Patriots’ rebuilds and Bills’ defensive reload headline the top-five most improved units in the AFC East entering 2025 NFL season
The AFC East division has seen similar dynamics for the last 25 years. For the first 20 years of this millennium, it was the New England Patriots' party and everyone else was playing for second-place. Only the 2008 Miami Dolphins were able to interrupt the party, which saw the Patriots win 16 out of 17 […]
The AFC East division has seen similar dynamics for the last 25 years. For the first 20 years of this millennium, it was the New England Patriots' party and everyone else was playing for second-place. Only the 2008 Miami Dolphins were able to interrupt the party, which saw the Patriots win 16 out of 17 divisional titles from 2003 through 2019.
As of late, it's been Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills who have commanded the top spot. Patriots have stumbled to the cellar in recent years, whereas the New York Jets have hit the reset button while seeking their first playoff berth since 2010 and their first division title since 2002. Dominant stretches of this division have made life hard to come by for the other teams.
But that means these franchises are in familiar territory, everyone is chasing a top dog. Which teams in the AFC East achieved the most to improve a key unit entering the 2025 NFL regular season and potentially seize a division title? Did Buffalo improve enough where they needed it to maintain not just their control of the division but content for home-field advantage? Here's my top-five picks for the most improved units in the AFC East this offseason.
Top Five Most Improved Units In The AFC East This Offseason
5. The Dolphins' interior offensive line
Miami appeared to have a very good interior trio in 2023, but then the injury bug bit. It bit hard. Robert Hunt was hampered with injury, missing time on and off through the back two-thirds of the season before leaving in free agency. Starter Isaiah Wynn played in five games before an injury ended his season. And center Connor Williams went down with two separate injuries, the latter of which ended up helping facilitate his retirement in 2024 after he, too, did not re-sign with the Dolphins.
Entering into 2024, the Dolphins' bet on all the snaps their backup guards played would yield a serviceable group. They were wrong. Robert Jones and Liam Eichenberg both played as replacement-level talents, executing far too irregularly and being outmatched by speed or power. All that, plus a limited amount of range on the second-level, hindered the Dolphins offense and forced them to play with training wheels.
The unit should be more powerful, more explosive and more nimble in 2025. The Dolphins signed James Daniels to a three-year, $24 million contract in free agency and then packaged the 98th overall pick with their second-round draft choice to move up and draft Jonah Savaiinaea. There's questions about Savaiinaea's assimilation to the NFL and James Daniels' recovery from an Achilles injury in 2024 but the incumbents from last year were so bad that even the ups and downs of this year's group should still be a massive upgrade.
4. The Patriots' front seven
Milton Williams. Harold Landry. Robert Spillane. Jack Gibbens. K'Lavon Chaisson. Khyiris Tonga. Rookies Josh Farmer and Bradyn Swinson in the 2025 NFL Draft. A healthy Christian Barmore.
These are the names scheduled to take the reps this season. Last year, these names were Daniel Ekuale, Davon Godchaux, Christian Elliss, Jeremiah Pharms, Raekwon McMillan…you get the point.
Did New England get tangibly good value for these free agent signings? Probably not. Are they better in the front seven? Definitely.
3. The Bills defensive line
Buffalo is a team that puts a fair amount of stress on their defensive front four. They, generally speaking, don't match personnel defensively as a result teams that play them heavy on personnel can create some knock back at the point of attack. The Bills are combating this with free agent signings Joey Bosa, Michael Hoecht, and Larry Ogunjobi, plus draft choices in T.J. Sanders (second-round), Landon Jackson (third-round), and Deone Walker (fourth round) in this year's NFL Draft.
These are the names set to replace Von Miller, Austin Johnson and Dawuane Smoot in the rotation. Buffalo is playing a long and short game simultaneously here but I really like the depth and variety of skill sets they've brought in to diversity this group.
2. The Patriots' offensive line
Patriots fans, please don't 'answer and spoil the fun. For the rest of you — name the top five snap takers along the offensive line for New England in 2024!
Congratulations on nailing Michael Onwenu, who the team signed last offseason to a new deal. But did you have Demontrey Jacobs (867 snaps), Vederian Lowe (804), Michael Jordan (685), and Ben Brown (667) as the next four? Did you have Layden Robinson (603) as the sixth? This team's best players, sans Onwenu, didn't play up front last year. David Andrews and Cole Strange combined to play less than 320 snaps.
So taking that foundation as the starting point and adding first-round draft choice Will Campbell, veteran tackle Morgan Moses, veteran center Garrett Bradbury and another rookie draft choice in Jared Wilson should serve as a massive upgrade for a unit that desperately needed improvement in 2025.
1. The Patriots' coaching staff
The spotlight here rightfully belongs on the transition from Jerod Mayo to Mike Vrabel. Mayo seemed ill-prepared for life as an NFL coach, never mind the challenges that come with stepping into Bill Belichick's shoes in New England. Let's just put it mildly and say that the Mayo experiment did not go well.
Mike Vrabel has experience with "The Patriot Way" but his assembly of a coaching staff should generate plenty of buzz from Patriots fans. Notable assistants on staff include Josh McDaniels (offensive coordinator), Doug Marrone (offensive line coach), Thomas Brown (tight ends coach), Todd Downing (wide receivers), and Terrell Williams (defensive coordinator).
That's a whole lot of experience and depth to a coaching staff that had neither last year.
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