Should Josh Allen be involved in personnel decisions for the Buffalo Bills

Josh Allen transformed into an elite quarterback in 2020. Every elite quarterback thinks that they deserve some say in their team’s personnel decisions. Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Russell Wilson, and Deshaun Watson all have reportedly requested more input on their respective teams’ personnel decisions to varying degrees of success.

Brady has essentially been given free rein over Tampa Bay’s offensive personnel moves and won a Super Bowl while doing so. Wilson and Rodgers got into lengthy disputes with their respective teams over how much input they should have. These disputes resulted in trade rumors surfacing for both quarterbacks. Watson openly requested a trade from the Texans due to his lack of say in personnel decisions, and his falling out with Houston has been very public.

Patrick Mahomes is one elite quarterback who does not have much of a say on personnel decisions, but he has openly stated that he does not want input because that is not what he is there to do.

How much say should Josh Allen have in roster moves?

So, assuming Josh Allen maintains his elite play and ultimately gets an extension, how much personnel input should Allen get, if any at all?

The amount of input that a quarterback should get depends on a combination of several factors; such as how competent the front office is, how long the quarterback has been playing, and how well said quarterback has played among others.

As of right now, there is absolutely no reason for Josh Allen, or any Bills player for that matter, to have any personnel input. Brandon Beane and Sean McDermott have done a fantastic job of building a deep and balanced roster, and there is no reason for anyone to interfere with what they have been doing.

Obviously, players can suggest a name that is available, and the front office can look into said name, but if the front office has proven that they are competent roster builders, they should be left alone. This may have been the case during the offseason, where the Bills added two of Josh Allen’s former teammates at the University of Wyoming; Jacob Hollister and Tanner Gentry.

Beane and McDermott may be actively trying to bring in players that Allen likes, but they should ultimately be the ones judging if they are worth a roster spot.

In most cases, consistently competitive teams are built by a competent front office that has minimal outside interference hindering them. Whether the outside interference is from the owners or star players, interference from those in the organization that isn’t in the personnel department can cause unneeded friction between the front office and players. Tom Brady and the Buccaneers are the only recent example of player input on personnel that has worked.

Josh Allen’s role for the foreseeable future should be to play the best he can and do his best with what Brandon Beane and Sean McDermott provide him.

There has been no reason for Josh Allen to doubt the personnel decisions that Beane and McDermott have made. As long as the front office continues to build the roster as well as they have, Josh Allen, or any player for that matter, should not be involved in personnel decisions.