The New England Patriots reclaimed their AFC East crown in 2026 after the Bills had controlled the division for the last half-decade, but retaining that crown will be a difficult task in 2026.
The Bills, of course, will be back with a vengeance, but an improved Jets team with desperate Aaron Glenn at the helm could lead to a turnaround in New York sooner rather than later. The Dolphins are in the midst of a teardown rebuild, but with seven selections in the top 100 of this year's draft, they have the chance to add exciting young talent.
Of course, neither the Jets nor the Dolphins has any real shot to make the playoffs, let alone win the division. Each does, however, have a chance to steal a game or two from the Patriots and Bills. The Dolphins, in particular, have been a thorn in the Patriots' side for years. Since 2013, the Patriots have swept Miami only twice, one of those times being in 2025.
The series is split at 14-14, and Miami is 8-4 since 2020.
While the Dolphins are sure to take a step back with the departures of Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Bradley Chubb, Minkah Fitzpatrick, and others, they have future upside with their young core set to be formed during this April's draft. In a recent mock draft from ESPN's Field Yates, Miami upgrades its offense with a pair of first-round picks, including Texas A&M's speedy receiver, KC Concepcion.
KC Concepcion could find a home as a Dolphins first-round pick
The Dolphins traded Jaylen Waddle to Denver in a multi-pick deal, centered around the 30th pick in 2026. Yates suggests the Dolphins could use that pick to replace the former Alabama star.
KC Concepcion is one of the more interesting receivers in the class. While he played the majority of his snaps out wide in 2025, he still managed 215 slot snaps, totaling 919 yards receiving on the year. An aspect of Concepcion's resume that stands out is the teams against whom he performed best. His four 80+ yard games last season came against SEC competition or No. 8 Notre Dame.
The North Carolina native spent only one year with the Aggies before transferring from NC State. The transfer didn't slow him down at all, though, as he had a career high in receiving yards.
The Aggie would be a welcome addition to Miami's receiving corps
Miami's receiving corps is among the worst in the league after the departures of Hill and Waddle. Tutu Atwell and Jalen Tolbert were brought in as outside free agents, but neither has been a full-time starter in their NFL careers.
Malik Washington, Theo Wease Jr., and Tahj Washington were all exceptional college players, but none have shown consistent NFL players. Terrace Marshall was a second-round pick in 2021, but spent last year on the Eagles' practice squad.
Should Concepcion be drafted by the Dolphins, he'd be the primary option for Malik Willis from the get-go, an exciting prospect for a rookie receiver. Naturally, that reliance on the Aggie could make him a major contributor early, and a potential problem for the Patriots, who, of course, will face off against the Floridians twice in 2026.
Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis, and Marcus Jones should be able to handle the Dolphins' weapons, regardless of how good Concepcion might be as a rookie. With such a plethora of picks in the top-100, however, the Dolphins could become a juggernaut if they play their cards right.
Yates has them keeping Miami Hurricane right tackle Francis Mauigoa in city at No. 11, and UCF pass rusher Malachi Lawrence in state at No. 43. With three top-50 rookies, the Dolphins could become a problem in the AFC East sooner rather than later.