Buffalo Bills
2017 Record: 9-7 (2nd in AFC East)
Head Coach: Sean McDermott (2nd year)
Notable Additions: DT Star Lotulelei, QB AJ McCarron, CB Vontae Davis
Notable Departures: C Eric Wood (retired), G Richie Incognito (retired), T Cordy Glenn
-The Bills stunned the football world last season by clinching their 1st playoff berth since the Clinton administration. How did they celebrate this monumental achievement? By promptly dumping the starting quarterback that helped them get there of course! If you simply look at the numbers, you can make an argument that moving on from Tyrod Taylor was the right choice. He never threw for more than 3,035 YDS during his 3 seasons in Buffalo and his record as a starter is only 22-20. However, he is a smart, athletic QB that wouldn't cost you games with boneheaded mistakes (he's never thrown more than 6 INT's in a season) and was significantly more successful than anyone the Bills have had under center since at least Drew Bledsoe. GM Brandon Beane apparently decided that Taylor's generally on-target and risk-averse decisionmaking would hinder them moving forward, so he traded him to the Browns and went onto select Josh Allen with the 7th overall pick in this year's draft to be his be successor. To say that Allen is the antithesis of Taylor is an understatement. Allen is an unpolished, big-armed gunslinger whose calling card at the University of Wyoming was constant overthrows, ugly INT's and performing poorly against top-tier competition. Throw in a group of lackluster receivers anchored by human roller-coaster ride Kelvin Benjamin and a drastically overhauled offensive line (more on that in the next paragraph), and you have a QB with arguably the highest odds of being a colossal bust since Johnny Manziel. A drastic, inexplicable move like dumping Taylor for a rookie that's a developmental project at best or an average veteran with less starting experience (AJ McCarron) indicates to me that the internal instability that has plagued the Bills for decades hasn't gone anywhere.
-Perhaps the most underdiscussed narrative in Buffalo this offseason has been the drastic losses they've suffered on their offensive line. Left tackle Cordy Glenn, left guard Richie Incognito and center Eric Wood, who were responsible for helping this o-line group blossom into one of the best in the league over the past few seasons, won't be lining up in front of (insert starting QB) this season. Making matters is worse who they're rolling out as replacements. Center Russell Bodine was below average at best during his tenure with the Bengals, right guard Vladimir Ducasse is a journeyman for a reason and while he looked very good at right tackle as a rookie, Dion Dawkins might not be polished enough at this point in his career to handle the daunting task of playing left tackle in the NFL. Add holdovers John Miller and Jordan Mills, who are among the biggest pass-blocking liabilities in the league, to the mix and you have a potential grand-scale disaster on your hands.Well at least they have a mobile quarterback to combat the turmoil that often comes with drastic offensive line shake-ups, oh wait.....
-Of course, the biggest elephant in the room for this organization as training camp gets underway is the status of LeSean McCoy. Earlier this month, the 30-year old star running back was accused of hiring a man to break into his ex-girlfriend's home in Georgia and assault her. With an inevitable suspension on the horizon for McCoy, the Bills are going to be forced to deploy a committee led by free agent pickup Chris Ivory. For a team that leans on the rushing attack more than pretty much any other team in the league, this is a legitimate nightmare scenario. Replacing a reliable dual-threat back who has posted over 1,500 yards from scrimmage in back-to-back seasons with a guy whose diminishing speed and inability to consistently find rushing lanes resulted him in losing his starting job with the Jaguars is a scary prospect for a team that has a new starting quarterback and no other proven weapons to speak of.
-Star Lotulelei was undoubtedly the biggest gamble of this year's free agency. While the Bills definitely needed an interior run-stuffer after finishing 29th in the league against the run in 2017, Lotulelei's age (he'll be 29 in December) and notable struggles for much of the past two seasons made his 5 year/$50 mil ($24.6 mil guaranteed) deal a bit of a head-scratcher. Fortunately, Sean McDermott is the person best equipped to help Lotulelei rediscover his mojo. Lotulelei was a consistent disruptor in the middle of the defensive line while McDermott was the Panthers defensive coordinator and a return to the system that made him a star (no pun intended) could help him regain the elite defensive tackle status he held not too long ago. The results of this reclamation project could very well end up determining if the Bills D maintains its middle-of-the-pack status or vaults into the top-tier.
