn’t trade Brown for anything” and that “he is an all-time teammate” you’re doing something right. John Brown’s presence gives the Bills offense production and their quarterback confidence. Both of which are qualities you look for in a number one receiver.
A Complete Receiver
John Brown’s TAY percentage is impressive. His speed and vertical ability are impressive. However, Brown’s success this year in Buffalo isn’t solely due to his deep threat potential. It’s due to the complete and well-rounded game he’s played with. Take a look at his route chart from this past week 11. Or his route chart from week 10.
Brown is running routes at all levels of the defense and in varying forms. Slants. Drags. Hooks. Curls. Outs. Flats. Verticals and deep overs. Multiple routes being run at multiple levels of the defense. Brown’s route chart from the past two weeks is a microcosm of what’s he’s done all year in his first season in Buffalo, which is demonstrate his ability to run a complete route tree and get open any way needed.
John Brown has progressed as a receiver in Buffalo this year and taken his game to new levels. He showed signs of it last year. But this year he’s really been able to demonstrate what he can do when given the opportunity. While his speed still deserves attention, it should no longer be the only talking point when his name comes up in conversation. He now possesses dimensions and facets to his game that are common in complete receivers in the NFL. Which John Brown now is.
What It All Means for John Brown and the Buffalo Bills
It may have gone unnoticed, but the Buffalo Bills have a number one receiver right now in John Brown. The level of production and consistency he’s delivered each week places him in very flattering company amongst his peers in the NFL. His impact on the Bills cannot be understated. Neither can the layers and tools he now possesses in his game. Brown has given Buffalo a high return on investment with the potential for more in the future.
