We kicked off our offseason division-by-division series last week with the AFC West, grading each team’s moves across free agency, trades, and the NFL Draft.
Now the focus shifts to the AFC East, where several franchises took aggressive swings while others doubled down on continuity entering 2026.
Buffalo Bills
Key Additions:
HC: Joe Brady
WR: D.J. Moore (Trade)
WR: Skyler Bell (Round 4)
EDGE: T.J. Parker (Round 2)
EDGE: Bradley Chubb (Free Agency)
S: C.J. Gardner-Johnson (Free Agency)
CB: Dee Alford (Free Agency)
CB: Davison Igbinosun (Round 2)
Key Departures:
HC: Sean McDermott
G: David Edwards (Saints)
WR: Brandin Cooks (Current Free Agent)
EDGE: Joey Bosa (Current Free Agent)
EDGE: A.J. Epenesa (Current Free Agent)
LB: Matt Milano (Current Free Agent)
CB: Tre’Davious White (Current Free Agent)
Buffalo had a relatively quiet offseason outside of the trade for former Bears wide receiver D.J. Moore, sending second- and fifth-round picks to Chicago. It brings risk considering Moore is coming off the least productive season of his career, posting career lows in both receptions and receiving yards.
Even so, Moore should still help upgrade the outside receiver group. The bigger debate is whether his production will ultimately justify the draft capital the Bills gave up to land him.
In free agency, the focus clearly shifted toward the defensive side. Buffalo signed Bradley Chubb to a three-year deal and added C.J. Gardner-Johnson on a one-year contract. Both are solid veterans capable of helping, but neither feels like the type of addition that dramatically changes the ceiling of the unit.
For years, the Bills have consistently fielded good defenses without featuring many true game-changing stars. I am not convinced these additions alter that reality in a meaningful way.
The draft followed a similar pattern. Buffalo used its top two selections on EDGE T.J. Parker and cornerback Davison Igbinosun, reinforcing the long-term outlook of the defense more than the immediate rotation.
Parker entered last season at Clemson with top-10 expectations before a disappointing year hurt his stock. Regardless, snaps may be difficult to find with Gregory Rousseau and Chubb already ahead of him. The situation feels similar for Igbinosun, who joins a secondary featuring Maxwell Hairston and Christian Benford.
That is where I struggle with Buffalo’s approach. Josh Allen remains squarely in his prime, yet many of their moves seem geared more toward maintaining sustainability than maximizing the current championship window.
Overall, the Bills added useful depth and some future pieces, but outside of Moore and Chubb, there were not many true difference-makers brought into Orchard Park.
Grade: C
Miami Dolphins
Key Additions:
HC: Jeff Hafley
QB: Malik Willis (Free Agency)
G/T: Kadyn Proctor (Round 1)
WR: Jalen Tolbert (Free Agency)
WR: Chris Bell (Round 3)
WR: Caleb Douglas (Round 3)
WR: Kevin Coleman Jr. (Round 5)
CB: Chris Johnson (Round 1)
LB: Jacob Rodriguez (Round 2)
LB: Kyle Louis (Round 4)
Key Departures:
QB: Tua Tagovailoa (Falcons)
WR: Jaylen Waddle (Broncos)
WR: Tyreek Hill (Current Free Agent)
EDGE: Jaelan Phillips (Panthers)
EDGE: Bradley Chubb (Bills)
S: Minkah Fitzpatrick (Jets)
Miami completely reset the organization, moving on from its general manager, head coach, and starting quarterback all in the same cycle. Once Jeff Hafley arrived, the direction became pretty obvious: reshape the roster quickly and build around a younger core.
The biggest move came with the signing of Malik Willis. There is clear risk attached considering how little he has played during his NFL career, but Miami was one of the few places offering both opportunity and financial flexibility. Willis has flashed intriguing tools in limited action, and the Dolphins are betting that a larger role finally unlocks some consistency.
After that, the priority shifted heavily toward the draft.
Coming into April, Miami had holes all across the roster, making this more about accumulating foundational pieces than chasing splash additions. I thought they handled that process well. Kadyn Proctor, Chris Johnson, Jacob Rodriguez, Kyle Louis, Chris Bell, Caleb Douglas, and Kevin Coleman Jr. all have realistic paths toward contributing soon.
More importantly, the Dolphins avoided forcing short-term moves simply to appear competitive right away. This offseason felt organized and intentional, which is not always the case during the early stages of a rebuild.
