Early Look At The AFC East

The New England Patriots are a dangerous team.  The additions of Randy Moss and Donte’ Stallworth represent that danger both ways.  If they fit within Bill Belichick’s culture, both have the ability to create a lot of favorable matchups for Tom Brady.  Former Dolphin Wes Welker will bring a lot of spark from the slot.  Ben Watson must become a more consistent playmaker at tight end.  Watson has the athleticism to create a lot of matchup problems, but must learn how to get open more consistently.  The Patriots will again have a strong front seven on defense – especially with the addition of Adalius Thomas.  They will shut down the run and will have no problems getting after the quarterback.  The biggest question again will be the secondary – more so with questions with the status of Asante Samuel.  Having a strong pass rush certainly covers up a lot of problems, but this unit could be major downfall if Samuel isn’t on the field or if the pass rush dries up. 

Most of the talk around the Buffalo Bills has been centered around all the veterans they let go, but Marv Levy is building an intriguing young core of talent on both sides of the ball.  J.P. Losman has shown signs of developing into a solid quarterback.  Losman can push the ball downfield, but needs to take another step forward with his grasp for reading defenses.  They have good speed at wide receiver.  Lee Evans is a playmaker who can stretch the field.  Roscoe Parrish has the quickness to make plays underneath.  Marshawn Lynch should make an early impact at running back with his speed and versatility.  The offensive line is improving with the emergence of Jason Peters at left tackle.  The major concern again is stopping the run on defense.  They hope John McCargo can get healthy and become a disruptive presence inside with his quickness.  That’s only a start.  They have growing talent in the secondary.  Donte Whitner and Bo Simpson will form a strong tandem at safety for years.  And look for Ashton Youboty to step up in his second season at cornerback.  The Bills love his natural athleticism and approach to the game. 

The New York Jets have the mindset to become a playoff contender again this season, but it wouldn’t be surprised if they take a step back this season.  Eric Mangini did a tremendous job last season getting his team to play above their talent on paper.  He’ll need to make this happen again and he’s already continued building a strong culture this spring.  The addition of Thomas Jones to stabilize the backfield should help the offense build upon its efficiency.  Chad Pennington isn’t going to create plays, but gets the ball where it needs to be.  They just don’t have a playmaker who scares opponents.  Jerricho Cotchery and Laveranues Coles are solid, but not game-breakers.  Stopping the run remains a question on defense.  Dewayne Robertson played better down the stretch, but he’s not a natural nose tackle.  Eric Hicks and rookie David Harris could help.  They also must create more turnovers at cornerback.  Darrelle Revis should bring instant energy to this unit, but will have his growing pains as a rookie. 

Building continuity has been a problem for the Miami Dolphins lately – especially after Nick Saban abandoned the organization after only two seasons.  Now they must clean up the pieces.  Trent Green is a short-term fix at quarterback, but also represents an enormous unknown.  He’ll be 37 when camp starts and is coming off a bad concussion.  He won’t have the same pass protection he enjoyed with Kansas City, but is savvy and has a strong comfort level with Cam Cameron.  Cameron and Green love building around the tight end in the passing game, but David Martin is a question mark.  Martin is coming off a solid year in Green Bay, but durability has been a problem throughout his career.  Ronnie Brown has posted solid numbers on the ground, but hasn’t shown any special traits or the temperament to become a franchise back.  The defense should remain solid under Dom Capers.  They should be steady against the run.  Jason Taylor is always a presence off the perimeter.  Jason Allen should make a bigger impact moving to cornerback, but the secondary is filled with questions. 

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