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Inside: A snapshot of the AFC East, where the Patriots are again reigning champs. Do the Bills unseat them? Could the Dolphins or Jets surprise?
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AFC North Preview
It’s been 24 seasons since the NFL’s divisions were realigned to form this version of the AFC East. New England has won the division 17 times in that span. The Patriots’ 2025 title halted the Bills’ streak at five, while the Jets and Dolphins have just one division title each.
This season is again a two-horse race. Both the Patriots and Bills are stronger, at least on paper, as the Dolphins and Jets rebuild with plenty of young talent but just as many questions.
New England Patriots
(14-3, Super Bowl loss in 2025)
Headline: Adding A.J. Brown. Despite an underwhelming 2025 in Philly, Brown remains a bona fide No. 1 receiver capable of winning one-on-one matchups. The 29-year-old gives Drake Maye an elite option downfield, and OC Josh McDaniels now has a weapon to move across the line of scrimmage. Early training camp returns are positive.
Subtle: Revamped edge rushers. Harold Landry III, who led the team with 8 1/2 sacks, has a concerning knee injury that’s lingering. K’Lavon Chaisson, second in sacks, is now with Washington. So offseason additions Dre’Mont Jones and Gabe Jacas, the No. 55 draft pick, are key to addressing the Patriots’ biggest concern — yet Jacas has yet to practice this summer. Not ideal.
Question: Can they generate pressure? After the Patriots ended the regular season with the sixth-fewest pressures, New England DC Zak Kuhr blitzed on a staggering 48 percent of dropbacks in the postseason. It worked wonders for the Patriots defense. Can that sustain over an entire season?
Projection: 10-7. Coach Mike Vrabel orchestrated one of the best turnarounds in NFL history last season. This year’s team is better on paper and should return to the postseason, but good luck improving on last year’s 14-3 record. The schedule includes the Seahawks, Steelers, Jaguars, Bills (twice), Bears, Packers, Lions, Chargers, Chiefs and Broncos.
Buffalo Bills
(12-5, divisional-round loss in 2025)
Headline: Coach Sean McDermott fired. McDermott’s defenses were broken in crucial playoff games, allowing 33, 32, 27, 27, 42 and 38 points in Buffalo’s past six postseason losses. It cost him his job. Keeping Joe Brady was the right call, because the Bills offense is not the problem: Buffalo ranks second in points, fourth in yards and second in turnovers since Brady’s promotion to interim OC in November 2023.
Subtle: OL coach Aaron Kromer retired. Considered one of the best to do the job, Kromer was instrumental in developing an elite offensive line to protect Josh Allen. Kromer was also largely responsible for the Bills’ running game, which led the league in attempts, yards and touchdowns in 2025. This is a big loss.
Question: Can they stop the run? The Bills couldn’t last year, ranking 30th in opponents’ yards per carry. This weakness was exploited by elite running backs such as Bijan Robinson (Buffalo was upset by the Falcons and gave up 210 rushing yards) and De’Von Achane (the Dolphins gained 197 rushing yards in their second meeting, an upset win). The main adjustments for this season were by DC Jim Leonhard, who switched to a 3-4 scheme, and the addition of edge rusher Bradley Chubb.
Projection: 12-5. The Bills are the AFC’s Super Bowl favorites, and rightfully so. Allen has been the best player in the NFL for several years now and deserves a defense that shows up in elimination games. Is a new defensive scheme and play caller enough to change that?
Miami Dolphins
(7-10 in 2025)
Headline: “The Purge.” Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa joins receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle on the Miami alumni list, after the Dolphins moved on from so many big names that their $179.2 million in dead money is more than the Bengals pay their entire offense. Miami still plans to compete, and Jeff Howe explains how it starts with culture.
Subtle: Drafting G Kadyn Proctor. If the Dolphins are going to overachieve in 2026, it’ll be thanks to an underrated offensive line and explosive running game. Proctor, this year’s No. 12 pick (out of Alabama), offers a rare blend of size and athleticism next to All-Pro center Aaron Brewer. The offense’s best weapons are the legs of running back De’Von Achane and quarterback Malik Willis; this line gives them a chance.
Question: Who does Willis throw to? Miami’s No. 1 receiver is its running back, with a receiver room filled with either journeymen or rookies. First-years Chris Bell (No. 94 pick) and Caleb Douglas (No. 75) have a significant opportunity here.
Projection: 5-12. This team shouldn’t be as bad as some expect, given coach Jeff Hafley’s ability to craft a defense and a strong running game. But wins will be difficult for the team with the second-toughest schedule.
New York Jets
(3-14 in 2025)
Headline: Adding culture-changers. The additions of vets including Demario Davis (age 37) and Minkah Fitzpatrick (29) indicates the urgency that GM Darren Mougey and HC Aaron Glenn feel this season. New vets combine with an influx of young talent to form a team that is significantly better than last season.
Subtle: Geno Smith at quarterback. Given the focus on 2027 — when the Jets have three first-round picks — I think Smith’s addition is being overlooked. Unlike his brutal situation in Las Vegas last year, Smith is behind an ascending offensive line with multiple weapons at receiver, running back and tight end.
Question: No. 2 quarterback? Do the Jets have a viable second option? Not really. They could still add to the competition among Bailey Zappe, fourth-round rookie Cade Klubnik and Brady Cook.
Projection: 7-10. No. 2 pick David Bailey has dominated camp so far and could be the league’s next star edge rusher. With the fifth-easiest schedule and a team built to compete immediately, they are significantly better than last year’s 3-14 record. To some, that’s bad news, given the upcoming quarterback class.
Extra Points
📊 Takes on QBs. Every year, Mike Sando polls NFL insiders — a group including head coaches, general managers, scouts and coordinators — to rank the league’s veteran quarterbacks. Again, that list is here.
New: You can create your own tiers. These are mine, with the players listed in alphabetical order within tiers. (Caleb Williams > C.J. Stroud, for example.)
📈 Rookie expectations. Nick Baumgardner shared what he thinks will happen with every 2026 first-round pick in the upcoming season.
👋 Homecoming? If Stefon Diggs lands in Washington, it’ll be another NFL homecoming. That’s not always a positive for pro athletes, as Barry Svrluga explains.
👷 Built for this. Kevin Stefanski went from Cleveland to Atlanta this offseason. That’s only a fraction of his NFL journey, which Josh Kendall details in this insightful story.
▶️ Yesterday’s most-clicked: Michael Silver’s exclusive with Aaron Rodgers.
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