There has been plenty of change in the AFC East this offseason.
In New England, the Patriots spent more than any other team in free agency, adding pieces to both their offense and defense. Conversely, the New York Jets are going for a hard reset, jettisoning Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams to make room for younger players while creating future financial flexibility.
Then there are the Buffalo Bills, who won 13 games last season and went to the AFC championship game for the second time in five years. Buffalo has a loaded team that should contend for the franchise’s first Super Bowl win, and that’s where we start.
1. Buffalo Bills
The Bills have been the standard of the division for the last five years, and there's no reason to think that won't be the case again next season.
Going into the spring, Buffalo has the AFC East's best roster by a wide margin. The Bills are led by MVP quarterback Josh Allen, who comes into OTAs with a new six-year extension promising $250 million guaranteed. Buffalo also has one of the league's best offenses with a plethora of weapons including running backs James Cook and Ty Johnson, receivers Khalil Shakir, Joshua Palmer and Keon Coleman, and tight ends Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox. This is to say nothing about one of the NFL's top offensive lines.
There are questions at safety and edge rusher, but the rest of the defense is excellent. Taron Johnson and Christian Benford form one of the league's better corner duos, while Terrel Bernard and Matt Milano are fantastic at the second level. If the edge rusher trio of Greg Rousseau, A.J. Epenesa and Joey Bosa can feast, look out.
2. New England Patriots
The Patriots might not be ready to hoist another Lombardi Trophy like in the days of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, but this year's roster is miles ahead of where it was a season ago.
New England had the NFL's most cap space this offseason and went to work. The Patriots turned the offense from moribund to respectable with the additions of right tackle Morgan Moses and receivers Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins. New England also made a bevy of moves on the defensive side with cornerback Carlton Davis, linebacker Robert Spillane and defensive tackle Milton Williams all joining the clubs on big contracts.
The question for coach Mike Vrabel is whether quarterback Drake Make is ready to elevate the team in his second season. He showed flashes of brilliance as a rookie, but it'll take more than that to get New England back to the playoffs for the first time since 2021.
3. Miami Dolphins
Miami has one of the fastest rosters in the league once again, headlined by receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, and running backs De'Von Achane and Jaylen Wright.
The problem? Everything else is questionable at best. The Dolphins have a talented quarterback in Tua Tagovailoa, but he's also dealt with at least three high-profile concussions. Miami also has a middling offensive line with second-year man Patrick Paul and right tackle Austin Jackson protecting the edges.
On defense, Miami has a star cornerback in Jalen Ramsey but the secondary is without safety Jevon Holland, who left for the New York Giants in free agency. The front seven is talented, but there are major injury concerns with edge rushers Bradley Chubb and Jaelen Phillips. Zach Sieler is a good player but lacks game-changing talent. If the Dolphins get significant contributions from their younger players, they could be a playoff team. But that's a big if.
4. New York Jets
The Jets struggled through one of the most embarrassing seasons in franchise history last year, and considering their history, that's saying something.
Now, they move forward, but this is the start of another rebuild in East Rutherford. New York replaced Aaron Rodgers under center with Justin Fields, who is playing for his third team in as many years. Fields comes in after starting six games in 2024 with the Pittsburgh Steelers, going 4–2 in that time. He won't have a ton around him, though, with Garrett Wilson and little else in the way of playmakers on the outside.
Defensively, the Jets should be formidable. They have an excellent trio up front with Jermaine Johnson, Quinnen Williams and Will McDonald IV, along with good linebackers in Quincy Williams and Jamien Sherwood. On the back end, they lost D.J. Reed but replaced him with Brandon Stephens to play alongside All-Pro corner Sauce Gardner. All told, New York is a good bet for fourth in the AFC East.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as 2025 NFL Season: Ranking Every AFC East Roster.
