The Buffalo Bills have dominated the AFC East for the past five years, and it appears it will stay that way.
While the Miami Dolphins have talent and the New England Patriots have significantly improved on both sides of the ball, Buffalo is still the beast of the East. However, how much has the gap closed in a division the Bills won before December of last year?
Let’s take a look at where the four teams stand.
New England Patriots
Offseason Grade: A
Key additions: CB Carlton Davis III, DT Milton Williams, OT Will Campbell, WR Stefon Diggs, WR Mack Hollins, LB Robert Spillane, edge Harold Landry III, OT Morgan Moses, S Marcus Epps
Key losses: QB Jacoby Brissett, CB Jonathan Jones, DT Davon Godchaux, DL Deatrich Wise Jr.
The Patriots had a lot of work to do this offseason, but armed with the most cap space in the NFL, they got a lot of it done.
New England hired coach Mike Vrabel to take over after a failed one-year experiment with Jerod Mayo. The Patriots then went on a free-agent spending spree, which normally isn’t a good idea. There are some questionable deals in there, including $104 million for Williams and a three-year pact with Moses, but both make the team better in the immediate.
General manager Eliot Wolf brought in some skill-position talent, signing Diggs and Hollins, and upgrading the back seven on the defense with Davis and Spillane. In the draft, Wolf used his first four picks on offense and might have starters in each of them, headlined by Campbell.
The Patriots have a long way to go, but if second-year quarterback Drake Maye steps up, New England has a chance to be a surprise playoff team.
