AFC East: Dolphins, Patriots hunting Buffalo while the Jets try to get off the ground
AFC EAST
BUFFALO BILLS
Coach: Sean McDermott (sixth season in Buffalo, 49-32 regular season, 3-4 playoffs).
Last season: 11-6 (first in the division), lost in the AFC Divisional Round to Kansas City.
Key additions: LB Von Miller, TE O.J. Howard, WR Jamison Crowder, DE Shaq Lawson, G Rodger Saffold, CB Kaiir Elam
Key subtractions: DT Harrison Phillips, WR Cole Beasley, CB Levi Wallace, DE Jerry Hughes, G Darryl Williams, G Jon Feliciano.
Looking ahead: What do you get when you add aging-but-agile-and-hostile quarterback chaser Von Miller to a defense that allowed the fewest points, passing yards and total yards, and pair it with an offense led by the best or second-best quarterback of his generation, Josh Allen? A Super Bowl trip, Buffalo hopes (and the oddsmakers predict), or at least a way past Kansas City, which has blocked the Bills’ playoff progress the last two seasons.
MIAMI DOLPHINS
Coach: Mike McDaniel (first season as an NFL head coach).
Last season: 9-8 (third in the division).
Key additions: WR Tyreek Hill, RB Chase Edmonds, OT Terron Armstead, G Connor Williams, QB Teddy Bridgewater, WR Cedrick Wilson.
Key subtractions: OT Jesse Davis, WR DeVante Parker, RB Duke Johnson, WR Albert Wilson.
Looking ahead: This year marks the 30th anniversary of the last Dolphins team to make the AFC Championship Game. And who kept the Dolphins from the Super Bowl that season? Buffalo. Could happen again. The Dolphins’ defensive numbers don’t properly portray how good the unit was last season because it too often worked under the yoke of a blah offense. A better running game (McDaniel’s thing) with some more catch-and-run bang! from Tua Tagovailoa hitting Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle give the defense the rest and margin of error it needs to play freely and truly express its quality.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
Coach: Bill Belichick (23rd season in New England, 254-99 in the regular season, 30-12 in the playoffs).
Last season: 10-7 (second in the division).
Key additions: WR DeVante Parker, WR Tyquan Thornton, G Cole Strange, CB Malcolm Butler, S Jabril Peppers.
Key subtractions: LB Dont’a Hightower, CB J.C. Jackson, G Shaq Mason, LB Kyle Van Noy, C/G Ted Karras, RB Sony Michel, CB Jason McCourty, DE John Simon, G Joe Thuney, S Terrence Brooks, WR Damiere Byrd, OT Jermaine Eluemunor.
Looking ahead: The biggest problem with the Patriots, who took two years and one Mac Jones to get over their uncoupling with Tom Brady, is location, location, location — the East side of the AFC, the same division as Buffalo and Miami. Those two took a combined four of five from New England last season, including the 47-17 Buffalo beat down in the playoffs, and should roll out improved models. New England? Interceptions — a conference-leading 23 — make for a sandy foundation for high-end defensive consistency.
NEW YORK JETS
Coach: Robert Saleh (second season, 4-13 in his first).
Last season: 4-13 (fourth in the division).
Key additions: CB D.J. Reed, CB Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, WR Garrett Wilson, DE Jermaine Johnson, G Laken Tomlinson, S Jordan Whitehead, TE C.J. Uzomah, RB Breece Hall.
Key subtractions: OT Morgan Moses, WR Jamison Crowder, TE Ryan Griffin, WR Keelan Cole, DT Foley Fatukasi, G Laurent Duvernay-Tardif.
Looking ahead: The Jets wanted to see more from second-year quarterback Zach Wilson. Not more as in the inside of his knee during meniscus surgery after an injury in the first preseason game, but that’s life when you’re the Jets. This year was supposed to be about Wilson progressing and former San Francisco defensive coordinator Saleh renovating a defense that last season allowed the most points and yards and couldn’t stop the run or the pass. That’s why the Jets spent two of their three first-round picks on defense.
