AFC East positional and coaching rankings: Josh Allen tops QB, Dolphins dominate backfield
And just like that, we’ve entered the regular season. The exhibitions are in the books and clubs are now trimming their rosters and getting ready for the 2024 NFL season. While every division has its own individual stories, the AFC East is a fascinating collection of teams to focus on. Essentially, the division has been inverted in recent years from what has happened over the past few decades. Instead of one team dominating the rest, now most teams are in the conversation to not only win the division but to make a deep postseason run.
Given how fiercely contested this division could be, we decided to take a look at each position, as well as the head coach, and rank them against one another. Below, you’ll find our position-by-position breakdown and see who we think is the best.
Quarterback
- Bills (Josh Allen)
- Jet (Aaron Rodgers)
- Dolphins (Tua Tagovailoa)
- Patriot (Jacoby Brissett)
Josh Allen is the best in this division when it comes to quarterbacks. He is in the prime of his career and is widely considered one of the top-five signal-callers in the league, and is firmly in the MVP discussion. Rodgers ranks second based on his career, even after coming back from a season-ending Achilles injury. He is arguably the most efficient quarterback in this entire division and as long as he is healthy, should be able to help the Jets end their playoff drought. As for Tagovailoa, he became one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the league this offseason and performed brilliantly under Mike McDaniels. That said, he needs to perform at a high level against playoff teams to move up this list. In New England, it will likely go to veteran Jacoby Brissett at the start of the year, but the future of this rebuilding team is in the hands of No. 3 overall pick Drake May.
running back
- Dolphins (Devon Achane, Raheem Mostert)
- Jet (Bryce Hall)
- Bills (James Cook)
- Patriot (Rahmondre Stevenson)
While Breece Hall may be the top overall back in this division, the Dolphins have more depth. Last season, Mostert recorded over 1,000 yards rushing and 21 total touchdowns from scrimmage. What’s even more strange than this statistic is that he’s not even the most talented back on his team. That’s thanks to second-year running back Da’Von Achen. In just 11 games, he had nearly 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns from scrimmage. That depth will keep Miami’s backfield fresh all year. Meanwhile, Hall and Cook are strong workhorses for their respective teams. With Rodgers healthy, Hall should only improve his stats, while Cook topped 1,500 yards from scrimmage a season ago
wide receiver
- Dolphins (Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle)
- Jet (Garrett Wilson, Mike Williams)
- Bills (Curtis Samuel, Keane Coleman)
- Patriot (Demario Douglas, Jaelin Polk)
Tyreek Hill is in the discussion as the best wide receiver in the NFL, and his pairing with Jaylen Waddle gives Miami the best one-two punch in the league at the position. Garrett Wilson should be poised for a career year with a healthy Rodgers, and the addition of Mike Williams — as long as he stays healthy — should add a solid deep threat to New York’s offense. The final grouping depends on how you look at Buffalo and New England’s rookies. Both franchises have questions at the receiver position with moderately experienced or inexperienced players on the roster. In fact, these units have put their trust in Coleman and Polk, respectively.
tight end
- Bills (Dalton Kincaid)
- Patriot (Hunter Henry)
- Jet (Tyler Conklin)
- Dolphins (Durham Smythe)
While Buffalo’s wide receiver room is a question mark, they could get a boatload of production from their tight end room, with former first-rounder Dalton Kincaid in the lead role. A tremendous collegiate pass catcher, Kincaid came on strong down the stretch as a rookie and finished the year with 73 receptions and 673 yards. Dawson Knox is also a factor in this position group, particularly in the red zone. While Hunter Henry battled injury this summer, the Patriots tight end is arguably the team’s top weapon. When healthy, Henry has shown he can be a double-digit touchdown threat in any season. Tyler Conklin is an underrated tight end as he has averaged 60 catches and nearly 580 yards receiving over the past three years. With Rodgers, he’s poised for career numbers. For the Dolphins, the tight end position isn’t really the main focus of their offense, so Durham Smythe won’t get his number too high.
offensive line
- Jet (Tyron Smith, Alijah Vera-Tucker, Morgan Moses)
- Bills (Diane Dawkins, Spencer Brown, O’Cyrus Torrance)
- Dolphins (Teron Armstead, Austin Jackson, Robert Jones)
- Patriot (Mike Onwenu, David Andrews, Sidi So)
New York did a great job rebuilding this line after last season. The club went in the offseason and acquired veterans Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses to help solidify the tackle position, while doubling the line by adding Olu Fashanu in the NFL Draft. They also have one of the league’s best guards in Alijah Vera-Tucker. Spencer Brown took a step forward to help Buffalo’s line last season, but the uncertainty of Miami’s offensive line cost him the No. 2 spot. The availability of Terron Armstead, one of the best tackles in the league when healthy, troubles the Dolphins. For the Patriots, the interior of the offensive line is solid, anchored by Mike Onu and David Andrews, but a lack of talent at tackle could weigh this offense down even more.
Defensive line
- Jet (Quinnen Williams, Jevon Kinlaw)
- Bills (Ed Oliver, DaQuan Jones)
- Patriot (Devon Godchaux, Christian Barmore**)
- Dolphins (Benito Jones, Calais Campbell)
Quinnen Williams is already known as the top interior lineman in the NFL just a year after signing a massive $96 million extension with the Jets. The Bills have a strong group led by Ed Oliver, who is coming off one of the finest seasons of his career. As for New England, it would likely be higher on this list if Christian Barmore’s availability wasn’t in question. The rising defensive lineman is sidelined indefinitely due to a blood clot issue. In Miami, the loss of Christian Wilkins in free agency has rounded it out at the bottom, but Zack Sieler and Calais Campbell should be solid options.