-If there's anything to get excited about in Buffalo heading into 2018, it's their secondary. 2017 was an unreal season for their defensive backs as Micah Hyde, Jordan Poyer and Tre'Davious White all greatly exceeded expectations. Their play ended up being consistently strong enough for all of them to earn a spot on Pro Football Focus' Top 101 list, which grades out the league's 101 most productive players at the end of the season. Barring a surprise regression, this group appears to be in-line to be just as productive this season. The 20 INT milestone that White mentioned in an interview with The Athletic earlier this month might be a little ambitious, but this group of aggressive ballhawks absolutely have the instincts and talent to force a lot of QB's to make potentially game-altering mistakes.
Bottom Line:
The general sense of uncertainty lurking around just about every position on offense along with a much more difficult schedule makes a return to the AFC East basement they've become very acquainted with since Jim Kelly retired a virtual certainty.
-The Bills stunned the football world last season by clinching their 1st playoff berth since the Clinton administration. How did they celebrate this monumental achievement? By promptly dumping the starting quarterback that helped them get there of course! If you simply look at the numbers, you can make an argument that moving on from Tyrod Taylor was the right choice. He never threw for more than 3,035 YDS during his 3 seasons in Buffalo and his record as a starter is only 22-20. However, he is a smart, athletic QB that wouldn't cost you games with boneheaded mistakes (he's never thrown more than 6 INT's in a season) and was significantly more successful than anyone the Bills have had under center since at least Drew Bledsoe. GM Brandon Beane apparently decided that Taylor's generally on-target and risk-averse decisionmaking would hinder them moving forward, so he traded him to the Browns and went onto select Josh Allen with the 7th overall pick in this year's draft to be his be successor. To say that Allen is the antithesis of Taylor is an understatement. Allen is an unpolished, big-armed gunslinger whose calling card at the University of Wyoming was constant overthrows, ugly INT's and performing poorly against top-tier competition. Throw in a group of lackluster receivers anchored by human roller-coaster ride Kelvin Benjamin and a drastically overhauled offensive line (more on that in the next paragraph), and you have a QB with arguably the highest odds of being a colossal bust since Johnny Manziel. A drastic, inexplicable move like dumping Taylor for a rookie that's a developmental project at best or an average veteran with less starting experience (AJ McCarron) indicates to me that the internal instability that has plagued the Bills for decades hasn't gone anywhere.
-Perhaps the most underdiscussed narrative in Buffalo this offseason has been the drastic losses they've suffered on their offensive line. Left tackle Cordy Glenn, left guard Richie Incognito and center Eric Wood, who were responsible for helping this o-line group blossom into one of the best in the league over the past few seasons, won't be lining up in front of (insert starting QB) this season. Making matters is worse who they're rolling out as replacements. Center Russell Bodine was below average at best during his tenure with the Bengals, right guard Vladimir Ducasse is a journeyman for a reason and while he looked very good at right tackle as a rookie, Dion Dawkins might not be polished enough at this point in his career to handle the daunting task of playing left tackle in the NFL. Add holdovers John Miller and Jordan Mills, who are among the biggest pass-blocking liabilities in the league, to the mix and you have a potential grand-scale disaster on your hands.Well at least they have a mobile quarterback to combat the turmoil that often comes with drastic offensive line shake-ups, oh wait.....
