Defensive Line
New York Jets Projected Starters- Muhammad Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardson, Damon Harrison/Leonard Williams
Buffalo Bills Projected Starters- Mario Williams, Marcell Dareus, Kyle Williams, Jerry Hughes
Miami Dolphins Projected Starters- Cameron Wake, Ndamukong Suh, Earl Mitchell, Oliver Vernon
New England Patriots Projected Starters- Chandler Jones, Malcolm Brown, Jabaal Sheard
Power Rankings- 1a) Jets, 1b) Bills, 2) Dolphins, 3) Patriots
All four of these units are great. The Jets are so young and talented up front. Sheldon Richardson and Muhammad Wilkerson are elite players. Damon Harrison is a great run-stuffer, and they may have gotten the best defensive player in the draft in Leonard Williams. The Bills are a more veteran group, but have just as much talent. Williams and Hughes will be great rushing off the edge, and Dareus and Kyle Williams are explosive tackles. The Dolphins made a huge splash by signing Suh to pair with star pass-rusher Cameron Wake and the underrated Oliver Vernon. New England beefed up their unit with first round pick Malcolm Brown and free-agent signing Jabaal Sheard.
New York Jets Projected Starters- Muhammad Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardson, Damon Harrison/Leonard Williams
Buffalo Bills Projected Starters- Mario Williams, Marcell Dareus, Kyle Williams, Jerry Hughes
Miami Dolphins Projected Starters- Cameron Wake, Ndamukong Suh, Earl Mitchell, Oliver Vernon
New England Patriots Projected Starters- Chandler Jones, Malcolm Brown, Jabaal Sheard
Power Rankings- 1a) Jets, 1b) Bills, 2) Dolphins, 3) Patriots
All four of these units are great. The Jets are so young and talented up front. Sheldon Richardson and Muhammad Wilkerson are elite players. Damon Harrison is a great run-stuffer, and they may have gotten the best defensive player in the draft in Leonard Williams. The Bills are a more veteran group, but have just as much talent. Williams and Hughes will be great rushing off the edge, and Dareus and Kyle Williams are explosive tackles. The Dolphins made a huge splash by signing Suh to pair with star pass-rusher Cameron Wake and the underrated Oliver Vernon. New England beefed up their unit with first round pick Malcolm Brown and free-agent signing Jabaal Sheard.
Linebackers
New York Jets Projected Starters- Quinton Coples, David Harris, Demario Davis, Calvin Pace
Buffalo Bills Projected Starters- Nigel Bradham, Preston Brown, Randall Johnson
Miami Dolphins Projected Starters- Jelani Jenkins, Koa Misi, Spencer Paysinger
New England Patriots Projected Starters- Jamie Collins, Dont'a Hightower, Jerod Mayo, Rob Ninkovich
Power Rankings- 1) Patriots, 2) Jets, 3) Bills, 4) Dolphins
New England is the strongest at linebacker in the AFC east. Jamie Collins is a young stud, Mayo and Ninkovich are veteran leaders, and Dont'a Hightower is a good middle linebacker. They also just signed Brandon Spikes to add depth. The Jets unit will depend largely on the progression of Quinton Coples. If Coples takes the next step this unit could be very good. Harris and Davis are reliable in the inside, and hopefully rookie Lorenzo Mauldin takes over for Calvin Pace. The Bills have two good young linebackers in Bradham and Brown, but a very unproven player in Johnson. Miami's unit is not flashy, but Misi and Jenkins are solid players.
New York Jets Projected Starters- Quinton Coples, David Harris, Demario Davis, Calvin Pace
Buffalo Bills Projected Starters- Nigel Bradham, Preston Brown, Randall Johnson
Miami Dolphins Projected Starters- Jelani Jenkins, Koa Misi, Spencer Paysinger
New England Patriots Projected Starters- Jamie Collins, Dont'a Hightower, Jerod Mayo, Rob Ninkovich
Power Rankings- 1) Patriots, 2) Jets, 3) Bills, 4) Dolphins
New England is the strongest at linebacker in the AFC east. Jamie Collins is a young stud, Mayo and Ninkovich are veteran leaders, and Dont'a Hightower is a good middle linebacker. They also just signed Brandon Spikes to add depth. The Jets unit will depend largely on the progression of Quinton Coples. If Coples takes the next step this unit could be very good. Harris and Davis are reliable in the inside, and hopefully rookie Lorenzo Mauldin takes over for Calvin Pace. The Bills have two good young linebackers in Bradham and Brown, but a very unproven player in Johnson. Miami's unit is not flashy, but Misi and Jenkins are solid players.
Secondary
New York Jets Projected Starters- Darrelle Revis, Marcus Gilchrist, Calvin Pryor, Antonio Cromartie
Buffalo Bills Projected Starters- Stephon Gilmore, Duke Williams, Aaron Williams, Ronald Darby
Miami Dolphins Projected Starters- Brent Grimes, Reshad Jones, Louis Delmas, Jamar Taylor
New England Patriots Projected Starters- Logan Ryan, Devin McCourty, Patrick Chung, Malcolm Butler
Power Rankings- 1) Jets, 2) Dolphins, 3) Bills, 4) Patriots
No team in football upgraded their secondary more than the New York Jets did. The team signed three of their four projected starters, and are expecting a huge jump from Pryor. Besides the starters, the Jets have Buster Skrine and Dee Milliner at corner. The Dolphins have one of the league's best corners in Brent Grimes, and two good veteran safeties in Jones and Delmas. The Bills unit features a very solid cornerback in Stephon Gilmore, rookie Ronald Darby, and two young safeties who have shown promise. The Patriots let go of corners Darrelle Revis, Brandon Browner, Kyle Arrington, and Alfonzo Dennard. The safeties should make this group at least mediocre.
New York Jets Projected Starters- Darrelle Revis, Marcus Gilchrist, Calvin Pryor, Antonio Cromartie
Buffalo Bills Projected Starters- Stephon Gilmore, Duke Williams, Aaron Williams, Ronald Darby
Miami Dolphins Projected Starters- Brent Grimes, Reshad Jones, Louis Delmas, Jamar Taylor
New England Patriots Projected Starters- Logan Ryan, Devin McCourty, Patrick Chung, Malcolm Butler
Power Rankings- 1) Jets, 2) Dolphins, 3) Bills, 4) Patriots
No team in football upgraded their secondary more than the New York Jets did. The team signed three of their four projected starters, and are expecting a huge jump from Pryor. Besides the starters, the Jets have Buster Skrine and Dee Milliner at corner. The Dolphins have one of the league's best corners in Brent Grimes, and two good veteran safeties in Jones and Delmas. The Bills unit features a very solid cornerback in Stephon Gilmore, rookie Ronald Darby, and two young safeties who have shown promise. The Patriots let go of corners Darrelle Revis, Brandon Browner, Kyle Arrington, and Alfonzo Dennard. The safeties should make this group at least mediocre.