Buffalo Bills set to own AFC East in 2024

Since the end of the New England Patriots’ streak of 11 consecutive AFC East titles, the Buffalo Bills have controlled the division.

There’s no reason to expect anything different this season.

Aaron Rodgers could take a lot more than four snaps for the New York Jets in his second run with the team and the Miami Dolphins could avoid a late-season decline.

And the Patriots might…no.

No one buys the idea of ​​New England being good in the first season of the post-Bill Belichick era.

The Bills underperformed most of last season before winning their final five regular season games to reach the playoffs and overtake Miami in the division. They are aiming for their fifth straight AFC East crown.

Buffalo Bills remain contenders after Stefon Diggs trade

The Stefon Diggs trade is one of those two-way trades: You miss his talents, but you don’t miss the headaches. He doesn’t need to spend winters in the freezing temperatures of Buffalo and the Bills don’t need to coddle a player who specializes in drama.

Josh Allen will do just fine without Diggs and newcomer Curtis Samuel and holdover Khalil Shakir are capable of providing good receiver play. Running back James Cook had an outstanding sophomore season and is capable of producing more.

But Allen keeps the Bills going with his arms and legs. As long as he stays healthy, Buffalo controls this division.

Where the Bills were hurt the most this offseason was attrition on the defensive end. The safety tandem of Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde is gone, along with cornerback Tre’Davious White and passer Leonard Floyd.

That could mean more high-scoring games that allow Allen to take over.

The Miami Dolphins and New York Jets are not real threats

The Dolphins looked poised to win the division last season, but they lost three of their last five games, including one to the Bills in the season finale. Miami was outscored 69-34 in its two games against Buffalo.

The Dolphins have a great set of receivers in Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, but Tua Tagovailoa will only be the third-best QB in the division if Rodgers can stay upright this season.

Tagovaiola’s completion percentage faltered late in the season, when the stakes were highest. He played his best football before the pressure mounted.

Miami also lost some key defensive pieces like cornerback Xavien Howard, defensive tackle Christian Wilkins and linebackers Jerome Baker and Andrew Van Ginkel. Additionally, the health of star linebacker Bradley Chubb remains in question after he tore the ACL in his right knee in Week 17.

The Jets will follow the same path as Rodgers. If the 40-year-old proves he’s still one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, New York could reach double-digit win numbers for the first time since 2015, which also represents its last winning campaign.

But if there is some slippage in his skills after the Achilles injury or he can’t stay healthy, then the Jets will remain the third-best team in the division.

A productive Rodgers along with running back Breece Hall and receivers Garrett Wilson and Mike Williams should occupy the scoreboard.

But protecting Rodgers is essential. That’s why New York added offensive tackles Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses and guard John Simpson in the offseason and also selected OT Olu Fashanu with the 11th overall pick in the draft.

The addition of linebacker Hasson Reddick to the defense will also help.

The Patriots will once again reside at the bottom of the division, but there is at least hope for the future with third overall pick Drake Maye at quarterback. Parting ways with the legendary Belichick was necessary, but new leader Jerod Mayo won’t be competing for the AFC East crown anytime soon.