-Of course, the biggest elephant in the room for this organization as training camp gets underway is the status of LeSean McCoy. Earlier this month, the 30-year old star running back was accused of hiring a man to break into his ex-girlfriend's home in Georgia and assault her. With an inevitable suspension on the horizon for McCoy, the Bills are going to be forced to deploy a committee led by free agent pickup Chris Ivory. For a team that leans on the rushing attack more than pretty much any other team in the league, this is a legitimate nightmare scenario. Replacing a reliable dual-threat back who has posted over 1,500 yards from scrimmage in back-to-back seasons with a guy whose diminishing speed and inability to consistently find rushing lanes resulted him in losing his starting job with the Jaguars is a scary prospect for a team that has a new starting quarterback and no other proven weapons to speak of.
-Star Lotulelei was undoubtedly the biggest gamble of this year's free agency. While the Bills definitely needed an interior run-stuffer after finishing 29th in the league against the run in 2017, Lotulelei's age (he'll be 29 in December) and notable struggles for much of the past two seasons made his 5 year/$50 mil ($24.6 mil guaranteed) deal a bit of a head-scratcher. Fortunately, Sean McDermott is the person best equipped to help Lotulelei rediscover his mojo. Lotulelei was a consistent disruptor in the middle of the defensive line while McDermott was the Panthers defensive coordinator and a return to the system that made him a star (no pun intended) could help him regain the elite defensive tackle status he held not too long ago. The results of this reclamation project could very well end up determining if the Bills D maintains its middle-of-the-pack status or vaults into the top-tier.
-If there's anything to get excited about in Buffalo heading into 2018, it's their secondary. 2017 was an unreal season for their defensive backs as Micah Hyde, Jordan Poyer and Tre'Davious White all greatly exceeded expectations. Their play ended up being consistently strong enough for all of them to earn a spot on Pro Football Focus' Top 101 list, which grades out the league's 101 most productive players at the end of the season. Barring a surprise regression, this group appears to be in-line to be just as productive this season. The 20 INT milestone that White mentioned in an interview with The Athletic earlier this month might be a little ambitious, but this group of aggressive ballhawks absolutely have the instincts and talent to force a lot of QB's to make potentially game-altering mistakes.
Bottom Line:
The general sense of uncertainty lurking around just about every position on offense along with a much more difficult schedule makes a return to the AFC East basement they've become very acquainted with since Jim Kelly retired a virtual certainty.
Miami Dolphins
2017 Record: 6-10 (3rd in AFC East)
Head Coach: Adam Gase (3rd year)
Notable Additions: G Josh Sitton, DE Robert Quinn, WR Albert Wilson
Notable Departures: DT Ndamukong Suh, WR Jarvis Landry, C Mike Pouncey
-Outside of Hue Jackson, I'd place Adam Gase atop the list of coaches most likely to be fired before the end of the season. Thanks to his well-publicized feuds with Jarvis Landry and Jay Ajayi, Gase has quietly reestablished the crippling level of internal toxicity that haunted this team during the Joe Philbin-era. Combine this unhealthy culture with the volume of talent (Landry, Ndamukong Suh, Mike Pouncey) that exited the building in the offseason and it's hard to envision a scenario where the type of epic dumpster fire that leads to pink slips getting handed out doesn't break out on 347 Don Shula Drive.
-Ryan Tannehill is set to return to the fold after missing all of 2017 with a torn ACL. As welcome as this may appear for Dolphins fans after enduring a pretty underwhelming campaign from Jay Cutler, Tannehill isn't exactly in a great position to enjoy a smooth return to action. While I'll give their brass credit for bringing in some veteran offensive lineman (guard Josh Sitton, center Daniel Kilgore) to protect their oft-injured franchise QB, their current group of receivers is pretty concerning. DeVante Parker has failed to live up to his high draft-pick status thus far, Albert Wilson is a splash-play specialist who has only registered 1,544 yards over the course of 4 seasons in the league, Danny Amendola is a bizarre enigma who can only perform in the playoffs and despite his respectable numbers since joining the Dolphins in 2016, Kenny Stills is still just a vertical threat with limited versatility that doesn't mesh well with Tannehill's limitations in the deep passing game. As unflashy as he was, Landry was one of the more reliable safety valves in the league throughout his tenure with the 'Phins and the lack of a clear replacement for that role could impede Tannehill's ability to gracefully return to the starting QB role.
