These quarterbacks were supposed to be a special batch of talents, and their first NFL

2018 was the vaunted “year of the quarterback Authentic Kyle Williams Jersey ,” with the Buffalo Bills and four other teams selecting passers in the first round of the NFL Draft. Not every draft prognostication pans out in the end, so how did that claim hold up in year one? exposure did not disappoint. We saw explosive runs, wonderful deep passes, and surgical precision. How did Josh Allen compare with his contemporaries? Let’s dive into the performances.Baker Mayfield14 games (13 starts)310/486 (63.8%) passing, 3725 yards, 27 TDs, 14 INTs, 25 sacks, 6.95 NY/A39 carries, 131 yards (3.4 YPC), 7 fumblesAny way you examine it, the first overall pick was clearly the best rookie quarterback playing in the NFL this year. His arm talent was evident, he was reading defenses at a more advanced level than his peers, and his competitive fire created seven wins for the Cleveland Browns, who had only managed one the previous two seasons combined.What’s more impressive is that Mayfield improved dramatically after Hue Jackson and Todd Haley were fired. Working with Freddie Kitchens really showed what he could handle in the NFL. In eight games away from Jackson, Mayfield threw 19 touchdowns against eight interceptions and only took five sacks.Moving into year two, Mayfield might have a new coaching staff around him, but if they’re compatible with his fiery personality and style of pocket passing, the sky’s the limit.Sam Darnold13 games (13 starts)239/414 (57.7%) passing, 2865 yards, 17 TDs, 15 INTs, 30 sacks, 5.99 NY/A44 carries, 138 yards Youth Vladimir Ducasse Jersey , (3.1 YPC), 1 TD, 5 fumblesDarnold had an uneven, but generally positive season—showing off his talent for escaping pressure and finding success outside the structure of a play. An injury sidelined him for three games, but Darnold returned with a hot streak, throwing six touchdowns against a single interception in the final four games of the year. He showed a particularly strong connection with fellow rookie Chris Herndon; the tight end notched 39 catches for 502 yards and four touchdowns in his first season.After four seasons, head coach Todd Bowles was fired, so the New York Jets are looking around for a coach who can continue Darnold’s development. In year two, Darnold needs to continue building a rapport with his receivers while cutting down on the dumb mistakes that lead to interceptions. For now, signs are positive in the Meadowlands.Josh Allen12 games (11 starts)169/320 (52.8%) passing, 2074 yards, 10 TDs, 12 INTs, 28 sacks, 5.35 NY/A89 carries, 631 yards (7.1 YPC), 8 TDs, 8 fumblesAllen’s season was marked by the elbow injury that forced him to miss six weeks of the season. When he returned, Allen scored 13 of his 18 total touchdowns. Forced into a starting role thanks to Nate Peterman’s performance, Allen showed occasional flashes of talent interspersed with stretches of missed reads and inaccurate passes. After a break, the game slowed down for Allen, who began to connect with rookie Robert Foster downfield, while taking apart defenses with his legs.Allen’s first NFL season showed that his physical talent is no lie, and he improved his mechanics dramatically from his college days, but going into year two, he needs to continue maturing as an NFL passer (and receive a stronger supporting cast) if he’s going to become the Cam Newton that Brandon Beane envisioned.Josh Rosen14 games (13 starts)217/393 (55.2%) passing Cheap LeSean McCoy Jersey , 2278 yards, 11 TDs, 14 INTs, 45 sacks, 4.47 NY/A23 carries, 138 yards (6.0 YPC), 10 fumblesNo rookie passer suffered as much as Rosen. The Arizona Cardinals quarterback had his offensive coordinator fired mid-season, replaced by a first-time play caller. His head coach did such a poor job that he was fired after a single season. His best receivers were a 35-year-old Larry Fitzgerald and a rookie who tore his ACL mid-season. Finally, his offensive line was a disaster, making him the most-sacked rookie quarterback.Rosen hung in there, avoiding a disaster season like we’ve seen from players such as DeShone Kizer and Nathan Peterman, but still finished with the