NFL Week 14 Practice Squad Power Rankings 2022: John ‘Smoke’ Brown back with the Bills

It’s impossible to watch a broadcast of a Buffalo Bills game and not hear a mention of Josh Allen’s amazing, unprecedented development. And the repeated mentions are logical, because his maturation is fascinating. 

Once he entered the league, Allen was ferociously dedicated to sharpening the round edges of his game via improved footwork and throwing mechanics. He knew he had to be smarter with the football without losing his natural improvisational brilliance. 

The Bills aided the latter element of Allen’s growth by signing two mid-level receivers in the 2019 offseason — Cole Beasley and John Brown. The savvy route-running veterans were immediate, reliable forces for Allen, and their presence on Buffalo’s roster coincided with Allen’s first positive step forward before his colossal eruption in 2020. 

Beasley ultimately got more headlines than Brown for many reasons — earning a controversial All-Pro nod in 2020 being one of them — so this week’s Practice Squad Power Rankings will highlight the always-overlooked “Smoke” Brown, after the veteran was elevated from Buffalo’s practice squad and was on the field last week in the team’s convincing win over the Patriots. 

Allen had a 98 passer rating when targeting Brown during the wideout’s two seasons in Buffalo — the second of which was marred by injury. 

Brown is 32 and bounced around the league after being released by the Bills. Sure, he’s probably lost a step. Maybe two. When that inevitably happens to every player, it’s vital to remember the level of speed with which they were starting. Brown ran 4.34 entering the league out of Pittsburg State in 2014. 

Sure, the offense is a little different now than it was during…