-The situation at running back doesn't look much sunnier. After being blessed with a 1,000+ yard rusher (Lamar Miller and Ajayi) in his each of his last 2 seasons under center, Tannehill will now turn to Kenyan Drake and Frank Gore to lead the rushing attack. While Drake played pretty well (851 YDS from scrimmage and 4 TD's in the final 9 games of the year) after his playing time increased following the stunning midseason trade of Ajayi to the Eagles and Gore is an ageless wonder that has remained productive at an age (35) where most running backs are playing golf, entrusting either of them with the feature back gig isn't exactly a safe bet. The former is a complete wild card that didn't show much of anything until Ajayi was out of the picture while the latter just isn't explosive enough to be an uncontested lead back anymore. Solid play from either or both of these men would help take a lot of pressure off of Tannehill and is pretty much the only hope this team has of surpassing their low expectations.
-Miami's pass-rush next to Cameron Wake has been pretty putrid (their 30 sacks was tied for 26th in the league in 2017) since they decided to not re-sign rising star Oliver Vernon in 2016. This year, they might actually take a step closer to returning to their next form. 2017 1st-round pick Charles Harris showed some flashes during his relatively limited snaps last season and despite his struggles against the run, new acquisition Robert Quinn is a more-than-able pass-rusher who is coming off his most productive season (8.5 sacks) since 2014. For the sake of their young defensive back group (Xavien Howard, Cordrea Tankersly, Minkah Fitzpatrick) and defensive coordinator Matt Burke's employment status, this improvement in pass-rushing personnel better yield some tangible results.
Bottom Line:
A rebuild appears imminent in Miami, which means 2018 could end up being a tank job for the ages before Steven Ross cleans house yet again.
-Outside of Hue Jackson, I'd place Adam Gase atop the list of coaches most likely to be fired before the end of the season. Thanks to his well-publicized feuds with Jarvis Landry and Jay Ajayi, Gase has quietly reestablished the crippling level of internal toxicity that haunted this team during the Joe Philbin-era. Combine this unhealthy culture with the volume of talent (Landry, Ndamukong Suh, Mike Pouncey) that exited the building in the offseason and it's hard to envision a scenario where the type of epic dumpster fire that leads to pink slips getting handed out doesn't break out on 347 Don Shula Drive.
-Ryan Tannehill is set to return to the fold after missing all of 2017 with a torn ACL. As welcome as this may appear for Dolphins fans after enduring a pretty underwhelming campaign from Jay Cutler, Tannehill isn't exactly in a great position to enjoy a smooth return to action. While I'll give their brass credit for bringing in some veteran offensive lineman (guard Josh Sitton, center Daniel Kilgore) to protect their oft-injured franchise QB, their current group of receivers is pretty concerning. DeVante Parker has failed to live up to his high draft-pick status thus far, Albert Wilson is a splash-play specialist who has only registered 1,544 yards over the course of 4 seasons in the league, Danny Amendola is a bizarre enigma who can only perform in the playoffs and despite his respectable numbers since joining the Dolphins in 2016, Kenny Stills is still just a vertical threat with limited versatility that doesn't mesh well with Tannehill's limitations in the deep passing game. As unflashy as he was, Landry was one of the more reliable safety valves in the league throughout his tenure with the 'Phins and the lack of a clear replacement for that role could impede Tannehill's ability to gracefully return to the starting QB role.
-The situation at running back doesn't look much sunnier. After being blessed with a 1,000+ yard rusher (Lamar Miller and Ajayi) in his each of his last 2 seasons under center, Tannehill will now turn to Kenyan Drake and Frank Gore to lead the rushing attack. While Drake played pretty well (851 YDS from scrimmage and 4 TD's in the final 9 games of the year) after his playing time increased following the stunning midseason trade of Ajayi to the Eagles and Gore is an ageless wonder that has remained productive at an age (35) where most running backs are playing golf, entrusting either of them with the feature back gig isn't exactly a safe bet. The former is a complete wild card that didn't show much of anything until Ajayi was out of the picture while the latter just isn't explosive enough to be an uncontested lead back anymore. Solid play from either or both of these men would help take a lot of pressure off of Tannehill and is pretty much the only hope this team has of surpassing their low expectations.