Grade: A
New England Patriots
Key Additions:
WR: Romeo Doubs (Free Agency)
G: Alijah Vera-Tucker (Free Agency)
T: Caleb Lomu (Round 1)
EDGE: Dre’Mont Jones (Free Agency)
EDGE: Gabe Jacas (Round 2)
S: Kevin Byard (Free Agency)
Key Departures:
WR: Stefon Diggs (Current Free Agent)
C: Garrett Bradbury (Bears)
DT: Khyiris Tonga (Chiefs)
EDGE: K’Lavon Chaisson (Commanders)
S: Jaylinn Hawkins (Ravens)
New England has not made many splashy moves, at least not yet with the A.J. Brown rumors still lingering, but the Patriots have quietly put together a strong offseason.
The signing of Romeo Doubs stands out. Coming off the best season of his career in Green Bay, Doubs gives New England a younger and more reliable replacement for Stefon Diggs. The Patriots also added Alijah Vera-Tucker, who remains an extremely talented lineman when healthy, even if durability has consistently followed him throughout his career. Still, it is a worthwhile gamble for a roster that badly needed more stability in front of the quarterback.
Defensively, New England focused on adding experienced contributors rather than chasing headline names. Kevin Byard and Dre’Mont Jones may not generate massive attention nationally, but both are proven veterans capable of stepping into important roles right away.
In the end, the Patriots did a solid job identifying weak spots in free agency and improving multiple areas across the roster.
The draft followed a very similar philosophy.
Caleb Lomu filled a major need at tackle and gives New England a high-upside developmental option behind Morgan Moses. Rather than forcing him into immediate action, the Patriots can afford to let him develop gradually before taking over a larger role long term.
New England then followed that up with pass rusher Gabe Jacas, another sensible addition for a defense that needed more depth along the front. Jacas may not arrive with massive expectations, but he feels like a player capable of carving out snaps fairly early.
The Patriots upgraded several important positions, improved the overall depth of the roster, and avoided making desperate moves simply to win headlines.
Grade: B
(A- if the A.J. Brown trade is completed)
New York Jets
Key Additions:
QB: Geno Smith (Trade)
G: Dylan Parham (Free Agency)
TE: Kenyon Sadiq (Round 1)
WR: Omar Cooper Jr. (Round 1)
DT: T’Vondre Sweat (Trade)
DT: David Onyemata (Free Agency)
DT: Darrell Jackson Jr. (Round 4)
EDGE: David Bailey (Round 1)
EDGE: Kingsley Enagbare (Free Agency)
EDGE: Joseph Ossai (Free Agency)
LB: Demario Davis (Free Agency)
CB: Nahshon Wright (Free Agency)
CB: D’Angelo Ponds (Round 2)
S: Minkah Fitzpatrick (Trade)
Key Departures:
QB: Justin Fields (Chiefs)
G: John Simpson (Ravens)
G: Alijah Vera-Tucker (Patriots)
EDGE: Jermaine Johnson (Titans)
LB: Quincy Williams (Browns)
The Jets have been one of the busiest teams in football, aggressively reshaping both sides of the roster.
The biggest move offensively came at quarterback, where New York swapped Justin Fields for Geno Smith. Honestly, I am somewhat mixed on the move. Smith struggled badly last season in Las Vegas, though the situation around him was far from ideal. The Jets are clearly betting that a stronger supporting cast and more stable environment can help him rediscover the form he showed in Seattle.
Beyond quarterback, New York focused heavily on building out the supporting cast. Kenyon Sadiq and Omar Cooper Jr. were both excellent additions early in the draft and will inject more explosiveness into the offense. The Jets badly needed additional playmakers, and both players entered the league viewed among the top talents at their respective positions.
If Smith succeeds here, those two will likely play a major role alongside Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall.
Defensively, the Jets attacked the offseason through trades, free agency, and the draft.
The additions of T’Vondre Sweat and Minkah Fitzpatrick are notable, giving New York major upgrades in both the front seven and secondary. Demario Davis, Joseph Ossai, and Kingsley Enagbare also strengthen a defense that lacked both reliable rotational production last season.
As for the draft, I thought the Jets came away with one of the better hauls in the AFC East.
David Bailey may not have been my favorite option at that spot, especially with a player like Arvell Reese still available, but Bailey still projects as a nasty edge defender with significant upside. D’Angelo Ponds was another nice value addition later in the draft and should compete for snaps fairly early.
Overall, I like what New York has done outside of some lingering questions surrounding the Geno Smith move and the Bailey selection at No. 2. Still, the Jets added high-end talent offensively while dramatically improving their defensive depth and versatility.
There is a very realistic path where this team contends for a playoff spot next season.
Grade: B+
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