AFC East 2021 offseason needs Quarterback becomes key topic for Patriots Jets and Dolphins

AFC East 2021 offseason needs Quarterback becomes key topic for Patriots Jets and Dolphins

The AFC East saw a seismic shift of power occur in 2020. After a two-decade reign with under center, the endured their worst season in recent memory after their franchise icon left last offseason for the . That opened the window for the rest of the division to grab ahold of this opportunity and run with it, which both the and did with varying degrees of succe s. Miami pushed for the postseason and showed that the Dolphins were a team on the rise while Buffalo showed the Bills are ready to contend in the here and now, winning the AFC East for the first time since 1995 and reaching the AFC title game.That now sets the stage for what could end up being a rather significant offseason as it relates to the future of the division. While the Bills and Dolphins seem to be trending in the positive direction and simply looking to continue building toward what they hope is Super Bowl contention, both the and Patriots are in for a pivotal next few Christian McCaffrey Jersey months. New York has the third-most cap space in the NFL and a ton of draft capital -- including the No. 2 overall pick -- to put a rebuild into hyperspeed. Meanwhile, the Patriots have the No. 15 pick and the fourth-most cap space, giving Bill Belichick plenty of options to avoid another 7-9 season in 2021.This is a fascinating time in the AFC East's history and each team will have tremendous pre sure heading into the offseason to either rebuild its roster from the ground up or keep adding to what is already a promising group. Below, we're going to highlight the needs for each of these four teams along with other key notes as they begin this offseason.Needs: EDGE, CB, OL, TEBuffalo is on the doorstep of a Super Bowl run and, in turn, doesn't have a tremendous amount of pre sing needs on the roster. is solidified as an MVP-caliber quarterback, is one of the best receivers in the NFL and is an elite corner. Another year of growth should do this group a world of good. That said, the Bills should look to add to their defensive front this offseason. If they are able to clear cap space, Yannick Ngakoue, , or even J.J. Watt are options to focus on in the open market. Linebacker may also be a free agent worth retaining. As for the offense, the O-line should take some focus with tackle and guards and all looking at free agency. Draft position: No. 30 overall.In our , Ryan Wilson has the Bills taking Notre Dame linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Chris Trapa so has them selecting Penn State tight end Pat Freiermuth, and Josh Zane Gonzalez Jersey Edwards sees them targeting Penn State edge rusher Jayson Oweh.Projected cap space: $3,869,343 (20th in the NFL)Needs: RB, OT, LB, WRThere is a ton of intrigue as to what the Dolphins may do at the quarterback position. They already have in-house after selecting him No. 5 overall in the 2020 NFL Draft. That said, he didn't exactly impre s over his rookie season and, with the likes of po sibly to be had, they could be in for a major splash. Outside of the quarterback position, the Dolphins should look to build a more stable skill position group. While they have and at receiver, they should look for someone who can stretch the field more. In Corn Elder Jersey the backfield, they are in desperate need of a legit back after averaging just 3.9 yards per carry as a team in 2020. The offensive line improved marginally from 2019 but is still an area worth addre sing both in the draft and in free agency.Draft position: No. 3 overall, No. 18 overall.In our, Ryan Wilson has the Dolphins taking Oregon offensive tackle Penei Sewell at No. 3 and Purdue receiver Rondale Moore at No. 18. As for Chris Trapa so, he mocks Miami trading for Deshaun Watson by shipping the No. 3 pick, Tua Tagovailoa and a couple of 2022 selections to Houston. At No. 18, he has them taking Virginia Tech offensive lineman Christian Darrisaw. Meanwhile, Josh Edwards has the Dolphins sliding back to No. 6 to select LSU receiver Ja'Marr Chase and then select Notre Dame linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah at No. 18. Projected cap space: $35,628,922 (eighth-most in the NFL)Needs: QB, WR, LB, DT, OL, TEFirst and foremost, New England needs to zero in on a quarterback. Whether it's trading for or , drafting a young signal-caller at No. 15 or a combination of both, that needs to be the first shoe to drop. From there, Bill Belichick needs to use his tremendous amount of cap space and addre s what could be the worst collection of skill position players in the league. is on his last leg and hasn't lived up to his first-round bill, which points to an entire rebuild at the receiver position. The Patriots could be in the market for one of the higher-profile receivers in free agency and could also be looking at tight ends with -- a favorite of Belichick's -- hitting the open market. The Patriots will also have to make some major decisions along the offensive line with both and looking at free agency. Defensively, the front seven needs a boost even if the club gets and other opt-outs back for 2021.Draft position: No. 15 overall.In our, Ryan Wilson has the Patriots landing Alabama receiver Jaylen Waddle, while Chris Trapa so projects them taking Notre Dame linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. Josh Edwards points to them taking Alabama corner Patrick Surtain II.Projected cap space: $68,667,937 Sam Darnold Jersey (fourth-most in the NFL)Needs: CB, S, WR, QB, RB, EDGEWhile the Jets were the worst club in this division, they do have the most flexibility this offseason. Under new head coach Robert Saleh, the club has a tremendous amount of both draft capital and cap space. However, because New York was so poor in 2020, there are a lot of holes to fill. The No. 1 priority is figuring out the quarterback situation. If they Brandon Zylstra Jersey elect to keep , that opens the door to use all of those other a sets to build a winner around him. If they are looking towards a reset, you move on from Darnold, acquire a sets via trade and then po sibly use the No. 2 pick on BYU's Zach Wilson or trade for Deshaun Watson. After the quarterback, the Jets need to replenish the skill positions, specifically wide receiver and running back. They could get a player for any of these top-flight pa s-catching options while looking for a solid back who doesn't break the bank like did a few years ago. On the defensive side, it'll be curious to see if Saleh's reputation can lure some notable names (, Shaq Barrett, etc.).Draft position: No. 2 overall, No. 23 overall.In our, Ryan Wilson has New York going with BYU quarterback Zach Wilson at No. 2 and then Penn State edge rusher Jayson Oweh at No. 23. Chris Trapa so also has the Jets picking Wilson at No. 2, but adding Clemson running back Travis Etienne at No. 23. In a similar fashion to Trapa so, Edwards has the Jets going with Wilson at No. 2 and Etienne at No. 23.Projected cap space : $75,532,774 (third-most in the NFL)

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