5. AFC East
4 of 8
2025 Results: 36-32 record, 2 playoff teams (lost DIV, lost SB)
Reigning Champs: New England Patriots (14-3)
The New England Patriots didn’t fare well in Super Bowl LX, but they reached the NFL’s biggest stage and have since addressed two of their biggest needs. Rookie first-round pick Caleb Lomu should help improve the line in front of third-year quarterback Drake Maye, while veteran wideout A.J. Brown will give him a legitimate No. 1 target.
The Buffalo Bills also added a new top receiver, trading for D.J. Moore.
The Miami Dolphins and New York Jets, meanwhile, added new starting quarterbacks in Malik Willis and Geno Smith, respectively.
The Patriots needed a new No. 1 receiver because they parted with Stefon Diggs early in the offseason. The Dolphins needed a new quarterback—and just about everything else—because they ripped their roster and front office down to the studs.
Miami is in the beginning stages of a massive rebuild that has seen the departure of head coach Mike McDaniel, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, wide receiver Tyreek Hill, wideout Jaylen Waddle, edge-rusher Bradley Chubb, and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick—and that’s just since the beginning of the offseason.
The Bills aren’t rebuilding but made the stunning decision to fire head coach Sean McDermott following a loss in the divisional round.
This may feel like a low ranking for the AFC East, considering the Patriots are the defending conference champs, while the Bills have been perennial contenders during the Josh Allen era. Both teams should be in the playoff mix again this season, though each carries questions.
The Patriots will have to avoid the dreaded Super Bowl hangover while actually seeing improvements to Maye’s supporting cast. Buffalo, meanwhile, needs to shift from McDermott to OC-turned-head-coach Joe Brady to yield positive results.
Even if the Patriots and Bills remain in contention, though, this is a very top-heavy division.
The Dolphins are in the very beginning stages of their latest rebuild, and while Willis may add some playmaking ability to the offense, their roster lacks depth and talent overall.
The Jets, meanwhile, are most likely playing for 2027 and beyond. While incoming rookies David Bailey, Kenyon Sadiq, Omar Cooper Jr., and D’Angelo Ponds should be fun to watch this season, New York’s next quarterback of the future probably isn’t on the roster.
The 2027 draft class, which is expected to be headlined by Arch Manning, Dante Moore, Darian Mensah and other top signal-callers, is almost certainly where the Jets’ next QB resides. New York already owns three first-round picks in next year’s draft.
This content was brought to you by: Bleacher Report – Front Page
