AFC East Preview

1. New England Patriots (11-5)

Once again the Patriots finish atop the AFC East, although the Jets and Dolphins make this the most competitive division in the NFL. Tom Brady will continue to shred defenses through the air, and with the addition of Aaron Hernandez, the talented tight end out of the University of Florida, he will even be more difficult to stop. The Pats also added veteran defensive end Derrick Burgess, as well as rookies Gerard Warren and Brandon Spikes to an already talented defense.

2. Miami Dolphins (10-6)

The Miami Dolphins have made great strides in improving their team the past couple of years. They seem to have finally found their next franchise quarterback in Chad Henne, who came out of nowhere last year to take control of the reins. The addition of Brandon Marshall could make the Dolphins offense one of the best in the NFL, especially with the combination of Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams in the backfield. On the defensive side, the Dolphins added former Arizona Cardinal Carlos Dansby, one of the best outside linebackers in the game.

3. New York Jets (10-6)

The Jets are a victim of the best division in football. This team is literally overloaded with talent on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. Mark Sanchez will continue to groom into a franchise quarterback. The Jets also add former Superbowl MVP Santonio Holmes to an already strong receiving corps. LaDainian Tomlinson and rookie Joe McKnight will be great changeups for Shonn Greene, and the Jets have a great chance to lead the league in rushing again this year. The Jets even managed to improve their defense which was the best in the NFL last year with the addition of pro bowl pass rusher Jason Taylor.

4. Buffalo Bills (3-13)

This is going to be a rough year for the Bills….again. They still don’t have a starting quarterback, their once promising young halfback, Marshawn Lynch, has been nothing but problems, and Terrell Owens, their only real receiving threat is gone. Their defense, which was below average last year, hasn’t improved any. The lone bright spot for the 2010 season is C.J. Spiller, who has the potential to be an explosive player in the NFL, and strong contender for rookie of the tear.

Tagged as: Aaron Hernandez, AFC East, Arizona Cardinal, Brandon Marshall, Brandon Spikes, Buffalo Bills, C.J. Spiller, Carlos Dansby, Chad Henne, Derrick Burgess, Gerard Warren, Jason Taylor, LaDainian Tomlinson, Mark Sanchez, Marshawn Lynch, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets, NFL, quarterback, Ricky Williams, Ronnie Brown, Santonio Holmes, Shonn Greene, Superbowl MVP, Terrell Owens, University of Florida