Buffalo Bills
2013 Record: 6-10, missed playoffs.
Key Off-season Losses: LB Kiko Alonso (injury), S Jairus Byrd, WR Steve Johnson, DE Alex Carrington, S Jim Leonard and LB Arthur Moats.
Key Veteran Additions: LB Brandon Spikes, RB Bryce Brown, WR Mike Williams, RB Anthony Dixon, OG Chris Williams, CB Corey Graham and LB Keith Rivers.
Draft Picks (Round Drafted): WR Sammy Watkins (1), OT Cyrus Kouandjio (2), LB Preston Brown (3), CB Ross Cockrell (4), OG Cyril Richardson (5), LB Randell Johnson (7) and OT Seantrel Henderson (7).
(Photo Credit: Getty Images)
The Bills made some nice moves this off-season that will immediately help the team. Trading up and drafting Sammy Watkins was a bold move that will make an immediate impact. Watkins is an extremely athletic receiver, who will give quarterback E.J. Manuel a much needed downfield target. Also, the addition of WR Mike Williams should help with the loss of Steve Johnson.
Led by C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson, the running backs are in good shape once again this season, and the additions of Bryce Brown and Anthony Dixon will certainly help with depth. Draft picks Cyrus Kouandijo, Cyril Richardson and Seantrel Henderson look to already be making a positive impact to the offensive line, but the unit as a whole is filled with question marks.
Last season, the Bills only allowed 333.4 yards per game defensively, that was the 10th fewest in the entire NFL. Defensive Coordinator Mike Pettine was a huge reason for that success, and he has now moved on as the head coach of the Cleveland Browns. The loss of Pettine will certainly be felt on the defensive side of the ball, but new Defensive Coordinator Jim Schwartz brings an aggressive system that should fit in well with this team.
Even more concerning than the loss of Pettine, is losing two huge players on the defensive side of the ball. Jarius Byrd has moved on via costless agency, and Kiko Alonso will miss the entire season with a torn ACL that he suffered during off-season workouts. Alonso and Byrd were two major cogs in the Bills’ defense last season who simply cannot be replaced.
The Buffalo Bills must improve on their 6-10 record from last season. With new ownership on their way in soon, GM Doug Whaley and head coach Doug Marrone will be squarely on the hot seat next off-season if the team does not improve.
The success of the Bills will rely heavily on the progression of Manuel. If he can improve like the Bills’ coaching staff appears to believe he can, this team could be real contenders in this division. If not, another sub-par season will likely be in the cards.
Miami Dolphins
2013 Record: 8-8, missed playoffs.
Key Off-season Losses: DT Paul Soliai, S Chris Clemons, OT Tyson Clabo and CB Nolan Carroll.
Key Veteran Additions: OT Branden Albert, CB Cortland Finnegan, RB Knowshon Moreno and DT Earl Mitchell.
Draft Picks (Round Drafted): OT Ju’Wuan James (1), WR Jarvis Landry (2), OT Billy Turner (3), CB Walt Aikens (4), TE Arthur Lynch (5), LB Jordan Tripp (5), WR Matt Hazel (6) and DE Terrence Fede (7).
compete this season. (Photo Credit: Getty Images)
Improvement along the offensive line will be the single most important factor when determining whether the Miami Dolphins can contend for an AFC East title this season. Braden Albert gives them a legitimate option at left-tackle, and first round pick Ju’Wuan James is the projected starter at right-tackle, and has looked good thus far. Fellow rookie Billy Turner has also turned some heads, and appears to be in contention for a starting spot. The addition of Albert immediately helps solidify the entire line, but there are plenty of unproven talents surrounding him.
Newly acquired Knowshon Moreno appears to be in a battle for the starting running back position with Lamar Miller. At this point, a running back by committee approach appears likely with both players getting a significant amount of playing time.
Progression of Ryan Tannehill will also be very important for the Dolphins this season. Tannehill is very talented, and showed a lot of promise last season, but he has also been very inconsistent, and his lack of receiving options certainly does not help either. New Offensive Coordinator Bill Lazor is a bright offensive mind, who will be a positive influence on Tannehill and the entire offense.
The Dolphins were very good defensively last season, allowing only 20.9 points per game, the eighth fewest of all defenses in the NFL. The loss of defensive tackle Paul Soliai will certainly hurt, especially since the team already struggles against the run, but cornerback Cortland Finnegan will help an already good pass defense become great. As always, Cameron Wake will be a force to be reckoned with as an outside pass rusher.
New England Patriots
2013 Record: 12-4, lost in AFC Championship Game against the Denver Broncos.
Key Off-season Losses: CB Aqib Talib, OG Logan Mankins, LB Brandon Spikes, RB LeGarrette Blount, LB Dane Fletcher, DT Isaac Sopoaga and TE Matthew Mulligan.