Edge Rushers
- Jet (Jermaine Johnson II, Will McDonald IV)
- Bills (Greg Russo, AJ Epenesa, Von Miller)
- Dolphins (Jaylen Phillips, Bradley Chubb)
- Patriot (Keon White, Dietrich Wise Jr.)
The Jets already have a strong pass-rushing unit led by Jermaine Johnson II and Will McDonald IV, but if they can rein in Haason Reddick, who is currently in a contract dispute, this group could be even better. However, even without him, this is an emerging group of pass rushers. It was a tough decision to put Buffalo second in this section, especially with the kind of performance Greg Rousseau has put in this summer. If Von Miller returns to form, this could easily be the best pass-rushing group in the division. With the Dolphins, it all depends on how Phillips and Chubb bounce back after season-ending injuries in 2023. When healthy, they are a dangerous duo. In New England, Keon White could be the breakout star at the position, especially after the Matt Judon trade.
Linebacker
- Jet (CJ Mosley, Quincy Williams)
- Patriot (Jahlani Tavai, Jahvon Bentley)
- Dolphins (David Long Jr., Jordan Brooks)
- Bills (Terrell Bernard, Matt Milano**)
Mosley and Williams are in the discussion as the best linebacker duo in the NFL. Mosley has at least 150 tackles in each of the last three seasons with the Jets, while Williams is coming off a First-Team All-Pro season in 2023. The Patriots have long relied on Ja’Vaughn Bentley as a linebacker, but also enjoyed a breakout season from Jahlani Tavai in 2023 where he had 110 tackles and two interceptions. The duo of Long Jr. and Brooks won’t jump off the page, but the Dolphins linebackers should be able to hold their own against the run. The Bills would be higher on this list, but the uncertain status of Matt Milano — out indefinitely due to a biceps injury — narrows their ceiling.
Cornerback
- Jet (Sauce Gardner, DJ Reid)
- Dolphins (Jalen Ramsey, Kendall Fuller)
- Bills (Christian Benford, Rasul Douglas)
- Patriot (Christian Gonzalez, Jonathan Jones)
Sauce Gardner is a threat to have a Defensive Player of the Year season at any time and is widely considered one of the best cornerbacks in the league. He followed up his stellar rookie season with a strong sophomore campaign, so it looks like he’s just scratching the surface of his potential. Jalen Ramsey missed the majority of the year due to injury, but we’re expecting a bounce-back year from him, which raises the ceiling of the Dolphins cornerback room. Kendall Fuller was also a strong addition this offseason. In Buffalo, Benford and Douglas are an underrated duo. Benford broke up 10 passes last season and only had a passer rating of 88.8. The Patriots have some potential at cornerback, especially with Christian Gonzalez. In his limited appearances last season, before going down with a season-ending injury, Gonzalez flashed his first-round potential, but we’ll wait to see it on a more consistent basis before pushing this unit.
Security
- Dolphins (Jordan Poyer, Jevon Holland)
- Patriot (Kyle Dugger, Jabril Peppers)
- Jet (Chuck Clark, Tony Adams)
- Bills (Taylor Rapp, Damar Hamlin)
Snatching Jordan Poyer from the Bills was a smart move for the Dolphins, who now pair him with Jevon Holland in the back end of the secondary. Kyle Dugger and Jabrill Peppers play closer to the line of scrimmage with the Patriots but are the backbone of their defense. The Jets will finally get a chance to see Chuck Clark this season, as he missed all of last season due to a torn ACL. As long as he’s healthy, Clark is a solid veteran player. Rapp signed a three-year extension with the Bills through the 2023 season, where he totaled 50 tackles and two pass breakups.
Special Teams
- Jet (Greg Zuerlein)
- Dolphins (Jason Sanders)
- Bills (Tyler Bass)
- Patriot (Joey Sly)
While there are many different factors that make up a special teams unit, we’re primarily looking at the kicking situations for each club here. Zuerlein is coming off a 2023 season with the Jets where he connected on 92.1% of his field goal attempts, including five-of-six field goals from at least 50 yards out. For the Dolphins, Sanders was quite reliable, missing just two field goals from less than 50 yards out. Meanwhile, Tyler Bass struggled a bit last season as he connected on just 82.8% of his field goals. The Patriots currently have a kicking competition going on between Joey Slye and Chad Ryland.
Compartments
- Bills (Sean McDermott)
- Dolphins (Mike McDaniel)
- Jet (Robert Saleh)
- Patriot (Jerrod Mayo)
Sean McDermott is the most successful coach in the division, but there is room for any one of these four to take the No. 1 spot in the coming seasons. McDermott is 73-41 as a head coach in the regular season since signing with the Bills in 2017, but his 5-6 playoff record is something that needs to be fixed quickly. Mike McDaniels is the most bizarre coach in the division, but he is exceptional at building an offense. He has brought out the best in Tua Tagovailoa during his tenure, but just like McDermott, he needs to start winning against playoff-caliber teams. The 2024 season will be crucial for Robert Saleh as he now has a healthy Aaron Rodgers, leaving this team with no excuses for not ending their playoff drought. For the Patriots, they are entering the post-Bill Belichick era, with Jerod Mayo stepping into his first season as head coach.
