After a lengthy hiatus, I’m back at it on Wegspool.com to get back to basics in the NFL. After a robust off season of player movement, a mostly offensive-minded draft and now training camps starting, it is time to see where we stand team by team.

Format

In each article, I will go through a few areas: 1) Coaching Staff – emphasizing changes, 2) Key Departures – who did the team lose; 3) Key Additions – free agency and the draft; 4) Overall Team Outlook; 5) Record/Season prediction. I already went game by game for the entire season, which I will review just prior to the opening weekend. In these articles, I will share my thoughts on each team and if I think they can contend for the playoffs, the Super Bowl or be not great. I tend to be pretty polar on teams – really good or really bad at this stage until I mellow out over seeing some preseason and team reports during training camp and pre-season.

Let’s start with the AFC East.

AFC East Division Preview

Miami Dolphins

Can Tua Get This Team Deep in the Playoffs?
  • Coaching Staff: HC Mike McDaniel may not just be a fan favorite, but a team one, too. He is that young mastermind guy, but late season and playoff failings are becoming routine. OC Frank Smith returns to work with McDaniel in this fun attack. On D, DC Anthony Weaver gets hired from BAL, so the hope is the scheme will be better to play deeper into the season.
  • Key Departures: DT Christian Wilkins (to CLE), CB Xavien Howard (not signed), CB Eli Apple (not signed).
  • Key Additions: The Fins draft wasn’t electrifying, but they added depth with OLB Chop Robinson (1st Rd., Penn State) and OT Patrick Paul (2nd Rd, Houston). In Free Agency, they were more active signing – WR Odell Beckham (from BAL), TE Jonnu Smith (from NE), C Aaron Brewer (from TEN), DT Teair Tart (from TEN), LB Jordyn Brooks (from SEA), S Jordan Poyer (from BUF), DE Calais Campbell (from ATL). All veterans to make that push to get them to the big game.
  • Team Outlook: I think the Fins are probably the most talented team now in the division, but they tend to crater late in the season once the weather gets colder and the D has to play better. DE Jaelen Phillips coming off the injury will be important to late season success. We know they will score, and they paid WR Jaylen Waddle for the dynamic duo with Tyreek Hill. I think they should win the division, but not sure they can beat the Bills when it counts. Let’s see.
  • Prediction: 11-6 – AFC East Champs

Buffalo Bills

It’s Allen’s Team Now
  • Coaching Staff: HC Sean McDermott returns after taking BUF to the division crown again in 2023, but is just good, good enough. OC Joe Brady took over mid-season and the Offense responded well, especially with more rushing benefitting RB James Cook and of course, Josh Allen. DC Bobby Babich got promoted to DC from LB Coach with Leslie Frazier out. The failures by BUF in the playoffs have not been on Offense, so maybe Babich can get this group to play inspired ball.
  • Key Additions: The Draft yielded: WR Keon Coleman (2nd Rd, FSU); S Cole Bishop (2nd Rd, Utah) who will start immediately and DT DeWayne Carter (3rd Rd., Duke) as a quality reserve. Free Agency – Curtis Samuel (from WAS), Marquez Valdez-Scantling (from KC) to replace some weapons at WR.
  • Key Departures: WR Stefan Diggs (to HOU), WR Gabe Davis (to JAC), S Jordan Poyer (to MIA), DT Jordan Phillips (to NYG), DE Leonard Floyd (to SF), CB Tre’Davious White (to LAR), S Micah Hyde (not signed)
  • Team Outlook: The Bills seem to have peaked with Divisional Round losses in each of the past 3 years. However, along with CIN have been the only teams to have beaten KC consistently (not in the playoffs though). The Roster changes may be good in the end. The team needed some fresh faces and leadership, which puts the entire team behind QB Josh Allen who is still a Top 5 QB. They have enough to win this division, but not sure they can take out Miami.
  • Prediction: 10-7 – wild card team.

New York Jets

Rodgers Needs to Deliver More Than This in 2024
  • Coaching Staff: HC Robert Saleh is back with the same staff that crumbled after QB Aaron Rodgers went down in Week 1. OC Nathaniel Hackett was not great, but maybe a healthy Rodgers will make the difference. DC Jeff Ulbrich has some new faces, and his D was probably more disappointing than the O in 2023.
  • Key Departures: DE Carl Lawson (not signed), OG Connor McGovern (not signed)
  • Key Additions: The Jets added depth with LT Olu Fashanu (1st, Penn State), WR Malachi Corley (3rd Rd., Western KY), RB Braelon Allen (4th Rd., Wisconsin), Qwan’tez Stiggers (5th Rd., No College, CFL). In Free Agency, they made a splash with an upgraded O-Line in OT Tyron Smith (from DAL), OG John Simpson (from BAL), OT Morgan Moses (trade from BAL), plus starters in DT Javon Kinlaw (from SF), WR Mike Williams (from LAC), Hassan Reddick (from trade with PHI) and a quality backup QB in Tyrod Taylor (from NYG).
  • Team Outlook: The Jets attempted to address their biggest weakness in the O-Line with major signings and trades in the off season. That may work in the short run, but will Aaron Rodgers be healthy and efficient in 2024? That is the $1MM question. The hype they came into 2023 with is gone, so maybe they can deliver a year later. I am a Robert Saleh fan, but if he has another poor season, then he will get fired. The D was lackluster in most games in 2023, and I think the Kinlaw signing may help more than Redddick. I still think the Jets struggle in 2023, but this is a team I will review a lot of reports on before giving a final verdict.
  • Prediction: 6-11 miss the playoffs – pretty harsh, I know, but not sure they can make it happen. The final record will be closer to the playoffs, if camp reports are favorable.

New England Patriots

Maye Is The Future of NE
  • Coaching Staff: The Great One is finally out in NE. Bill Belichick is impossible to replace, like Don Shula or other greats in history, the standard to be maintained is not likely. HC Jerod Mayo will have that tough task, so he is from the system, but we will see. OC Alex Van Pelt comes from CLE, so a heavy run game is likely to be expected. DC DeMarcus Covington gets elevated from the D-Line Coach to run the D. I’m sure Mayo will have a stamp on it, which should be similar to the Belichick D in years past.
  • Key Departures: CB J.C. Jackson (not signed), TE Jonnu Smith (to MIA), RB Zeke Elliott (to DAL), WR Davante Parker (to PHI), TE Mike Gesicki (to CIN), and CB Jalen Mills (to NYG).
  • Key Additions: The Draft was needed to replace older talent lost or cut – QB Drake Maye (1st Rd., UNC) will be the future, WR Ja’Lynn Polk (2nd Rd., Washington), RT Caedan Wallace (3rd, Penn State), plus 4th Rounders – OG Layden Robinson (Texas A&M) and WR Javon Baker (UCF). In Free Agency, OT Chukwuma Okorafor (from PIT), TE Austin Hooper (from ), RB Antonio Gibson (from WAS), and QB Jacoby Brissett (from CLE) were added to boost the Offense and LB Sione Takitaki (from CLE) on D.
  • Team Outlook: I am very down on NE. Perhaps this will be the team everyone underestimates early to cover some early spreads, but I think it is a rough year with maybe a little light at the end of the season when Maye gets his shot. Belichick was able to cover up some terrible talent for a long time, but Mayo is not him.
  • Prediction: 2-15 – super harsh here, but it is a tough division in a tough conference. Pats fans, you had your run.

One preview down and to 7 more to go. Next up, the NFC East.

Wegs

About the author

I'm a 49 year old, twice divorced guy with a 20 year old. The blog has morphed a bit lately. Not just sports or dating, social commentary and now some stories from my past experience.