After what seemed like a short break since the NFL Draft, we are back on the new 2026-27 Season. The next series will be my annual preview of every single team from each division of the NFL with initial predictions.
AFC East
The format will be similar to past years – 1) Current Bets for Each Team; 2) Coaching Changes; 3) Key Departures; 4) New Additions; 5) Team Overall Outlook; and 6) Initial Predicted Record and Results. It is before training camp, so I will give my final predictions including playoffs and Super Bowl just prior to Week 1. Let’s get into it.
Buffalo Bills (10.5 Wins, -148 AFC East, +475 AFC, +1000 Super Bowl)
- Coaching – Finally, Bills’ ownership removed Sean McDermott as the Head Coach (HC). It was time. He couldn’t get this team over the hump, especially in the playoffs – failures on Defense in the playoffs for a former DC really sealed his fate. So, the Bills’ Brass have turned the reins over to former OC – Joe Brady. I suppose that is logical, as he has gotten the most out of QB Josh Allen to date. However, he has never been a head man, and in some ways part of the failures in years past – like last year in DEN. OC is now Pete Carmichael who comes from DEN. He has been successful with Bo Nix, so I’m not concerned about the Offense, as long as Allen is healthy. DC is now Jim Leonhard, who comes from DEN, as well. Now, he was under Raheem Morris, and that D’s personnel was way better. Clearly the Broncos’ D has been great for the past couple of seasons, and BUF needs to improve here to be the contender they are listed to be.
- Key Departures – S Taylor Rapp (unsigned), WR Curtis Samuel (unsigned), DE Joey Bosa (unsigned), OLB Matt Milano (unsigned), QB Mitch Trubisky (to TEN), S Jordan Poyer (unsigned), CB Darnell Savage (to PIT), DE AJ Epenesa (to PHI), WR Brandin Cooks (unsigned), DT Jordan Phillips (unsigned), CB Tre’Davious White (unsigned), CB Darius Slay (Retired)
- New Additions –
- Free Agents/Trades: WR DJ Moore (via trade from CHI), DE Bradley Chubb (from MIA), QB Kyle Allen (from DET), CB Dee Alford (from ATL), S CJ Gardner-Johnson (from CHI), OG Austin Corbett (from CAR), C Lloyd Cushenberry (from TEN), S Geno Stone (from CIN), LB Mike Danna (from KC)
- Draft: CB Davison Igbinosun (2nd – Ohio State), OT Jude Bowry (4th – Boston College), WR Skyler Bell (4th – UConn), LB Kaleb Elarms-Orr (4th – TCU), DT Zane Durant (5th – Penn State), S Jalon Kilgore (5th – South Carolina)
- Outlook – The Bills have made wholesale changes in getting younger on their Defense which should help a lot. The depth with the draft should also help, as it seems like they struggled with injuries in January every year. The acquisition of DJ Moore will give Allen a solid target, even if he is past his dominant prime. The Bills will continue to run the ball with Cook and Allen with the TEs and just need Moore to make plays on 3rd down. I like the changes. I’m not sure Brady has with it takes to win the SB, which is the real goal in Buffalo. However, in a new stadium, new coach and a lot of new faces, they should be in the AFC Championship this year.
- Prediction – 10-7 – win the AFC East – I’m probably a little low on the win total, but they have a tough schedule. I still like them as a contender in the AFC.
New England Patriots (10.5 Wins, +135 AFC East, +850 AFC, +1800 SB)
- Coaching – HC Mike Vrabel returns, but not without a lot of drama. The off the field coverage with an affair was an embarrassment, which could be a big distraction for a team that shocked the world in Year 1. OC Josh McDaniels also returns. The O was really good with McDaniels and QB Drake Maye. I expect a more plateau year on Offense, but they could surprise me. DC Zak Kuhr gets elevated from LB Coach to DC, as Williams had an illness. So, the role is not new, in practice, just title. The D was what got them to the SB in 2026.
- Key Departures – WR Stefon Diggs (unsigned), CB Alex Austin (to MIA), OT Vederian Lowe (to SF), RB Antonio Gibson (unsigned), LB Jack Gibbens (to AZ), LB K’Lavon Chaisson (to WAS), TE Austin Hooper (to ATL)
- New Additions –
- Free Agents/Trades – WR AJ Brown (trade via PHI), OG Alijah Vera-Tucker (from NYJ), WR Romeo Doubs (from GB), DE Dre’Mont Jones (from BAL), S Kevin Byard (from CHI), FB Reggie Gilliam (from BUF), S Mike Brown (from TEN), CB Kindle Vildor (from TB), LB KJ Britt (from MIA)
- Draft – OT Caleb Lomu (1st – Utah), OLB Gabe Jacas (2nd – Illinois), TE Eli Raridon (3rd – Notre Dame), and CB Karon Prunty (5th – Wake Forest)
- Outlook – On paper, I think the Patriots are better than the SB runner up team. However, the Patriots benefitted from the easiest schedule in the NFL in 2025. They will play a much tougher schedule in 2026, and I have to believe the Vrabel drama will affect the team at some level. The big move to get AJ Brown will be curious. He has been a verbally unhappy player in PHI, but back with Vrabel could make Maye a lot better. The caveat is that Maye spread the ball around to everyone in 2025, which kept defenses honest. With a primary target that will complain, that may not actually help the offense in big spots. Regardless, the Patriots will be right there with the Bills for the division, but I think a regression is coming. It is just by how much.
