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With the 2024 NFL season nearly upon us, it’s time we begin taking a look at each team’s potential success for the upcoming season. In this series we will be taking a look at every team in the league, division by division, starting with what should be one of the league's most competitive groups: the AFC East.
Buffalo Bills
2023: 11-6, Lost in Divisional Round
The Bills enter the season down two of their biggest playmakers following the trade of superstar wide receiver Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans and wide receiver Gabe Davis’ departure to the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency. Although the losses of Diggs and Davis are significant, the Bills added a slew of pass catchers in the offseason to compensate. Most notably, Buffalo signed former Washington Commander Curtis Samuel as well as the 33rd overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Keon Coleman, out of Florida State.
While playmakers remain a question mark for the Bills, there are still important facets of the team that remain. Most importantly, Josh Allen is still the quarterback of this team. As long as Allen is under center and healthy, the Bills will always be a potential contender. Not only do they still have an elite quarterback on the offensive side of the ball, but they have a defense which ranked in the top 10 in nearly every major defensive statistical category last season to back him up. Buffalo will once again be a team poised to compete for a division title, and maybe even that elusive Super Bowl title.
Projection: 10-7
Floor: Playoff berth
Ceiling: Super Bowl champions
Miami Dolphins
2023: 11-6, Lost in Wild Card Round
The Dolphins will once again enter this season with plenty of hype around them. In regular season play, Tua Tagovailoa has looked like a borderline MVP caliber quarterback. A caveat to this, however, is most of his high level production comes against lower-tier competition early in the season. Of course, let’s not forget about the elite playmakers that surround Tagovailoa. Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle make up arguably the best wide receiver duo in the league, and Raheem Mostert and De’Von Achane might have an argument for the best running back duo as well (they’re certainly the fastest). On the other side of the ball, the Dolphins made an effort this offseason to beef up their defense. They brought in significant contributors through free agency including linebacker Jordyn Brooks, cornerback Kendall Fuller and safety Jordan Poyer.
No one is denying that Miami, having paid Tagovailoa big money this offseason, will be exciting on offense and will be in contention for the division title—the question he and the Dolphins have to answer now is can they get it done in the playoffs against teams with similar talent levels, and in cold weather.
Projection: 11-6
Floor: Playoff berth
Ceiling: AFC Championship game appearance
New England Patriots
2023: 4-13, Missed Playoffs
Simply put, the Patriots are not going to be good. However, while there may not be much excitement for this team in the short term, this season will still be crucial in planning for the future. They are in full-blown rebuild mode, as they have moved on from both future Hall of Fame coach Bill Belichick and former first-round pick Mac Jones. Now, the new regime has arrived with new head coach Jerod Mayo and the No. 3 overall pick in this year’s draft, Drake Maye. The Patriots will look to Mayo and new offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt to revamp an antiquated offense while maintaining a historically high-level defense.
Jacoby Brissett will likely start the season under center for the Patriots as Maye develops, but the best case scenario for the Pats this season is Maye taking the field at some point and looking the part of a future franchise quarterback.
Projection: 3-14
Floor: No. 1 overall pick
Ceiling: A handful of wins and Maye looks good
New York Jets
2023: 7-10, Missed Playoffs
The Jets are by far the biggest question mark in the division this year. While the other three teams will look similar to last year’s squads, the Jets are a completely different team, with the squad's biggest change being at quarterback. They go from a constant revolving door under center to a future Hall of Famer in Aaron Rodgers. Although Rodgers is super talented, we don’t know if he is still the same quarterback we knew pre-achilles tear. If he is even 75 percent of the signal caller he was pre-injury, Rodgers will still be a massive upgrade at the most important position in the sport.
Rodgers will be the main talking point for this team, but there are other important things to note with this year’s squad. The Jets overhauled their offensive line, most notably adding future Hall of Fame tackle Tyron Smith and the 11th overall pick in the draft, Olu Fashanu, out of Penn State. If Smith and the rest of the offensive line can stay healthy, it should give Rodgers and the offense that much more of a leg up. We also know the Jets will return two elite playmakers in Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall, but they also added more fire power through free agency and the draft. They added a big-play threat in Mike Williams, who comes over from the Los Angeles Chargers, plus the electrifying rookie out of Western Kentucky, Malachi Corley, the 65th overall pick in the NFL Draft.
Will Rodgers return to form and lead the Jets to the promised land? In a tough division, only time will tell.
Projection: 10-7
Floor: Miss playoffs
Ceiling: AFC Championship game appearance
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