The AFC East quickly became one of the best divisions in football this offseason. Who are the best overall players from each team in the division?
The AFC East might quickly turn out to be one of the most competitive divisions in football this season. The Bills are currently the favorites to not only win the division, but perhaps even the conference and the Super Bowl, but the Patriots had a great 10-7 season, led by rookie quarterback Mac Jones, and should be a bit of a better club in 2022.
The Dolphins were very active this offseason, improving their offensive line with players like Terron Armstead, hiring a new head coach in Mike McDaniel, who comes from the Shanahan tree, and acquiring Tyreek Hill in a trade.
The Jets are also a team who could make some noise in 2022 if Zach Wilson takes that second year leap that many successful quarterbacks have before. He’s got a solid offensive line that added Laken Tomlinson in the offseason, and has a new weapon to throw to in Garrett Wilson.
In looking at the division from an aerial view, who is the best overall player from each team in the AFC East?
Best player on the Buffalo Bills: Quarterback Josh Allen
This is no surprise here. Josh Allen is coming off two incredible seasons in 2020 and 2021 for the Buffalo Bills. Many across the league are turning to him as the favorite to win the MVP award in 2022, and I don’t think I’d disagree.
Allen has a rocket for a right arm, and can make every throw on the field. He’s also got Cam Newton-like mobility inside and outside the pocket, so he poses an insane threat as a runner as well.
He’s got a very good supporting cast with him in Buffalo, and recently signed a massive extension. I think it’s only a matter of time before Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills finally crack through and win a Super Bowl.
The rest of the AFC East is unfortunately going to have to deal with Josh Allen for years to come. He might just be one of the five or 10 best players in all of football, too.
AFC East: Best player on the Miami Dolphins – Wide receiver Tyreek Hill
In what would normally be an improbable thought, the Kansas City Chiefs traded Tyreek Hill this offseason.
The Chiefs and Hill could not agree to a contract extension, so they dealt Hill, the fastest man in football to the Miami Dolphins for a boatload of draft picks.
The Dolphins then soon signed Hill to an extension that is paying him $30 million per season, an insane number for a wide receiver.
Hill has four 1,000 yard seasons in his six year career, and has 56 receiving touchdowns as well. Both Tyreek Hill and his former quarterback Patrick Mahomes made what was the best QB-WR duo the NFL has seen in years. Hill did most of his damage with his speed, and in many instances, Hill simply outran the defense as Mahomes would then chuck the ball down the field.
However, Hill’s new quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa, doesn’t have near the arm that Mahomes does, so his effectiveness as a receiver like he was in Kansas City is a bit in question.
I do think Hill will catch plenty deep balls, but I also think they’ll use similarly to how the 49ers use Deebo Samuel.
AFC East: Best player on the New York Jets – Defensive linemen Quinnen Williams
I noticed that the New York Jets don’t necessarily have a ton of all-star, high end players, but rather they have a good bit of solid-good players. However, I think Quinnen Williams is a high end player, and one of the best in the AFC East.
Williams was drafted third overall during the 2019 NFL Draft, and has enjoyed three very good seasons in New York. I would expect the Jets to extend Williams at some point this year. He’s a disruptive force on the inside with 15.5 total sacks during his five seasons, along with 136 total tackles.
Good teams are built from the inside out, so a team who wants to succeed in today’s NFL needs to excel in the trenches, both on offense and defense.
Quinnen Williams is an anchor on the inside, perhaps the best defensive linemen in the AFC East.
I think in a couple years, we’ll be talking about someone else on the Jets’ roster being the best in the NFL.
However, for now, Quinnen Williams, a former third overall pick, is easily the best player for the New York Jets.
AFC East: Best player on the New England Patriots – Linebacker Matt Judon
I was almost going to put Mac Jones here, but I do think that Matt Judon is a better player at the moment.
Judon was a splash signing for the Patriots last offseason, bringing a solid pass rush history to the AFC East.
He spent the first five seasons of his career as a Baltimore Raven, earning Pro Bowl honors in 2019 and 2020, and setting a career-high in sacks with 9.5 in 2019.
However, Judon enjoyed a career year in 2021, accumulating 12.5 sacks and 60 total tackles in 17 games.
Matt Judon may not be in the tier of pass rushers with TJ Watt, Myles Garrett, and others, but he’s certainly a very good player who has only missed four games in six seasons. The best ability is availability, and that’s what Judon has.
He’s entering his age-30 season, so hopefully he can put the inevitable post-30 decline off for a few seasons.
The Patriots’ have an out in his contract after this year, but if Judon can enjoy another 10+ sack season, I don’t think they’ll entertain the idea of moving on from him.