For nearly two decades, the New England Patriots dominated the AFC East by winning the division 17 times in a 20-year stretch that started during the 2001 regular season. Since, the Buffalo Bills have laid claim to the crown four straight seasons, including last year’s crown the team won on the final weekend of the season.
Will the Bills continue their run, or will the upstart New York Jets and veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers earn their first division title since 2002? We will cover all four AFC East teams in this preview as well as our best bets for which team will win this division below.
21+ to wager. Please Gamble Responsibly. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Call 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ), 1-877-770-7867(CO), 1-800-522-4700 (KS, NV), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-877-770-STOP (7867) (LA), Call 1-800-327-5050 (MA), Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit mdgamblinghelp.org (MD), 1-800-270-7117 for confidential help (MI). Call 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), 1-888-532-3500 (VA).
If the Bills are going to win the AFC East for a fifth consecutive season, the team will rely heavily on its offense. Buffalo drafted Keon Coleman to replace Stefon Diggs while adding Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Curtis Samuel to round out quarterback Josh Allen’s receiving weapons.
Buffalo canned Ken Dorsey as its offensive coordinator midway through the season, and the Bills relied more on the rushing attack down the stretch. The Bills added depth at the position from the draft, bringing in Kentucky’s Ray Davis as a power back to spell James Cook.
Defensively, the Bills lost cornerstone defensive players in Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer this offseason. The team is relying on its depth to replace those starters, and safety Taylor Rapp is expected to be among Buffalo’s top defensive backs this season.
The Bills also expect to have linebackers Von Miller and Matt Milano back from injury this season as well as defensive tackle DaQuan Jones. The team was a top-10 defense last season without them, meaning they could be slightly improved this season on the unit.
Prediction: 3rd Place Finish AFC East, 9 Season Wins
This season’s schedule is ranked as the sixth-hardest based on teams’ records for the 2023 season, the highest among AFC East teams. With another first-place schedule and renewed strength in the division, do not expect the Bills to earn a fifth AFC East crown this season.
All Miami needed to win their first AFC East crown in more than a decade was to beat the Bills in the final week of the 2023 regular season. In a home loss, the Dolphins fell from hosting a first-round game into being shipped to Kansas City for the Wild Card matchup they lost 26-7.
Offensively, the Dolphins return the core of last year’s weapons. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has three threats this season as Odell Beckham Jr. joins Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle to form one of the better wide receiver corps in the league.
Miami’s running game should continue to be among the league’s best as De’Von Achane and Raheem Mostert return to provide a lethal dose of speed to Mike McDaniel’s offense. The line – while down two starters from a season ago – should continue to be a strength this season.
Defensive will be Miami’s biggest question. An unexpected retirement from Shaquil Barrett means one of their pass rushers will be absent this year. The Dolphins may produce some of the highest-scoring games this year if their defensive replacements are not up to the task.
Prediction: 2nd Place Finish AFC East, 10 Season Wins
The schedule works in Miami’s favor this season, finishing with a bottom-eight schedule despite a second-place finish in 2023 based on last year’s results. Expect Miami to exercise the Buffalo curse by winning games against their AFC East foe, but the Jets are likely their new obstacle to win the division.
The rebuild is officially underway in New England as Jerod Mayo takes the reins from legendary coach Bill Belichick this season. Mayo has never been an NFL head coach, and his previous top experience was linebacker coach with the organization where he played his entire professional career.
Offensively, the Mac Jones era is over as the Patriots drafted North Carolina’s Drake Maye to become the new face of the franchise. This season, Jacoby Brissett will likely back up the New England rookie, leaving one of the most important positions on the field in unsteady hands.
Whoever settles under center will have some weapons to work with as Ja’Lynn Polk, Kendrick Bourne, and Demario Douglas all grade as decent receivers. Tight end Hunter Henry Rhamondre Stevenson will need to provide blocking support behind a young offensive line.
Defensively, the Patriots remain among one of the better teams in the AFC. Keion White and Christian Barmore provide a strong pass-rushing combo, and last year’s top Patriots pick cornerback Chrisitan Gonzalez is consistently picked to have a breakout season in 2024.
Prediction: 4th Place Finish AFC East, 4 Season Wins
The Patriots have the eighth-toughest schedule in the NFL based on teams’ 2023 records, and winning games in a stacked AFC East will not be easy. Expect the Patriots to struggle mightily this season as reaching four wins may be a tall task for this young squad.
The buzz surrounding the New York Jets this season is among the loudest of any team in the NFL. With quarterback Aaron Rodgers returning to the field following his season-ending injury last season, the Jets are among the top AFC contenders to make a Super Bowl run.
Rodgers has a load of talent to work with this season. Garrett Wilson heads the receiver group that should be improved from last season while Breece Hall was one of the top running backs in Rodgers’ absence a season ago. Tyler Conklin is an excellent tight end in both phases of the game.
Defensively, the Jets are among the best thanks to head coach Robert Saleh’s background as a guru on that side of the field. The Jets ranked third last season, and the offseason acquisition of Haason Reddick makes this unit even better this time around.
Prediction: 1st Place Finish AFC East, 12 Season Wins
The Jets have a middle-of-the-pack schedule, but their renewed offense will help New York eclipse last season’s results significantly. With Salah’s defensive mind combined with Rodgers’ gifted arm, expectations of a 12-5 season and Super Bowl contention are very realistic.