-Miami's pass-rush next to Cameron Wake has been pretty putrid (their 30 sacks was tied for 26th in the league in 2017) since they decided to not re-sign rising star Oliver Vernon in 2016. This year, they might actually take a step closer to returning to their next form. 2017 1st-round pick Charles Harris showed some flashes during his relatively limited snaps last season and despite his struggles against the run, new acquisition Robert Quinn is a more-than-able pass-rusher who is coming off his most productive season (8.5 sacks) since 2014. For the sake of their young defensive back group (Xavien Howard, Cordrea Tankersly, Minkah Fitzpatrick) and defensive coordinator Matt Burke's employment status, this improvement in pass-rushing personnel better yield some tangible results.
Bottom Line:
A rebuild appears imminent in Miami, which means 2018 could end up being a tank job for the ages before Steven Ross cleans house yet again.
New England Patriots
2017 Record: 13-3 (1st in AFC East)
Head Coach: Bill Belichick (19th season)
Notable Additions: CB Jason McCourty, DE Adrian Clayborn, WR Jordan Matthews
Notable Departures: T Nate Solder, CB Malcolm Butler, WR Brandin Cooks
-If you want a brilliant example of how ass backwards the world is right now, take a look at how the Patriots offseason played out. The Super Bowl loss to the Eagles launched this usually buttoned-up franchise and loyal-to-a-fault fanbase into a sudden state of chaos. Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski's "cryptic" social media posts criticizing Belichick's military-esque regime, the brutal death of the "In Bill We Trust" movement following the inexplicable benching of Malcolm Butler in the Super Bowl and Duron Harmon getting arrested for trying to smuggle at least 58 grams of weed into Costa Rica via a fake iced tea can were just a few of the headlines from a turbulent offseason that killed the hollow façade that is "The Patriot Way". All of this petty, melodramatic garbage will likely subside once the regular season kicks into overdrive and they start crushing their opponents into oblivion on a nearly-weekly basis, but if for some reason they don't return to the standard of dominance they've maintained for the past two decades, the entire state of Massachusetts might turn into a post-apocalyptic wasteland.
-The biggest on-field problem for the Patriots this season will be finding a replacement for longtime left tackle Nate Solder, who left for the Giants in free agency. Despite his sometimes brutal lapses as a pass-blocker, Solder has been one of the more reliable and durable blind-side protectors in the league since he was drafted in 2011. The competition for the vitally-important job of keeping 41-year old Brady from getting roughed up by some of the league's best edge rushers appears to be narrowed down to rookie Isaiah Wynn and 4th-year player Trent Brown,who was acquired from the 49ers for a draft pick in late April. Wynn is a polished albeit undersized prospect with the athleticism that Belichick covets at that position while Brown is a massive mauler (6'8, 355 lbs) with 2 seasons of starting experience as a right tackle under his belt. Whoever ends up winning the gig has the benefit of being coached up by virtuoso o-line coach Dante Scarnecchia, which should make the transition a LOT smoother than it typically would be for a newly-minted NFL left tackle.
-Julian Edelman's suspension and the trade of Brandin Cooks has opened up a huge void in the Patriots receiving corps. Going into Week 1 with a receiving group led by subpar veterans including Chris Hogan, Jordan Matthews and Kenny Britt is a very scary proposition for a team whose darkest hours as an offense during the Brady/Belichick era occurred when they lacked a true number one receiving option. Having an unguardable freak in Rob Gronkowski lining up at tight end and a deep rotation of pass-catching running backs (Rex Burkhead, James White, rookie Sony Michel) will help soften the blow, but the spread-the-wealth approach they typically like to employ could take a notable hit if Hogan, Matthews, Britt or another dark horse wideout fails to step up.
