The AFC East has recently been overtaken by the Bills, and there hasn’t been much competition from teams like the New York Jets. But now, things are starting to shift, as every team seems to be improving. Let’s take a look at how the division has improved this offseason.
Dolphins, Patriots improve; Bills stay ahead
Starting with the Dolphins, their biggest move of the offseason came in recent days. They traded star cornerback Jalen Ramsey, along with Jonnu Smith and a 2027 seventh-round pick, to the Steelers for Minkah Fitzpatrick and a 2027 fifth-round pick.
This is one of the bigger moves by any team this offseason, as they made a big move to acquire a talented safety. They then traded for Darren Waller, who retired just last offseason, but is coming out of retirement to be their starting tight end. I wouldn’t say that the Dolphins improved vastly, but they moved in a different direction which was necessary.
Now the Patriots, who I believe had the best offseason in the NFL. They drafted a bunch of quality players, and I also gave them an A grade for it.
Along with their quality draft, they signed big-name players who will look to make massive impacts this season. Stefon Diggs was signed to a three-year contract, and they also signed the biggest free agent, Milton Williams, to a four-year deal. This offseason shows change for the better in New England, as they are going to be a force to be reckoned with shortly.
And finally, the Bills, who didn’t have a loud offseason. They mainly stayed quiet in free agency, but they did bring in Joey Bosa for one year to play opposite Greg Rousseau. The front office drafted quality players, but I wouldn’t say they improved greatly. They stay atop this division, but other teams are catching up.
The Jets are one of the AFC’s most improved teams
But with the rest of the division seemingly improving or staying pat, that doesn’t mean the Jets didn’t. They had one of the better offseasons in the NFL, as many think they are one of the most improved teams.
They added a lot of talent through the draft, with starters like Armand Membou, Mason Taylor, and possibly Malachi Moore.
Along with their draft, the free agency period saw some names added like quarterback Justin Fields and defensive back Brandon Stephens.
But where the Jets improved the most, in my opinion, isn’t on the field itself. It is who builds the team, and the coaching staff. They brought in Darren Mougey to be their general manager from the Chiefs and added a brand new staff, including Aaron Glenn, Tanner Engstrand, and Steve Wilks.
The Jets improved greatly, as they look to compete with this top-notch division. Time will tell and show us how much the Jets really improved this offseason.
