The AFC East proved to be top-of-the-line and best divisions within the convention final season.
That distinction is just not prone to change given how the groups have already managed to reload and fortify lower than per week into free company.
What might change, nonetheless, is the pecking order from high to backside.
The Bills, whereas nonetheless the favourite, aren’t a lock to win their fourth straight division title as all the groups under have their sights on making a transfer and unseating the champs.
For starters, the second-place Dolphins have strengthened their protection, most notably with the acquisition of cornerback Jalen Ramsey and linebacker David Long, whereas the Jets are within the means of critically upgrading the one place that held them again final season – quarterback.
Aaron Rodgers is headed to the Big Apple if and when the Packers and Jets can work out the small print on commerce compensation.
The Patriots?
They’ve made some strikes, and added some good gamers on the offensive aspect of the ball, though none would qualify as being the kind of game-changing expertise the Pats lack.
Perhaps they’re banking on Bill O’Brien being that game-changer on the helm of a re-tooled offense, because the Patriots new offensive coordinator ought to make a big distinction given the catastrophe of getting Matt Patricia and Joe Judge run the offense final season.
So the Patriots shall be higher in 2023. The downside? Everyone else under the Bills has additionally improved.
That mentioned, right here’s a breakdown of the 4 groups within the division, what they’ve finished throughout the offseason, and the place they’re headed.
Buffalo Bills
2022 document: 13-3 (first place)
Notable additions: G Connor McGovern, WR/Ret Deonte Harty, QB Kyle Allen. Re-signed – S Jordan Poyer.
Notable losses: DC Leslie Frazier, LB Tremaine Edwards, WR Isaiah McKenzie.
Best transfer: Creating much-needed cap house by restructuring the contracts of Josh Allen, Von Miller and Stefan Diggs.
Head scratcher: More of a curiosity – Is Frazier coming again, or is his departure everlasting?
Outlook: They made a giant splash in free company final yr, including Von Miller to spice up their move rush and repair one in all their largest flaws to assist put them excessive.
Only they proceed to fall brief when the playoffs roll round. The mantra was Super Bowl or bust for them final season they usually nonetheless couldn’t get there.
Their 27-10 loss to the Bengals marked their second straight divisional spherical exit.
Since then, Frazier, their longtime defensive coordinator, has stepped away for not less than a yr, so like final yr after offensive coordinator Brian Daboll’s departure, the Bills have to regulate to a brand new play caller. By most accounts, head coach Sean McDermott will run the protection.
Player-wise, because of restructuring the contracts of Allen, Miller and Diggs the Bills have been capable of get out of cap jail and create some house to each signal and re-sign some essential gamers, most notably Poyer, who returned on a two-year deal.
The Bills would have been bother at security in the event that they weren’t capable of carry Poyer again. Micah Hyde is the one different security with any expertise. Safety Damar Hamlin, who suffered cardiac arrest throughout the staff’s common season recreation in opposition to the Bengals, has begun his highway again to soccer, and is hoping to play sooner or later. But it’s robust for the Bills to depend on him being able to play this season.
Linebacker Matt Milano and punter Sam Martin additionally signed extensions to unlock extra money and assist the trigger.
So it’s doable for the Bills to do extra, and add extra weapons for Josh Allen, whereas additionally enhancing the protection within the coming days and weeks. As it’s, they actually don’t have a lot so as to add, though the discharge of McKenzie leaves them a bit brief at receiver.
And whereas they’re nonetheless be robust to beat so long as Allen is beneath heart, they’ve misplaced a little bit of their luster.
Miami Dolphins
2022 document: 9-8 (wild card)
Notable additions: CB Jalen Ramsey, LB David Long, DB DeShon Elliot, WR Braxton Berrios, TE Eric Saubert, QB Mike White, OL Dan Feeney, P Jake Bailey. Re-signed: LB Duke Riley, RB Raheem Mostert, RB Jeff Wilson, CB Nik Needham.
Notable losses: LB Elandon Roberts, CB Byron Jones, TE Mike Gesicki.
Best transfer: Trading for Ramsey to pair him with Xavian Howard at nook. Signing Vic Fangio because the defensive coordinator earns honorable point out.
Head scratcher: Still suppose they’re taking part in with fireplace with Tua Tagovailoa’s concussion historical past. Mike White is nice, however he’s adequate to take them the place they wish to go if Tua goes down?
Outlook: The Dolphins made enormous strides on offense final season, with offensive-minded head coach Mike McDaniel, however extra importantly with the addition of Tyreek Hill. When Tagovailoa was beneath heart, the Fins have been a troublesome staff to beat.
The downside is that Tagovailoa suffered three head accidents alone final season, and wasn’t out there down the stretch or for his or her playoff recreation in opposition to the Bills. Even with that as a priority, they nonetheless seem all-in on Tua.
Since they rebuilt their offense final season, and re-signed their high operating backs, the protection has been the main focus this yr. First, they signed Fangio to be their defensive coordinator. Then, they landed All-Pro nook Ramsey in alternate for a third-round decide and tight finish Hunter Long. Having Ramsey and Xavian Howard on reverse corners is frightening.
Another welcome addition is former Titan David Long, one of many higher linebackers within the recreation. The two-year, $11 million deal he signed was an absolute steal.
Having Tagovailoa nonetheless on his rookie contract has definitely helped with the funds and with the ability to add items on each side of the ball.
