One burning question for each AFC East team ahead of the 2024 season: Bills, Dolphins, Patriots & Jets in focus

The AFC East is set to see take two of Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets in a fiercely competitive division that hosts potential Super Bowl contenders. With the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins looking set to compete and the New England Patriots in a new era, it's a good time to look at one question for each AFC East team.

One burning question for each AFC East team

#1, Buffalo Bills

Which of these skill-position players can they truly rely on?

Bills vs. Chiefs (image credit: IMAGN)

Following their Divisional round loss to the Chiefs, I wrote an extensive piece on Buffalo’s rise to being one of the mainstays at the top of the AFC, heartbreaking playoff departures and what the future could look like.

I threw out the idea that they may be in for a massive overhaul of the roster with some of the veteran deals they needed to cut ties with and how this may be signaling a short down period as they’re re-grouping before they make another run at a Super Bowl with Josh Allen in his prime.

That precursor became reality, as they cut or let walk both their starting safeties and cornerback Tre’Davious White, who had been key contributors since head coach Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane arrived in 2017.

On offense, they released center Mitch Morse, let one Gabe Davis sign elsewhere and traded Stefon Diggs to the Texans, as part of a deal that felt like they really wanted to move on. Now, however, we have to question who Josh is going to spread the ball between. Between those two wideouts alone, they have 241 targets from last season walk out the door, along with ancillary options.

Curtis Samuel has had productive stretches as someone who can also be an extension of the run game, but only in one of his seven seasons has he reached 700 receiving yards. And while I liked seeing them trade back for extra draft picks, the guy they selected at the top of the second round in Keon Coleman isn’t known as a true separator, who they’ve openly mentioned playing the X for them.

I’m a big fan of Khalil Shakir and the things the showed over the latter half of this past season, but the combination of Mack Hollins, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Chase Claypool – who reportedly has been their most consistent receiver during OTAs – doesn’t scream “reliability."

Even running back James Cook had some devastating drops last season, which is part of why I could see rookie Ray Davis from Kentucky share playing time more evenly than some others might expect.

#2, Miami Dolphins

What does the next innovation/adaptation of this offense look like?

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (image credit: IMAGN)

Where the Dolphins actually will have significant turnover in terms of the way they operate is defensively, with Vic Fangio deciding to move on to Philadelphia and Anthony Weaver coming over from Baltimore, after years as one of the more well-respected assistants on that side of the ball.

Both their starters on the edge are coming off major injuries, they need to replace Christian Wilkins on the interior, while swapping out a starting linebacker and corner, along with schematic changes, particularly in terms of willingness to move their pieces around. However, while the changes may not be as drastic, we know that Mike McDaniel is one of the more innovative offensive minds of the game and he’s shown the ability to continue evolving his offensive system.

Last season that meant making that short-out motion a stable on the menu – which we’ve seen teams at all levels adapt in different ways – and going to more traditional play-action compared to the quick-hitting RPO game that has been so prevalent for them.

Because the guy calling the plays for Miami seems to have been a step ahead consistently, I don’t think we can just predict exactly what the next step in this looks like. Based on the personnel additions they’ve made we can wonder about a few new ingredients.

Do we see Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle more on the same side of the formation, if Odell Beckham Jr. looks good enough during offseason activities to be isolated on the backside? Can Jonnu Smith be used leaking into flats as another way to stretch the defense horizontally, because of what he can bring after the catch when leverage dictates it?

Do they go to a little more two-back stuff with actual halfbacks after spending another early day three pick on Tennessee’s Jaylen Wright? And while it’s nothing new altogether necessarily, are return motions are bigger part of the menu, where they bring someone across the center and then back towards the side of his original alignment? I’m fascinated to see what they’re cooking up.

#3, New England Patriots

Have they put enough around Drake Maye to feel comfortable throwing him out there early?

This past season was the bottom of the barrel in terms of offensive football in New England, after 20 years of Tom Brady and even a promising start to Mac Jones’ career. This wasn’t nearly just about the quarterback position, however.

Offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien could not provide significantly better systematic advantages or build upon the success he and Mac had together at Alabama. Meanwhile, none of their pass-catchers could consistently create separation outside of what was a part-time contributor in Pop Douglas and they averaged just under four yards per carry in the run game.

Defensively, they were actually a top-10 unit in both DVOA and EPA per play, despite losing their top pass-rusher and corner fairly early on. And I like that Jerod Mayo and that reorganized front office are already prioritizing keeping their good young pieces around.

Before re-signing Kyle Dugger (and then also Christian Barmore) this offseason, they had not handed a player they drafted across the first three rounds of the draft a new contract since 2013 – that’s wild.

With that being said, they also focused on more of the contributors they want to put around the quarterback they selected third overall to be guys they bring in alongside him and who will be there long-term.

Drafting Washington’s Ja’Lynn Polk and UCF’s Javon Baker in the early second and fourth rounds respectively makes a lot of sense. Pairing Drake Maye up with a guy he knows where he’ll be when and who catches everything in his vicinity, along with more of your vertical ball-winner is a solid investment.

Where I’m a bit more worried is the O-line additions of Chuks Okorafor, plus a couple of mid-round picks. Can new offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt set the table for a more dependable run game? Will they need to focus on a more quick-hitting passing game to protect that front five?

If they’re worried about those areas, do we see veteran Jacoby Brissett hold down the fort whilst they work out the kinks and when do they feel like it’s time to get the rookie live reps?

#4, New York Jets

Can the older veterans on this team stay healthy?

On paper, this could absolutely be a team that challenges the big forces of the AFC, which the Chiefs were able to run through in one of their least inspiring offensive seasons.

The Jets have upgraded three spots along the offensive line, I can see more defined roles at wide receiver for Mike Williams as a big-bodied downfield target and third-round rookie Malachi Corley as a YAC specialist in the mold of Deebo Samuel.

Then of course this has been one of the premier defenses across the league, when they’ve had anything close to competency to complement them on offense. I mean, they finished third in DVOA and EPA per play defensively last year, despite Aaron Rodgers being the only one of four quarterbacks to not start multiple games.

Having said all of that – we do have to look at some of those pieces that are supposed to help them compete for a championship this season. By the middle of December, their two starting tackles will be 32 and 33 respectively, and while Morgan Moses has been a model of health, Tyron Smith has only played 30 of 67 potential games over the past four seasons.

Mike Williams has been a consistent member of the injury report with the Chargers and is coming off a torn ACL. Chuck Clark missed all of last season with the same injury and is expected to start at safety.

And then of course Rodgers – after keeping the hopes of Jets fans alive by talking about how he may return from the torn Achilles within the same season – has to become one of the first players ever to be close to his usual self the following year. As the veteran QB has said himself, if “they don’t play well, everybody’s probably gone."