New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are the model organization of the NFL, and it has been for almost 20 years. However, the front office experienced some drama last season after the 49ers traded for Jimmy Garappolo. Coach Bill Belichick also caused a stir with benching CB Malcolm Butler in Super Bowl LII against the Eagles. Star players Rob Gronkowski and Tom Brady skipped Voluntary OTAs, and several key players left in free agency, such as the previously stated Malcolm Butler. The question is, can they put this beside them and continue the so-called "Patriot Way"? As long as TB12 is the quarterback and Belichick is their coach, the Patriots are sure-fire AFC Contenders.
Key Player to Watch:
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| Patriots WR Malcolm Mitchell |
Buffalo Bills
Biggest Question:
AJ McCarron, as it stands, will be the starting QB for the Buffalo Bills at the start of the season. No disrespect to AJ, but a lot of Bills fans probably don't have confidence in a guy who couldn't beat out Andy Dalton for a starting spot, and someone who has not played meaningful snaps since the 2015 playoffs. The other QB options in Buffalo are interception machine Nathan Peterman and raw rookie Josh Allen. The key name is Allen. Josh Allen has all the arm talent in the world, but he struggled to be productive in his last season at Wyoming. If Allen overachieves and performs well in training camp and the preseason, he could potentially land the starting job sometime during the season. Perhaps during week 1.
Key Player to Watch:
LB Tremaine Edmunds. After selecting Allen 7th overall, the Bills sent a king's ransom of picks to select the talented linebacker out of Virginia Tech 16th overall. It is likely that Edmunds will be the starting middle linebacker at the start of the season. Edmunds' unique blend of speed and size give him an exciting upside. Edmunds will need to establish himself as a leader and a tackling force in Sean McDermott's defense, which he did at Virginia Tech. He already showed some of those capabilities at OTAs; the question is can he keep it up in training camp and into the season?New York Jets
Biggest Question:
The New York Jets enter this season with a large selection of skill position players. Let's start with their receiving corps. Robby Anderson showed flashes last year of being a potential #1 wide receiver. However, he had off the field issues, and according to USA Today, the NFL is investigating his case. If he is found to violate the NFL's personal conduct policy, he could face a suspension. Other players such as Quincy Enunwa, Jermaine Kearse, and Terrelle Pryor all are intriguing options, but they need to prove themselves in training camp. As for running backs, the Jets brought in Isiah Crowell and Thomas Rawls, players who had injury problems last season, but they had productive seasons before that in 2016. These guys join a running back group which includes Eli Mcguirre and Bilal Powell, who played on a running back committee last year. The Jets need a top running game to support veteran QB Josh McCown or 3rd overall pick Sam Darnold, who by the way should benefit learning under a seasoned veteran in McCown.
Key Player to Watch:
CB Trumaine Johnson. Trumaine is a former Los Angeles Ram, where he was the #1 corner there from 2015-2017. He was let go after the team signed Aqib Talib and traded for Marcus Peters, and it was determined that Johnson was too expensive for a 3rd cornerback. Trumaine joins a pass defense that allowed 30 passing touchdowns, which was ranked #29 in the NFL. However, the pass defense boasts the likes of Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye, two safeties who showed flashes of greatness in their rookie years last season. Johnson can play very well as a slot cornerback, which is likely where he will play in the Big Apple. With Johnson added to this young and speedy secondary, expect the Jets to improve in pass defense this season.
Image sources:
https://www.profootballrumors.com/2018/07/malcolm-mitchell-undergoes-knee-surgery
https://dolphinswire.usatoday.com/2018/07/23/dolphins-sophomore-player-profile-lb-raekwon-mcmillan/
Key Player to Watch:
CB Trumaine Johnson. Trumaine is a former Los Angeles Ram, where he was the #1 corner there from 2015-2017. He was let go after the team signed Aqib Talib and traded for Marcus Peters, and it was determined that Johnson was too expensive for a 3rd cornerback. Trumaine joins a pass defense that allowed 30 passing touchdowns, which was ranked #29 in the NFL. However, the pass defense boasts the likes of Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye, two safeties who showed flashes of greatness in their rookie years last season. Johnson can play very well as a slot cornerback, which is likely where he will play in the Big Apple. With Johnson added to this young and speedy secondary, expect the Jets to improve in pass defense this season.
Miami Dolphins
Biggest Question:
Ryan Tannehill last played NFL football on December 11th, 2016, which if Tannehill starts week 1, it will be a 637-day gap between snaps during an NFL game. For the Dolphins to succeed, Tannehill must have a good season, which he is capable of, but he has been inconsistent ever since drafted in 2012. Tannehill is not the only question mark on this offense. The Dolphins replaced much of their offensive core, including leading receiver Jarvis Landry, Julius Thomas, and pro bowl center Mike Pouncey. They tried to replace these players by signing WR Danny Amendola and C Daniel Kilgore, as well as drafting Penn St. TE Mike Gesicki in the 2nd round. All of these players are key to improving an offense that was ranked 25th in yards gained, and 28th in points scored. The Dolphins look to Run a fast-paced offense with Ryan Tannehill at the helm, which coach Adam Gase hopes will fix an offense that struggled last year.
Key Player to Watch:
LB Raekwon McMillan. McMillan was a 2nd round pick in 2017, who unfortunately has his season end due to a knee injury in preseason. The Dolphins have high hopes that McMillan can assume the role of starting MLB this season without injury. McMillan was a very good coverage linebacker at Ohio State, which is something the Dolphins struggled to do last year at the linebacker position. He also has a very high football IQ, as he has an uncanny ability to anticipate the run, getting 7 tackles for loss in his final year at Ohio State. Miami runs a heavy zone defense, which is the defense that McMillan excelled at during his tenure with the Buckeyes. The Dolphins need to see some of that at training camp, to feel confident that they have found their guy at MLB.
Ryan Tannehill last played NFL football on December 11th, 2016, which if Tannehill starts week 1, it will be a 637-day gap between snaps during an NFL game. For the Dolphins to succeed, Tannehill must have a good season, which he is capable of, but he has been inconsistent ever since drafted in 2012. Tannehill is not the only question mark on this offense. The Dolphins replaced much of their offensive core, including leading receiver Jarvis Landry, Julius Thomas, and pro bowl center Mike Pouncey. They tried to replace these players by signing WR Danny Amendola and C Daniel Kilgore, as well as drafting Penn St. TE Mike Gesicki in the 2nd round. All of these players are key to improving an offense that was ranked 25th in yards gained, and 28th in points scored. The Dolphins look to Run a fast-paced offense with Ryan Tannehill at the helm, which coach Adam Gase hopes will fix an offense that struggled last year.
Key Player to Watch:
LB Raekwon McMillan. McMillan was a 2nd round pick in 2017, who unfortunately has his season end due to a knee injury in preseason. The Dolphins have high hopes that McMillan can assume the role of starting MLB this season without injury. McMillan was a very good coverage linebacker at Ohio State, which is something the Dolphins struggled to do last year at the linebacker position. He also has a very high football IQ, as he has an uncanny ability to anticipate the run, getting 7 tackles for loss in his final year at Ohio State. Miami runs a heavy zone defense, which is the defense that McMillan excelled at during his tenure with the Buckeyes. The Dolphins need to see some of that at training camp, to feel confident that they have found their guy at MLB.
Image sources:
https://www.profootballrumors.com/2018/07/malcolm-mitchell-undergoes-knee-surgery
https://dolphinswire.usatoday.com/2018/07/23/dolphins-sophomore-player-profile-lb-raekwon-mcmillan/
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