-While I personally found the "Malcolm Butler benching cost the Patriots the Super Bowl" narrative to be a bit overblown, this secondary could be in deep shit if they can't find a respectable talent to place alongside top dog Stephon Gilmore at corner. Jason McCourty was brought into fill that role in free agency, but he's a nearly 31-year old corner whose recent output outside of his excellent 2017 campaign with the Browns has been less-than-stellar. If McCourty doesn't pan out, it's either back to playing a returning member from the group (Eric Rowe, Jonathan Jones) that spent Super Bowl Sunday getting repeatedly blown out of their cleats by members of the Eagles receiving corps or seeing how 2nd-round pick Duke Dawson, who was largely considered to be overdrafted, reacts when he's thrown to the wolves right away. Fun!
- As uneventful as their offseason was from a front 7 personnel move standpoint, they at least brought in a couple of pieces (Adrian Clayborn, Danny Shelton) that bolstered their depth along the defensive line. Meanwhile, they pretty much left their abysmal linebacking corps as is. As last season proved, this defense gets routinely torched at will in the middle of the field when Don'ta Hightower isn't playing. Not bringing in replacements for massive coverage/broken tackle liabilities like Kyle Van Noy and Elandon Roberts is a jaw-dropping oversight, especially when you consider how frequently Hightower gets banged up. Maybe late-round picks Ja'Whaun Bentley and Christian Sam will help fix this striking deficiency, but unless these rookies can make some improbable magic happen, the Patriots should be horrified about the quality of their linebackers going into this season.
Bottom Line:
No amount of behind-the-scenes garbage and doom-and-gloom scenarios about their personnel is going to prevent this team from winning the AFC East and at least contending for another Super Bowl victory this season.
-If you want a brilliant example of how ass backwards the world is right now, take a look at how the Patriots offseason played out. The Super Bowl loss to the Eagles launched this usually buttoned-up franchise and loyal-to-a-fault fanbase into a sudden state of chaos. Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski's "cryptic" social media posts criticizing Belichick's military-esque regime, the brutal death of the "In Bill We Trust" movement following the inexplicable benching of Malcolm Butler in the Super Bowl and Duron Harmon getting arrested for trying to smuggle at least 58 grams of weed into Costa Rica via a fake iced tea can were just a few of the headlines from a turbulent offseason that killed the hollow façade that is "The Patriot Way". All of this petty, melodramatic garbage will likely subside once the regular season kicks into overdrive and they start crushing their opponents into oblivion on a nearly-weekly basis, but if for some reason they don't return to the standard of dominance they've maintained for the past two decades, the entire state of Massachusetts might turn into a post-apocalyptic wasteland.
-The biggest on-field problem for the Patriots this season will be finding a replacement for longtime left tackle Nate Solder, who left for the Giants in free agency. Despite his sometimes brutal lapses as a pass-blocker, Solder has been one of the more reliable and durable blind-side protectors in the league since he was drafted in 2011. The competition for the vitally-important job of keeping 41-year old Brady from getting roughed up by some of the league's best edge rushers appears to be narrowed down to rookie Isaiah Wynn and 4th-year player Trent Brown,who was acquired from the 49ers for a draft pick in late April. Wynn is a polished albeit undersized prospect with the athleticism that Belichick covets at that position while Brown is a massive mauler (6'8, 355 lbs) with 2 seasons of starting experience as a right tackle under his belt. Whoever ends up winning the gig has the benefit of being coached up by virtuoso o-line coach Dante Scarnecchia, which should make the transition a LOT smoother than it typically would be for a newly-minted NFL left tackle.
