{"id":47511,"date":"2018-08-30T08:30:47","date_gmt":"2018-08-30T12:30:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lwosonnfl.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/?p=47511"},"modified":"2018-08-31T06:39:27","modified_gmt":"2018-08-31T10:39:27","slug":"2018-afc-east-breakdown-by-position-offense","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2018\/08\/30\/2018-afc-east-breakdown-by-position-offense\/","title":{"rendered":"2018 AFC East Breakdown by Position: Offense"},"content":{"rendered":"

During the month of August, the Last Word On Sports<\/a> NFL department<\/a> will be breaking down every division in the league by position. This article contains a position-by-position breakdown of the\u00a0AFC East<\/strong>\u00a0offenses. The breakdown will contain \u201cthe best\u201d at each unit followed by \u201cthe rest\u201d in descending order.<\/p>\n

2018 AFC East Breakdown: Defense<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

2018 AFC East Breakdown by Position: Offense<\/h1>\n

Quarterback<\/h2>\n

The Best:\u00a0<\/strong>New England Patriots<\/a><\/p>\n

The Rest:\u00a0<\/strong>Miami Dolphins<\/a>\/New York Jets<\/a>, Buffalo Bills<\/a><\/p>\n

From the looks of things,\u00a0Tom Brady<\/a><\/strong> will be the best quarterback in the AFC East for a little while longer<\/a>. The 18-year veteran is coming off of an NFL MVP season and a 500-yard, three-touchdown Super Bowl loss. It’s nigh impossible to argue that any of the other possible starting quarterbacks in the AFC East could outpace the future Hall of Famer, and anyone would be hard pressed to find a quarterback in this division that could even think of competing with Brady’s career.<\/p>\n

The drop-off to second place is extensive, but the next two teams are bunched up tight. The Dolphins have a similarly clear picture at quarterback with\u00a0Ryan Tannehill<\/a><\/strong> set to helm the offense after the\u00a0Jay Cutler<\/a><\/strong> experiment. But Tannehill sat out most of 2017 with a torn ACL, and there’s no guarantee that he’ll be back to 100 percent for the upcoming season. The seats behind Tannehill don’t exactly inspire confidence either, comprising interception king\u00a0Brock<\/strong> Osweiler<\/strong>, Jets cast-off Bryce Petty<\/a><\/strong>, and perpetual backup\u00a0David Fales<\/a><\/strong>. If Tannehill can reclaim his rightful place atop the abysmal quarterback chart in Miami, the Fins have a slight edge over all three options in New York.<\/p>\n

The New York Jets quarterback room is worlds different from its 2017 group with no clear answer up front<\/a>. The Jets are looking at a quarterback room with veteran journeyman\u00a0Josh McCown<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>and rookie first-rounder\u00a0Sam Darnold<\/a><\/strong>. McCown held his own during the 2017 season before being taken out with a broken hand. He shook off 13 seasons and six teams’ worth of doubt to post career bests in completion percentage, touchdowns, and passing yards. Darnold was deemed the best pro-ready quarterback in the 2018 NFL Draft, despite being taken after\u00a0Baker Mayfield<\/a><\/strong> in the first round. Darnold has the nod for week one, and the Jets recently jettisoned\u00a0Teddy Bridgewater<\/a><\/strong>, which speaks volumes about their confidence in the rookie.<\/p>\n

The Bills far and away have the most unfortunate situation at quarterback in the division. Even before the 2018 NFL Draft, there were concerns about\u00a0Josh Allen<\/a><\/strong>‘s ability to perform right away, with most experts writing off the cannon-armed former Wyoming signal caller as a project quarterback. With\u00a0A.J. McCarron<\/a><\/strong> sidelined for the time being, it’s either Allen or\u00a0Nathan Peterman<\/a><\/strong> ahead for Buffalo. And, well…<\/p>\n

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Nathan Peterman<\/a> threw more interceptions in the first half than the Cowboys, Patriots and Rams have thrown all season. pic.twitter.com\/j93vajF64H<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 ESPN (@espn) November 19, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Running Back<\/h2>\n

The Best:\u00a0<\/strong>Buffalo Bills<\/p>\n

The Rest:\u00a0<\/strong>Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots,\u00a0New York Jets<\/p>\n

The Bills have a rushing gold mine with\u00a0LeSean McCoy<\/a><\/strong> leading the attack. McCoy is a perpetual producer and has been running roughshod over the league’s defenses consistently since 2010.\u00a0Chris Ivory<\/a><\/strong> and\u00a0Travaris Cadet<\/a><\/strong> aren’t imposing their will on defenses any time soon, but McCoy<\/a> should outrush the entire AFC East if healthy.<\/p>\n