Key Veteran Additions: CB Darrell Revis, CB Brandon Browner, TE Tim Wright, WR Brandon LaFell and S Patrick Chung.
Draft Picks (Round Drafted): DT Dominique Easley (1), QB Jimmy Garoppolo (2), C Bryan Stork (4), RB James White (4), OT Cameron Fleming (4), OG Jon Halapio (6), DE Zach Moore (6), CB Jemea Thomas (6) and WR Jeremy Gallon (7).
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The New England Patriots have won the AFC East divisional title five consecutive times, and 10 out of the past 11 seasons. Since Bill Belichick and Tom Brady have teamed up with the Patriots, the team has completely dominated their division. Expect more of the same this season.
Brady and the Patriots have everybody returning from an offense that scored 27.8 points per game last season, which tied them for the second most in the entire NFL. Young skill position players like Shane Vereen, Stevan Ridley and Kenbrell Thompkins are more experienced, and should be able to help carry the load offensively. Also, keep an eye on tight end Tim Wright, who the Patriots acquired from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Logan Mankins trade. Wright is an intriguing young talent with very impressive receiving skills.
Julian Edelman was huge for New England last season, grabbing 105 receptions for 1,056 yards and six touchdowns. Wide receivers Danny Amendola and Aaron Dobson could each play very important roles if they can remain healthy, but the biggest key to the Patriots’ offense is the health of Rob Gronkowski. If Gronkowski can avoid major injuries, it takes this offense to a whole different level.
In 2013, the Patriots gave up 21.1 points per game, good for the 10th best in the NFL. The biggest change to the defense this season will be in the secondary. Gone is Aqib Talib, and replacing him will be Darrell Revis. With all due respect to Talib, Revis is arguably the best cornerback in the game, and will be an improvement over Talib. Brandon Browner will likely start opposite of Revis after he serves his four-game suspension.
Injuries to Jarrod Mayo and Vince Wilfork caused the Patriots to struggle against the run last season. Assuming both players stay healthy, they will be much better at stopping the run. Mayo, Don’t’a Hightower and Jamie Collins make up an incredibly talented linebacker trio that has a ton of upside.
Up front, the Patriots will likely rely heavily once again on Chandler Jones and Rob Ninkovich to support the pass rush. Jones has been incredible in the pre-season, and is one of the most intriguing players on the entire team. First round pick Dominque Easley will likely play a large role as well if he can get healthy.
New York Jets
2013 Record: 8-8, missed playoffs.
Key Off-Season Losses: CB Antonio Cromartie, OL Austin Howard, QB Mark Sanchez, CB Isaiah Trufant and WR Santonio Holmes.
Key Veteran Additions: WR Eric Decker, RB Chris Johnson, OT Breno Giacomini, DE Jason Babin, QB Michael Vick and WR Jacoby Ford.
Draft Picks (Round Drafted): S Calvin Pryor (1), TE Jace Amaro (2), CB Dexter McDougle (3), WR Jalen Saunders (4), WR Shaq Evans (4), OL Dakota Dozier (4), LB Jeremiah George (5), CB Brandon Dixon (6), WR Quincy Enunwa (6), DE IK Enemkpali (6), QB Taj Boyd (6) and OLB Trevor Reilly (7).
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Obviously, there will be many factors, but the key to the New York Jets’ season is quarterback Geno Smith. At times last year as a rookie, Smith looked fantastic, but the times he looked awful far outweighed the good. Smith is a talented passer with great athletic ability, and has reportedly looked very good throughout camp and the preseason. The tools are certainly there, but can Smith put it all together is the question.
The Jets finally added some legitimate offensive weapons this off-season, and that will certainly help Smith. The addition of Eric Decker solidifies the receiving core, and takes pressure off of guys like Jeremy Kerley and Stephen Hill. Rookie tight end Jace Amaro is a nice pass catching option who could quickly become a security blanket for Smith. Newcomer Jacoby Ford has great speed, and could also become a nice option in the passing game.
The Jets added Chris Johnson to their running back stable this off-season, and he will likely get the majority of carries for them. Chris Ivory and Bilal Powell will stay in the mix, but the Jets appear to be ready to give Johnson an opportunity to prove that he still has it.
While there are plenty of questions in the secondary, talented rookie Calvin Pryor and the expected progression of Dee Milliner should help answer some of them. Up front, the Jets are loaded with talent led by Muhammad Wilkerson and 2013 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Sheldon Richardson. Rex Ryan usually gets the most out of his defenses, expect more of the same this season.