-Julian Edelman's suspension and the trade of Brandin Cooks has opened up a huge void in the Patriots receiving corps. Going into Week 1 with a receiving group led by subpar veterans including Chris Hogan, Jordan Matthews and Kenny Britt is a very scary proposition for a team whose darkest hours as an offense during the Brady/Belichick era occurred when they lacked a true number one receiving option. Having an unguardable freak in Rob Gronkowski lining up at tight end and a deep rotation of pass-catching running backs (Rex Burkhead, James White, rookie Sony Michel) will help soften the blow, but the spread-the-wealth approach they typically like to employ could take a notable hit if Hogan, Matthews, Britt or another dark horse wideout fails to step up.
-While I personally found the "Malcolm Butler benching cost the Patriots the Super Bowl" narrative to be a bit overblown, this secondary could be in deep shit if they can't find a respectable talent to place alongside top dog Stephon Gilmore at corner. Jason McCourty was brought into fill that role in free agency, but he's a nearly 31-year old corner whose recent output outside of his excellent 2017 campaign with the Browns has been less-than-stellar. If McCourty doesn't pan out, it's either back to playing a returning member from the group (Eric Rowe, Jonathan Jones) that spent Super Bowl Sunday getting repeatedly blown out of their cleats by members of the Eagles receiving corps or seeing how 2nd-round pick Duke Dawson, who was largely considered to be overdrafted, reacts when he's thrown to the wolves right away. Fun!
- As uneventful as their offseason was from a front 7 personnel move standpoint, they at least brought in a couple of pieces (Adrian Clayborn, Danny Shelton) that bolstered their depth along the defensive line. Meanwhile, they pretty much left their abysmal linebacking corps as is. As last season proved, this defense gets routinely torched at will in the middle of the field when Don'ta Hightower isn't playing. Not bringing in replacements for massive coverage/broken tackle liabilities like Kyle Van Noy and Elandon Roberts is a jaw-dropping oversight, especially when you consider how frequently Hightower gets banged up. Maybe late-round picks Ja'Whaun Bentley and Christian Sam will help fix this striking deficiency, but unless these rookies can make some improbable magic happen, the Patriots should be horrified about the quality of their linebackers going into this season.
Bottom Line:
No amount of behind-the-scenes garbage and doom-and-gloom scenarios about their personnel is going to prevent this team from winning the AFC East and at least contending for another Super Bowl victory this season.
New York Jets
2017 Record: 5-11 (4th in AFC East)
Head Coach: Todd Bowles (4th season)
Notable Additions: CB Trumaine Johnson, RB Isaiah Crowell, ILB Avery Williamson
Notable Departures: DE Muhmmad Wilkerson, ILB Demario Davis, RB Matt Forte (retired)
-The 2017 Jets might've only won 5 games, but they did enough over those 16 games to convince me that Todd Bowles is the right coach to tackle this rebuild. The sheer hustle they displayed on a weekly basis paired with the level of production he got out of arguably the most talent-deprived roster in the league was very impressive. Could it just be coincidental boost in play and attitude because the team shed most of its toxic veterans? Sure, but I think it's more likely that guys are finally starting to buy into Bowles' system. Barring another round of substantial upheaval or failure to develop their promising young defensive talent (Jamal Adams, Leonard Williams, Marcus Maye), the Jets have no reason to not give Bowles a chance to turn this seemingly cursed franchise around.
-You could make a case that Sam Darnold is entering the most favorable situation of any of this year's rookie quarterbacks. He gets to be mentored by the universally-beloved Josh McCown, has a respectable group of receivers (Robby Anderson, Jermaine Kearse, Terrelle Pryor, Quincy Enunwa) and gets to work with an offensive coordinator in Jeremy Bates that has enjoyed some success in the past with young signalcallers (he was responsible for Jay Cutler's 4,500-yard season with the Broncos in 2008). Darnold was long perceived to be the most pro-ready QB prospect in this year's draft and this seemingly good environment with the Jets could help unlock his potential sooner than later.