Frank Gore<\/a><\/strong> is the most seasoned rusher in the AFC East and among the more seasoned rushers in the league. His veteran presence is going to elevate\u00a0Kenyan Drake<\/a><\/strong>, who proved himself capable of dangerous bursts in 2017 in the absence of\u00a0Jay Ajayi<\/a><\/strong>, and\u00a0Kalen Ballage<\/a><\/strong>. Although Gore is well on the wrong side of 30 for a running back, his knowledge and experience make the running back stable in Miami a force.<\/p>\n

The Patriots drafted an exciting playmaker in\u00a0Sony Michel<\/strong><\/a> after losing\u00a0Dion Lewis<\/a><\/strong> to the Tennessee Titans<\/a>.\u00a0James White<\/a><\/strong> is one of the more versatile backs in the league, never mind the AFC East. Michel’s contribution to the Patriots rushing attack will depend largely on his ability to stay healthy, but the Patriots aren’t exactly wanting at the position either.\u00a0Rex Burkhead<\/a><\/strong> served his purpose well last season until injury cut him out of the picture, and Jeremy Hill<\/a><\/strong> was an exciting name in running back circles once upon a time.<\/p>\n

Isaiah Crowell<\/a><\/strong>.\u00a0Bilal Powell<\/a><\/strong>.\u00a0Thomas Rawls<\/a><\/strong>.\u00a0Elijah McGuire<\/a><\/strong>. There is nothing flashy about the Jets running back stable. Crowell looks like he should beat out Powell for the top spot, which is unfortunate for the Jets. Crowell was a four-year grinder for a Cleveland Browns<\/a> squad that had to rely on its running game to make up for a string of weak quarterbacks. Despite this, Crowell barely cracked the 950-yard mark only once in his career there. Rawls has a shot at redemption after being misused by the Seattle Seahawks<\/a>, but there isn’t much hope for him to beat up defenses on the ground for New York.<\/p>\n

Wide Receiver<\/h2>\n

The Best:\u00a0<\/strong>Buffalo Bills<\/p>\n

The Rest:\u00a0<\/strong>Miami Dolphins, New York Jets,\u00a0New England Patriots<\/p>\n

None of the wide receiver groups in the AFC East really stand out, but the Bills have the highest ceiling in terms of potential.<\/p>\n

The Bills obtained\u00a0Kelvin Benjamin<\/a><\/strong> last season and did very little with him. Benjamin recently expressed<\/a> that he felt\u00a0Cam Newton<\/a><\/strong> wasn’t a good fit at quarterback for him, and he still<\/em> produced 1,950 yards and 16 touchdowns for the Carolina Panthers<\/a> in two seasons. Granted, Benjamin won’t find a better quarterback situation in Buffalo (see above), but his potential is sky-high.\u00a0Zay Jones<\/a><\/strong> has youth and athleticism on his side, and the Bills recently acquired\u00a0Corey Coleman<\/a><\/strong>, who never quite lived up to his enormous potential in Cleveland. The potential for this receiver corps is unbelievable, but unfortunately for the Bills, potential does not always match performance.<\/p>\n

Danny Amendola<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>is a Miami Dolphin now. That means that Amendola is a top wide receiver in Miami. That’s almost laughable, given that Amendola’s true time to shine is the postseason<\/a> and the Dolphins need a true top wideout to get there.\u00a0Jarvis Landry<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>is out of the picture now, which means that\u00a0Kenny Stills<\/a> <\/strong>and\u00a0DeVante Parker<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>will get their moments in the sun. Amendola’s presence is going to help open Parker and Stills up even more, proving troublesome for opposing secondaries, but the receiving corps in Miami still doesn’t live up to the potential or star power in Buffalo or New England.<\/p>\n

As with the Bills, there is potential at wide receiver that may never materialize on the field.\u00a0Robby Anderson<\/a><\/strong> appears to be primed to be the top receiver in New York with\u00a0Quincy Enunwa<\/a><\/strong> and\u00a0Jermaine<\/strong>\u00a0Kearse<\/strong> just behind. Anderson has loads of talent, but his inconsistency is a touch concerning.\u00a0Terrelle Pryor<\/a><\/strong> joined the Jets receiving corps this season, but his breakout moment as a wideout has yet to appear.\u00a0The Jets would have done well to snag a fancy new receiver along with their first-round quarterback, but they didn’t and Darnold are going to have to make do.<\/p>\n

Julian Edelman<\/a><\/strong> will return from his PED violation suspension in week five against the Indianapolis Colts<\/a>. With the absence of a true number one, the Patriots still have\u00a0Chris Hogan<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0Phillip Dorsett<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0as possible locks for the top spot, which is a little concerning. The Patriots have speed on their side, especially given\u00a0Cordarrelle Patterson<\/a><\/strong>‘s presence on the depth chart<\/a>, but it is worth noting that actually catching the ball<\/a> is a considerable issue (also given Patterson<\/a>‘s presence on the depth chart). The lack of depth and proven talent should have Patriots fans a little worried. It’s true that Brady’s presence is going to elevate any receiver corps, but he has his work cut out for him.<\/p>\n

