After an unexpectedly successful 2025 season, the Patriots are going to have targets on their back this fall, particularly in the AFC East. The Bills are not pleased that they lost their divisional crown after five years at the top, and are inevitably going to come for vengeance in 2026.
There might be an argument to be made about the Dolphins and Jets if they were normal franchises with a typical desire to win. But that's not an adjective one would use to describe those teams, and that's why Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report believes they are two of the teams most likely to tank this upcoming season.
Given that the 2027 draft is already widely considered a much better class than this year, it's not exactly surprising that two of the worst teams in the league consistently would try to ensure they have a higher selection in the first round.
And because of that, the Patriots are the ultimate beneficiaries, leaving just Buffalo as their main divisional competition in what is expected to be a much more difficult schedule.
The Patriots might have a better shot at AFC East title in 2026 than anyone anticipated
While playing in Miami has never come easy for the Patriots, even during the days of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick leading a dynasty, it certainly doesn't hurt to think they might take their foot off the gas next season, with their primary focus on improving their roster through the draft.
They have already moved on from their seemingly franchise quarterback by releasing Tua Tagovailoa, and now they're set to test out Malik Willis in 2026.
If that doesn't work out, then they have a good chance of getting their next starting in next year's draft, so why wouldn't they want to tank to ensure they get the guy they want? That's the basis for Knox's argument, and it makes a lot of sense.
The Jets are in a similar situation, given that they traded for Geno Smith, who's unlikely to be their franchise cornerstone. They, too, will need a quarterback upgrade, so getting a top-10 pick will make it much easier for that to happen, even if they typically land there anyway.
There's a good chance that neither the Dolphins nor the Jets will succeed much in 2026, regardless of whether they actively tank. Their list of opponents is much tougher than last season, and that alone should be enough to get them to line up losses.
That helps the Patriots on their path back to the top in hopes of retaining the AFC East title for another season. The Bills will do all that they can to make sure that doesn't happen, but clearly, Mike Vrabel and Co. had their number in 2025 and were just a few plays away from sweeping Buffalo for the first time since Brady was under center.
They could pick that back up this fall if they make the right moves in the draft and maybe trade for a superstar player or two, while also creating more nightmares for the two other teams in the division.