Berrios is a sneaky good signing each within the return recreation and as in that loaded offense.
In brief, the Dolphins have made the sorts of strikes that won’t solely maintain them playoff-bound, but in addition give the Bills a run for his or her cash. All of this, nonetheless, assumes Tua can keep wholesome.
New England Patriots
2022 document: 8-9
Notable additions: WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, TE Mike Gesicki, RB James Robinson, OT Calvin Anderson, OT Riley Reiff, LB Chris Board. Re-signed: CB Jonathan Jones, S Jabrill Peppers, OT Conor McDermott, OL James Ferentz, LB Raekwan McMillan, LB Mack Wilson, LS Joe Cardona.
Notable losses: S Devin McCourty (retired), WR Jakobi Meyers, P Jake Bailey, QB Brian Hoyer, DB Jalen Mills.
Best transfer: Along with bringing OC Bill O’Brien aboard, dumping Jonnu Smith and his bloated contract and changing him with Mike Gesicki earns excessive marks.
Head scratcher: Making little effort to re-sign Meyers, who went for cheap cash (3 years, $33 million) to Las Vegas.
Outlook: Along with bringing a lot of the band again when it comes to in-house free brokers, the Patriots did make a couple of strikes to attempt to bolster the offense, most notably with the additions of Smith-Schuster and Gesicki.
With a massively aggressive division, although, it nonetheless won’t be sufficient.
To maintain tempo with the remaining, they wanted to land some game-changing, defense-altering gamers. They wanted so as to add some gamers who put some concern into opposing protection.
Smith-Schuster and Gesicki are good gamers, and may present some spark, notably within the pink zone the place the staff struggled mightily final season.
But neither one goes to trigger any defensive coordinator to lose sleep earlier than taking part in the Patriots.
“You look at the talent, I just don’t see great, great talent,” NBC analyst Rodney Harrison informed the Herald earlier within the week. “I see solid football players, but I don’t see an AFC championship roster. I don’t see that level of talent.”
Swapping out Smith-Schuster for Meyers doesn’t do the trick. Neither does having Gesicki over Smith, and James Robinson as an alternative of Damien Harris. While a number of of those gamers are upgrades for positive, not one of the additions will be categorized as top-end expertise.
That mentioned, a lot of the Patriots’ success or failure goes to come back right down to O’Brien fixing the offense and dealing his magic with Mac Jones. Will Jones get again to being that promising quarterback now having a respectable coach and an enhanced arsenal? If he doesn’t enhance, if he continues to play like he did final season, the Patriots will actually have an issue.
“They still have a big question mark with Mac coming into Year 3,” Harrison mentioned. “We saw his frustration last year with Matt Patricia and the offense, so what will Bill O’Brien do to get him back, and get him back to being a confident young man who’s not always out there complaining? That’s one of the biggest things.”
The Pats did add serviceable depth to the offensive line, however nonetheless want one other high gun at sort out.
All in all, not a foul haul to date. They’ve finished fairly properly to get the offense over the hump. But is it sufficient to enhance their standing with everybody else happening round them? Unless there’s extra to come back, in all probability not.
New York Jets
2022 document: 7-10
Notable additions: OC Nathaniel Hackett, WR Allen Lazard, S Chuck Clark, P Thomas Morstead. Re-signed: LB Quincy Williams, Okay Greg Zuelein.
Notable losses: DT Sheldon Rankins, DT Nathan Shepherd, QB Mike White.
Best transfer: Hiring Hackett to offer themselves a shot at touchdown Aaron Rodgers.
Head scratcher: Putting all of their eggs within the Rodgers basket. If it doesn’t work out, there shall be greater than slightly egg on their faces. All of the respectable free agent QBs are taken.
Outlook: Obviously, the most important query is Rodgers. His state of affairs stays in limbo. As of Friday, the Packers and Jets have been nonetheless haggling over commerce particulars.
The indisputable fact that Rodgers needs to affix the Jets definitely works of their favor. So does the very fact they employed Hackett, Rodgers former offensive coordinator with the Packers.
At this level, it simply looks as if a matter of time.
Rodgers needs in as a result of the Jets are stacked with tons of younger expertise, particularly offensive rookie of the yr Garrett Wilson, and Sauce Gardner, defensive rookie of the yr.
Last season, the Jets had fielded top-of-the-line defenses within the league, and that received’t change.
Retaining beginning linebacker Quincy Williams, the older brother of 2022 First-Team All-Pro defensive sort out Quinnen Williams, was a shrewd transfer contemplating the Jets must ultimately give Quinnen a long-term, second contract.
Picking up a beginning caliber security in Chuck Clark from the Ravens for a seventh-round decide was one other good transfer.
The offense would possibly want slightly extra past Rodgers. However, nothing issues for the Jets if the commerce falls by.
Assuming Rodgers is the quarterback, newly-signed Lazard informed reporters in New York that he likes the Jets’ probabilities within the AFC.
“With Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, the possibility of wins is always a thing,” Lazard, a favourite of Rodgers in Green Bay, mentioned throughout a Zoom name Friday. “With that being said, it’s really the Super Bowl.”
With Rodgers, the Jets change into immediate contenders, even when his monitor document within the playoffs is suspect. Without him, they’re the identical previous Jets. It’s that easy.
Source: www.bostonherald.com