worst performance of the top five rookie quarterbacks. Arizona had the worst offense in the NFL and one of the worst offenses in the last decade. Heading into year two, he needs support from a new coaching staff and player additions to help him right the course and deliver on the potential that made him the top recruit out of high school.Lamar JacksonRegular season:16 games (7 starts)99/170 (58.2%) passing, 1201 yards, 6 TDs, 3 INTs, 16 sacks, 6.08 NY/A147 carries, 695 yards (4.7 YPC), 5 TDs, 12 fumblesPlayoffs:14/29 (48.3%) passing, 194 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, 7 sacks (3.86 NY/A)9 carries, 54 yards (6.0 YPC) Cheap Kelvin Benjamin Jersey , 3 fumblesAs you might imagine, Jackson was considered the least-developed quarterback selected in the first round of the draft. Early in the season, the Baltimore Ravens worked him onto the field as a change-up, with direct snaps and reverses meant to use his speed while keeping Joe Flacco as the primary passer. That changed when Flacco suffered a hip injury mid-season.The Ravens eased Jackson into quarterbacking with an extremely run-heavy game plan, and he finished with nearly as many carries as pass attempts. Thanks to those designed carries, Jackson finished with the most rushing yards among quarterbacks this year, and he nearly led his team in rushing. Jackson struggled to decisively locate passing targets and only threw six touchdowns in the regular season, but did oversee a 6-1 season finish that made him the only rookie quarterback to qualify for the playoffs. His loss to the Los Angeles Chargers was an ugly day for three quarters. Jackson started a comeback with some nifty pocket movement and downfield passing, but a lost fumble ended that campaign.Jackson looks to have the helm moving forward, but still must improve his throwing mechanics and field reading to maximize his physical talents. The Buffalo Bills kept fans on the edge of their seat for almost three hours, thinking they might be able to pull it off. But in the end, the lack of talent on offense was way too much for the Bills to overcome in their most recent loss(es). Here are our five observations:The defense is awesomeWe’ve got to lead with this. Despite the offensive ineptitude, Buffalo’s defense came to play. Lorenzo Alexander had two sacks and a forced fumble, Tremaine Edmunds played pretty well until he was knocked from the game with a concussion, and the rest of the defense held the Tom Brady-led Patriots to field goals for most of the game. A late rushing touchdown and a pick-six skewed the final score, but Buffalo’s defense was legit this week. Really, the Patriots only had one long drive on Monday.The offense sucksI’m not here to blame offensive coordinator Brian Daboll. He had Derek Anderson starting two weeks after he signed. The Bills don’t have the horses to play great offense. From the sub-par offensive line to the receiver group that seems to have nothing beyond a suddenly-hot Zay Jones, Buffalo needs to invest in this side of the ball and soon. There is just no separation in the passing routes.Special teams continues to be scaryPunter Corey Bojorquez dropped a snap on a punt that ended up going less than thirty yards. Bojorquez also had two touchbacks on punts from near midfield that could have (should have?) been downed inside the ten. Marcus Murhpy was able to avoid a costly kickoff return fumble when he was ruled down. There was also the weekly Bills special teams penalty.No one upped their trade valueHeading into Tuesday’s trade deadline, none of the Bills players presumed to be on the trade block upped their value. Kelvin Benjamin and LeSean McCoy were mostly pedestrian outside one big catch from Benjamin. Shaq Lawson and Charles Clay, too.What is going to happen next week?Late in the fourth quarter, Derek Anderson was sacked on consecutive plays and left the game. Nathan Peterman was the only healthy QB to finish the game. Josh Allen is probably not going to be healthy enough to return. Depending on Anderson’s status, Buffalo could be in big trouble. Would they roll with Logan Thomas as the backup QB? Sign someone? Side note: Up by 19 points with a minute left, they are still blitzing?