Tight End<\/h2>\n

The Best:<\/strong> New England Patriots<\/p>\n

The Rest:\u00a0<\/strong>Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets<\/p>\n

Just like at quarterback, there’s no competing with the Patriots at tight end.\u00a0Rob Gronkowski<\/a><\/strong> will go down as one of the greatest tight ends of all time at the end of his career.\u00a0Jacob Hollister<\/a><\/strong> is going into his second year as a New England Patriot tight end under Gronk’s tutelage, and he’s already making a splash in the preseason.\u00a0Dwayne Allen<\/a><\/strong>‘s blocking is better than his receiving, but he still stands head and shoulders above the other TE2s in the AFC East.<\/p>\n

Buffalo has an advantage over the remaining two teams in the division with\u00a0Charles Clay<\/a><\/strong>. There really aren’t two ways about it. Clay is a great tight end. But that’s really where it ends with Buffalo. The Bills are rather weak at tight end, but Clay’s presence more than makes up for the fact that their second-best option at the position is\u00a0Nick O’Leary<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The Dolphins have one of the best rookie tight ends in\u00a0Mike Gesicki<\/a><\/strong> but are otherwise rather weak at the position. They lost\u00a0Julius Thomas<\/a><\/strong> in the off-season and have made sub-par attempts to replace him. Gesicki was a monster of a receiver at Penn State, but only time can tell if that talent will translate well to the NFL.<\/p>\n

Chris Herndon<\/strong> might try and make a splash for the Jets at tight end, but their best option at the position may be\u00a0Clive Walford<\/a><\/strong>. That’s how dismal the situation is for New York. Walford was mediocre for the Oakland Raiders<\/a>, and there does not seem to be much hope for him in New York.\u00a0Jordan Leggett<\/a><\/strong> is an intriguing option, but he sat out the 2017\u00a0season with injury and there are some concerns about his work ethic.<\/p>\n

Offensive Line<\/h2>\n

The Best:<\/strong> New England Patriots<\/p>\n

The Rest:\u00a0<\/strong>Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, New York Jets<\/p>\n

Two words for the doubters:\u00a0Trent Brown<\/a><\/strong>. Six feet and eight inches of pass-rush blocking glory. Even with\u00a0Isaiah Wynn<\/a><\/strong> out for the season with a blown Achilles<\/a>, the Patriots retained most of the offensive line that allowed Brady to achieve an NFL MVP season at 200 years old.\u00a0David Andrews<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>is one of the best in the business at center, and the plug-and-play guys across the offensive line play like their careers depend on it when healthy.<\/p>\n

Miami might have finally found a solution at guard with\u00a0Josh Sitton<\/a><\/strong>, who has allowed only 60 quarterback pressures in the last five seasons. But\u00a0Jesse Davis<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>is also projected to be a starting offensive lineman for the Dolphins, and, well, that’s just<\/em> okay. Davis is reportedly performing much better<\/a> than he has in the past after a permanent move to right guard.\u00a0Laremy Tunsil<\/a><\/strong> and\u00a0Ja’Wuan James<\/a><\/strong> aren’t really much to write home about at this point, and\u00a0Daniel Kilgore<\/a><\/strong> has huge shoes to fill at center after the departure of three-time Pro Bowler\u00a0Mike Pouncey<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The Bills’ quarterback room waved tearful goodbyes to\u00a0Richie Incognito<\/a><\/strong>,\u00a0Cordy Glenn<\/a><\/strong>, and\u00a0Eric Wood<\/a><\/strong> this off-season. It doesn’t even matter that Glenn didn’t have a full 2017 season because the Bills are replacing him\u00a0with his back-up\u00a0<\/em>for the 2018 season. Dawkins isn’t awful, and he consistently plays through the whistle, but this is a serious step down from Glenn. Pro Football Focus has projected starting right guard\u00a0John Miller<\/a><\/strong> at a whopping 39.1. Woof.<\/p>\n

Spencer Long<\/a><\/strong> is guaranteed to be better than\u00a0Wesley Johnson<\/a><\/strong> because, well, you can’t get a whole lot worse than Wesley Johnson<\/a>. That’s where the good news ends for the Jets offensive line. Their offensive line was easily one of the worst in the league last year, and things aren’t looking up for the unit this year, especially with injuries plaguing both\u00a0Kevin Beachum\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0Brian Winters<\/a><\/strong>. Winters has an abysmal grade of 36.8 at right guard from PFF. Expect whoever starts at quarterback in New York to get a little banged up this season.<\/p>\n

2018 AFC East Breakdown: Defense and Special Teams<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Main photo:
\nEmbed from Getty Images<\/a>