Training camp is underway and we’re all excited about the 2024 season. We kick things off with the AFC East division. The Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills finished last year with the same record. The Bills had the tiebreaker after finishing the season on a 5-game winning streak. Miami dropped their final two games after starting the season off on the right foot. The Jets finished third after having their hopes dashed when Aaron Rodgers went down in the first game. The Patriots finished at the bottom of the division, which resulted in Bill Belichick being let go. All the teams in the AFC East made moves to improve their squads. Can the Bills continue to rule the AFC East? Can Aaron Rodgers stay healthy and lead the Jets to the top of the AFC East? How about the Miami Dolphins? Let’s check out Trav’s 2024 AFC East predictions below.
The Josh Allen led Buffalo Bills are still looking for that elusive Super Bowl appearance. We knew Buffalo were in for some changes and that’s exactly what they did. First off, they traded away Josh Allen’s best threat over the years in Stephon Diggs. Buffalo sent Diggs to Houston, and it was sort of expected. Diggs brought a lot of drama to the team, and we knew that he probably wore out his welcome. Buffalo did extend Dion Dawkins, which was critical as he’s one of the top offensive linemen in the league. They are hoping that the newly signed Marquez Valdes-Scantling and newly drafted Keon Coleman can fill the role. Curtis Samuel came over from Washington and this is a great pickup in my opinion. The defense is hoping to be upgraded after they suffered a couple of critical injuries. Buffalo should still contend for the AFC East.
Once again, the Miami Dolphins are going all in to win the AFC East and possibly the Super Bowl. In the beginning of the offseason, they went ahead and extended the contract of Jaylen Waddle. Waddle and Tyreek Hill are one of the best WR duos in the league. Miami is taking a chance on defense by bringing in a lot of veterans that have something to prove. The defense is already stout, but they addressed the secondary first. Miami signed Jordan Poyer after he was released by Buffalo. They also brought in Kendall Fuller from Washington. Shaq Barrett signed with the team to help at the LB position. The fate of the Dolphins comes down to the play of Tua Tagovailoa. Miami gave Tua a massive 4-year extension to show they still have faith in him. The biggest loss came in the form of losing Christian Wilkins on defense.
Despite having an abysmal season a year ago, New England had one of the better defenses in the league. As a result of them finishing 4-13, they let go of Bill Belichick and hired Jared Mayo as the new head coach. After trading franchise quarterback Mac Jones to Jacksonville, they needed a new signal caller. With their first round pick they selected Drake Maye from North Carolina. The Patriots brought in Jacoby Brissett as a solid, veteran backup to Maye. New England focused on improving their offense during the offseason. At WR, they signed Kendrick Bourne, Jalen Reagor, and K.J. Osborn to give Maye some threats. Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper are both solid TEs and will offer Maye security. There will be some growing pains in New England, but this team is trending in the right direction. Will they be good enough to compete in the AFC East this season?
Last, but not least, we have the New York Jets. First off, their season will depend on the health of Aaron Rodgers. With Rodgers, they are legit title contenders and we saw how last season played out without him. The Jets have done everything in their power to surround him with more talent. The Jets traded away Zach Wilson and brought in Tyrod Taylor, which is an upgrade in the QB room. The Jets took a chance on a couple of players on offense. First, they brought in future Hall-of-Famer Tyron Smith from the Dallas Cowboys to sure up the line. New York also signed Mike Williams from the Chargers to a one-year deal. Williams is coming off tearing his ACL in Week 3 a season ago and he’s had several injuries also. With this stout defense, this team could compete and win the AFC East.
Trav’s 2024 AFC East Standings
- Miami Dolphins
- New York Jets
- Buffalo Bills
- New England Patriots