The New England Patriots reclaimed the AFC East crown for the first time since 2019, but 2026 is sure to bring its own set of challenges. An injured Bills squad will have a new head coach and the opportunity to get healthy, while the Jets, who aren't likely to be a threat, will feature a pair of top-20 draft picks barring any trades.
The most interesting team in the division, however, could be the Miami Dolphins. After a 7-10 finish to the year, GM Chris Grier and HC Mike McDaniel were fired. Jon-Eric Sullivan was brought in as the new GM, and with him came Packers DC Jeff Hafley.
The pair spent the 2024 and 2025 seasons together in Wisconsin, where Hafley ran the 5th and 11th-best defenses, respectively.
Sullivan recently listed a handful of current Dolphins he viewed as building blocks for the organization's future; Tua Tagovailoa was not one of them. With John Harbaugh's firing from the Ravens and the team's 8-9 record this season, there is speculation that Lamar Jackson could be traded. Miami is viewed as a top destination, with Jackson's hometown just an hour outside the city.
New trade proposal has Lamar Jackson moved to the Miami Dolphins
A trade for the two-time MVP would, without a doubt, require a boatload of capital. It would also require Jackson to actually become available, which seems possible but also quite unlikely. Jackson's cap hit is just shy of $75 million in 2026, and the Ravens would need to agree on a new contract to lower that figure.
An unnamed executive, however, recently argued that, rather than the financial headache that would come with a new deal for the 29-year-old, sending him south could jumpstart the team's future. Sending Jackson to Miami for Tagovailoa and four first-round picks would be enough to get the deal done in his estimation, and he could be right.
A deal like this would require some serious cap gymnastics, but if the clubs could pull it off, it would be the beginning of a rebuild in Baltimore fueled by high-octane draft capital, while Miami would be rejuvenated by one of the league's best.
As mentioned, the cap gymnastics would be something to behold. Miami is $25 million over the cap as it is, and just getting back to zero would require parting with players who could lend the Jackson-led offense immediate success, such as Tyreek Hill.
The trade would be a nightmare for the Patriots and their hope of owning the AFC East
It goes without saying that a division rival adding one of the league's best quarterbacks wouldn't be ideal for the Patriots.
Week 2 of the 2025 season marked the first time the Patriots took down a Tua-led Dolphins squad, making the franchise 7-1 against the ex-Bama QB. Bill Belichick never beat him. Over their last four meetings, the Dolphins have scored 24+ in each game, while they've scored more than 30 on three occasions. They average 26 PPG against New England with Tua at the helm.
Jackson, on the other hand, is 2-2 as a starter against the Patriots, but one of those losses came this season after he went down with a back injury in the first half. In the three games he's finished, the Ravens have averaged 30.3 PPG.
Redesigning the offense to accommodate Jackson would be a privilege Patriots fans will have to pray that new HC Hafley never has. One MVP opponent in the division was bad enough, but adding a second would make the AFC East one of the toughest divisions in football.