In terms of overall talent, James Lofton probably belongs higher on this list. However, I try to focus on overall value provided, which isn’t excessive for the Pro Football Hall of Fame receiver seeing as he only spent four seasons with the franchise.
And yet, he still deserves recognition for the work he did in Buffalo.
A star free agent signing for the Bills, Lofton came to town and immediately asserted himself as a dynamic weapon in the passing game. Serving as Jim Kelly’s go-to option out wide, he played a huge role in helping Buffalo advance to the Super Bowl on three consecutive occasions. Although none resulted in wins, it wasn’t due to a lack of effort on Lofton’s part.
Realistically, Lofton’s best years were behind him when he joined the Bills. All but one of his eight Pro Bowl selections came with the Green Bay Packers — the other was during his time donning the red, white and blue. And yet, the impact he had on those three Super Bowl squads was more than enough to earn him a spot on this list.
Lofton will go down as an all-time Packers great. Still, what he did for the Bills can’t be ignored.