The New England Patriots are looking to defend their AFC East crown in 2026. With Drake Maye at the helm, they are confident in their chances. They were able to bolster the receiving core with the additions of A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs.
At the same time, other areas still have some question marks. The Athletic's NFL staff released an article discussing the biggest questions on all 32 teams in the NFL. For the Patriots, the question was about the defensive line.
"Is their pass rush good enough? Even before spring practices started, it was fair to question whether the Patriots did enough this offseason to improve their pass rush. Since then, we’ve learned that Harold Landry isn’t quite ready to practice and second-rounder Gabe Jacas underwent an unknown procedure that has led to a contract dispute, which meant he didn’t participate in any practices. Maybe Milton Williams is good enough in the interior to overcome the team’s weakness at edge rusher. But they certainly didn’t put any concerns to rest this spring," Chad Graff said.
And the Buffalo Bills, the biggest competition, have some worries about their defensive line, as noted by The Athletic's Tim Graham.
"Have they figured out how to establish an effective pass rush? Another position has been lacking, too. For years, football boss Brandon Beane has tried to solve the problem of mediocre pass pressure"
It's clear that both New England and Buffalo have some major question marks around their defensive line, and it looks like whoever has the better unit will have the edge over the rival.
The Patriots and Bills share one weakness that could decide the AFC East
The Patriots were tied for 28th in the NFL with 35 team sacks in 2025. That's not a mark that's good enough, and New England understands that. That's why they selected Gabe Jacas in the second round, but he has been unable to take the field after undergoing a procedure.
There seem to be some questions about whether the Pats cleared the surgery or how much they knew about it during the draft process, but that remains a talking point around the rookie. Fans are waiting to see when he'll be able to step on the field and how he'll look.
Meanwhile, Harold Landry is also dealing with a knee injury that he's been rehabbing this offseason. Yeah, the Patriots signed Dre'Mont Jones, but he's not known for being a dynamic pass rusher. Some things need to be answered there.
And the same goes for the Bills. That has been a consistent problem for years. They signed Bradley Chubb and selected T.J. Parker in the second round after his disappointing season at Clemson in 2025. They join the likes of Gregory Rousseau, Deone Walker, and Ed Oliver up front, but there's no answer as to whether they will be able to generate constant pressure.
Last year, the Bills were 27th in team sacks (36), showcasing that they weren't much better than the Pats. These teams split the season series in 2025. They both feel confident in their rosters, especially at quarterback.
That makes the margins that much slimmer. The team with the better pass rush will likely secure the division title, and with the moves New England made, they hope that's them in an attempt to win the division for the second straight year.
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