-As much as I've applauded them for the surprising level of restraint they've displayed in signing big-name free agents over the past couple of seasons, the contracts they handed Trumaine Johnson (5 years/$72 mil/$34 mil guaranteed) and Isaiah Crowell (3 years/$12 mil) definitely aren't good values. Johnson is a merely respectable corner that is still coasting off of an excellent 2015 season where he got 7 INT's while the consistently mediocre Crowell is unlikely to perform much better than Bilal Powell did last season. While neither of these deals are going to kill their payroll and admittedly provide depth in areas where they struggled last season, they help create some alarming evidence that their dangerous practice of absurd overspending could return at some point in the near future.
-Like their peers in Buffalo, the Jets have a suspect o-line that could end up impeding the development of their young QB. Outside of competent left tackle Kelvin Beachum, this is a well below-average group (Brian Winters, Jonathan Carpenter, Brandon Shell, new addition Travis Swanson) that boasts a collectively shaky reputation as pass-protectors. These struggles are particularly alarming since horrific offensive line play was largely responsible for Darnold's disappointing season at USC in 2017. Great lineman are becomingly increasingly rare in the modern NFL (thanks college spread offenses!), but the Jets might be better off sparing Darnold from the massive toll of getting frequently pummeled for a second straight season until they (attempt) to sure up their o-line.
-The 2017 Jets might've only won 5 games, but they did enough over those 16 games to convince me that Todd Bowles is the right coach to tackle this rebuild. The sheer hustle they displayed on a weekly basis paired with the level of production he got out of arguably the most talent-deprived roster in the league was very impressive. Could it just be coincidental boost in play and attitude because the team shed most of its toxic veterans? Sure, but I think it's more likely that guys are finally starting to buy into Bowles' system. Barring another round of substantial upheaval or failure to develop their promising young defensive talent (Jamal Adams, Leonard Williams, Marcus Maye), the Jets have no reason to not give Bowles a chance to turn this seemingly cursed franchise around.
-You could make a case that Sam Darnold is entering the most favorable situation of any of this year's rookie quarterbacks. He gets to be mentored by the universally-beloved Josh McCown, has a respectable group of receivers (Robby Anderson, Jermaine Kearse, Terrelle Pryor, Quincy Enunwa) and gets to work with an offensive coordinator in Jeremy Bates that has enjoyed some success in the past with young signalcallers (he was responsible for Jay Cutler's 4,500-yard season with the Broncos in 2008). Darnold was long perceived to be the most pro-ready QB prospect in this year's draft and this seemingly good environment with the Jets could help unlock his potential sooner than later.
-As much as I've applauded them for the surprising level of restraint they've displayed in signing big-name free agents over the past couple of seasons, the contracts they handed Trumaine Johnson (5 years/$72 mil/$34 mil guaranteed) and Isaiah Crowell (3 years/$12 mil) definitely aren't good values. Johnson is a merely respectable corner that is still coasting off of an excellent 2015 season where he got 7 INT's while the consistently mediocre Crowell is unlikely to perform much better than Bilal Powell did last season. While neither of these deals are going to kill their payroll and admittedly provide depth in areas where they struggled last season, they help create some alarming evidence that their dangerous practice of absurd overspending could return at some point in the near future.
-Like their peers in Buffalo, the Jets have a suspect o-line that could end up impeding the development of their young QB. Outside of competent left tackle Kelvin Beachum, this is a well below-average group (Brian Winters, Jonathan Carpenter, Brandon Shell, new addition Travis Swanson) that boasts a collectively shaky reputation as pass-protectors. These struggles are particularly alarming since horrific offensive line play was largely responsible for Darnold's disappointing season at USC in 2017. Great lineman are becomingly increasingly rare in the modern NFL (thanks college spread offenses!), but the Jets might be better off sparing Darnold from the massive toll of getting frequently pummeled for a second straight season until they (attempt) to sure up their o-line.
Bottom Line:
While they still aren't an overly talented team on other side of the ball, I believe the Jets rebuild will take another step forward in 2018.
Projected Standings:
1.New England Patriots (11-5)
2.New York Jets (6-10)
3.Buffalo Bills (5-11)
4.Miami Dolphins (4-12)
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