Bills' Josh Allen ranked as best QB in NFL by ESPN in three key traits

Josh Allen is obviously one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL right now. The Buffalo Bills QB might not have the postseason accolades like some others do, but he's clearly one of the best in the league.

But how exactly is Allen so good? What makes Allen one of the best quarterbacks in the league? Well, there are plenty of reasons Allen is an elite QB, but a few areas of his game stand out.

ESPN's Dan Orlovsky ranked the top-10 quarterbacks in seven different traits, and Allen was ranked first in three of them and still ranked highly in all but one category.

Josh Allen ranks No. 1 in three traits among QBs per ESPN

Orlovsky ranks Allen as the best quarterback in "Arm strength," "Decision-making with the football," and "Second-reaction ability."

Regarding second-reaction ability, that measures creativity from a QB and their ability to make the odd throw. Allen, who has the strongest arm in the NFL according to Orlovsky, has a good case to be the top QB in this category.

But it goes beyond arm strength for Allen. Orlovsky writes, "He shows all of those second-reaction traits, and he can obviously tuck and run if there's nothing else available."

Decision-making is something Allen has gotten better at as his career has moved along, and now he's ranked as the best decision-maker by Orlovsky, even after throwing 10 interceptions and having a brutal fumble in the playoffs last year.

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"He threw 10 interceptions and lost three fumbles last season, but his tape shows an ability to read the defense and avoid getting baited into trouble," Orlovsky writes.

There's still plenty of room for improvement from Allen when it comes to decision-making, but Orlovsky already grades him as the best QB in the league at it. While maybe a bit bold, it's a good sign for Allen.

Lastly, and most obviously, Allen's arm strength is ranked the best in the NFL. While there are other good QBs when it comes to making a downfield throw, Allen's ability to launch a football down the field, or laser a throw into a tight window, is unmatched.

Orlovsky ranked Allen No. 1 in those three traits, but when it comes to "Ball placement," he's No. 7. Regarding a QB's "Mechanics," Allen is ranked No. 9. He's one spot ahead of Lamar Jackson in both of those traits.

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But in the "Rushing ability" category, Allen is behind Jackson, ranked No. 2 in the NFL. Allen is a more powerful runner, and while he's obviously elite, there should be no qualms over Jackson, the single-season record holder for rushing by a QB, being No. 1.

While Allen is ranked inside the top-10 in all six of these categories, there is one trait he's not a top-10 QB at, according to Orlovsky: "Pocket presence."

Pressure can get to Allen more than some other QBs, though his playmaking ability out of structure helps make those mistakes hurt a lot less for the Bills.

Overall, Allen is ranked very highly by Orlovsky in multiple key traits for quarterbacks. While there's room for some improvement, Allen is easily one of the best QBs in the league, and poised for a huge 2026 season with the Bills once more.

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