- Prediction – 9-8 – I have them fighting for that last playoff spot with the Bengals, Steelers and Chargers. For now, I have them in.
Miami Dolphins (3.5 Wins, +3000 AFC East, +15000 AFC, +30000 SB)
- Coaching – The Fins like the Bills made a coaching change. Gone be the mastermind in Mike McDaniel, and in comes former GB DC Jeff Hafley who did show improvement for The Pack. He taps the underwhelming Bobby Slowik at OC, who flamed out in HOU prior. DC Sean Duggan follows Hafley from GB to help implement his scheme. I would say this is a classic B to B- hire. Not flashy, but not terrible. The changes in MIA will take time, but Hafley is steady to make some changes.
- Key Departures – QB Tua Tagovailoa (to ATL), WR Jaylen Waddle (traded to DEN), WR Tyreek Hill (cut), DE Bradley Chubb (to BUF), S Minkah Fitzpatrick (traded to NYJ), CB Artie Burns (unsigned), OT Yodny Cajuste (unsigned), and TE Darren Waller (unsigned)
- New Additions –
- Free Agents/Trades – QB Malik Willis (from GB), DE Josh Uche (from PHI), WR Jalen Tolbert (from DAL), WR Tutu Atwell (from LAR), OT Charlie Heck (from TB), OT Jamaree Salyer (from LAC), S Lonnie Johnson (from LVR), DE David Ojabo (from BAL), CB Darnell Baker (from TEN), S Zayne Anderson (from GB), TE Ben Sims (from MIN), CB Alex Austin (from NE)
- Draft – OG Kadyn Proctor (1st – Alabama), CB Chris Johnson (1st – San Diego State), LB Jacob Rodriguez (2nd – Texas Tech), WR Chris Bell (3rd – Louisville), WR Caleb Douglas (3rd – Texas Tech), TE Will Kacmarek (3rd – Ohio State), LB Kyle Louis (4th – Pitt), DE Trey Moore (4th – Texas), S Michael Taaffe (5th – Texas), WR Kevin Coleman (5th – Missouri), OG DJ Campbell (6th – Texas)
- Outlook – Most people have the Fins as the worst or second worst in the league (AZ being the other team). They unlike the Jets who are next have some hope. The coaching staff is fresh. They are a young group with Malik Willis at QB who can make some plays with his legs or arm. The Hafley D should be decent, and they will not be contending for the division, but they have a lot of blue chip guys from Texas or Texas Tech that can contribute right away. I will consider betting them Over their really low win total of 3.5. After all, they play the Jets twice.
- Prediction – 3-14 – Probably 4 to 5 wins in the end, and not a pretty watch, but somehow I have more faith in them than AZ or the Jets.
New York Jets (5.5 Wins, +2000 AFC East, +10000 AFC, +20000 SB)
- Coaching – The Jets somehow retained HC Aaron Glenn after a terrible first season. I believe he will be one of the first coaches fired in 2026. Still, he replaced both coordinators – OC Frank Reich is a capable offensive mind. He has been a head coach, so a logical interim when they fire Glenn, if things go as I expect them to go. DC Brian Duker comes from MIA, which he was the LB Coach – Glenn looks like he will effectively call the D this year with Duker helping with gameplans. I’ve said it before Glenn did not have good defenses in DET, so putting him in NY with the Jets is just a firing waiting to happen.
- Key Departures – OG Alijah Vera-Tucker (to NE), QB Tyrod Taylor (to GB), QB Justin Fields (traded to KC)
- New Additions
- Free Agents/Trades – CB Nahshon Wright (from CHI), S Minkah Fitzpatrick (trade via MIA), QB Geno Smith (trade via LVR), DE David Onyemata (from ATL), DT T’Vondre Sweat (trade via TEN), LB Demario Davis (from NO), LB Joseph Ossai (from CIN), LB Kingsley Enagbare (from GB), S Dane Belton (from NYG), WR Tim Patrick (from JAC), OG Dylan Parham (from LVR),
- Draft – DE David Bailey (1st – Texas Tech), TE Kenyon Sadiq (1st – Oregon), WR Omar Cooper (1st – Indiana), CB D’Angelo Ponds (2nd – Indiana), DT Darrell Jackson (4th- Florida State), QB Cade Klubnick (4th – Clemson), OG Anez Cooper (6th – Miami)
- Outlook – The Jets are in classic rebuilding mode. They made wholesale changes on D this off season, which was needed, but is it the scheme or the players? Three 1st round picks should help immediately in Bailey on D, Sadiq and Cooper on O, but the Geno Smith signing is a head scratcher. He was not good in Las Vegas, so maybe he has yet one more chapter to write in his career. Klubnick was a disappointment at Clemson in 2025, but he may get the keys to this offense if the Jets come out slow, and they want to see what he can do. Reich may prefer that option to Smith at this stage. The Jets did sign RB Breece Hall to a long term deal – don’t ask me why, but they did. I’m pretty skeptical on this team. They have made a lot of changes, but I think they will be one of the leagues worst teams by the end of the season with a coaching change highly likely.
- Prediction – 2-15 – probably a little too harsh, but the Under 5.5 wins seems like a good bet. Also as mentioned, Glenn will be fired.
There is your first division. Let me know your comments.
Wegs