Tag: AFC East

AFC East offseason: Latest on Patriots’ QB situation post-Tom Brady

When the Patriots officially lost Brady, Jarrett Stidham and Cody Kessler were their only quarterback options on their roster.

With the start of free agency in the history books for the 2020 offseason, two of the biggest moves in the entire NFL came via the AFC East.

Of course, the Bills landed receiver Stefon Diggs via trade. In regard to signings, Tom Brady is now a former Patriots player, having signed for the Buccaneers. It’s a day that Bills fans were told was eventually going to come, but it took a lot longer than expected.

But the show goes on, and somebody is going to throw passes against the Bills defense in 2020 for the Patriots.

When the Patriots officially lost Brady, Jarrett Stidham and Cody Kessler were their only quarterback options on their roster. Stidham figures to be ahead of Kessler on the depth chart. Kessler is a career backup, but Stidhham only 2-for-4 passing in his career and a second-year pro.

The Patriots have since added a familiar face in one of their former backups, Brian Hoyer. He signed a one-year deal worth $1 million with the Patriots.

The 34-year-old veteran was drafted by the Patriots in 2009 and is on his third stint with the team. While an uninspiring move, Patriots Wire reports that Hoyer will very much be in the battle to be named the team’s starting quarterback. In fact, Hoyer also reportedly took less money from the Pats to be giving an opportunity. Hoyer has 38 career starts and a 16-22 overall record. Kessler is 2-10 in his career.

But that Patriots might not be done adding. Again via Patriots Wire, New England is looking toward the NFL Draft, even doing a deep dive into prospects now. Reportedly even “closely vetting” the lesser-known prospect in Florida International quarterback James Morgan.

The Bills will welcome any of these names with open arms, so long as they are not Brady.

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Early over/ under for Bills in 2020

The NFL offseason is young, but Las Vegas sportsbooks are already making guesses.

The NFL offseason is young, but Las Vegas sportsbooks are already making guesses. Despite the recent changes around the NFL and AFC East, specifically, via the start of free agency, it’s still business as usual.

According to BetMGM, the Patriots are the divisional favorite, despite their loss of quarterback Tom Brady. However, the Patriots did have one of the NFL’s best defensive units in the league last year so there’s that to consider.

The Pats’ early over/ under total lands at 9.5

But the Bills also have a stout defense, and instead of losing key pieces on offense, they’ve added. Stefon Diggs recently headed to western New York via trade, but Buffalo’s over/ under total is slated just below the Patriots at 8.5.

As the offseason churns on, things are likely going to change for every team in the division, so before the start of the 2020 season, the Bills could eventually become the favorite. It’s a fluid situation, but oddsmakers are still trusting Bill Belichick more, if ever so slightly.

Around the same time just a year ago, the Patriots had a much bigger edge. Their over/ under landed at 11 wins, compared to the Bills at six.

That leap from six wins to 8.5 also sees the Bills overtake the Jets as the second-favorite in the division in this early stage of the offseason as compared to last year. In 2019, the Jets landed at an over/ under of seven.

Flash forward to the present, the Jets drop down to an over/ under of 6.5 wins, slightly edging out the Dolphins, who have an over/ under of six.

In regard to the entire conference, clubhouse leaders include the Chiefs (11.5) and Ravens (11).

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Ranking NFL divisions from best to worst after the first wave of free agency

We have a long way to go to really rank divisions, but there’s not much going on in the NFL right now. Tom Brady is signed. The draft isn’t until late April. We are in a bit of a dead zone. That’s exactly why it’s time to rank the divisions. We got …

We have a long way to go to really rank divisions, but there’s not much going on in the NFL right now. Tom Brady is signed. The draft isn’t until late April. We are in a bit of a dead zone. That’s exactly why it’s time to rank the divisions. We got the time. Obviously, things could change over the next few months, but most teams have their core squad already set. Let’s rank the divisions from first to worst.

Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

NFC West

The NFC West is stacked. The Niners will compete to try and make back to back Super Bowl. Although they did trade DeForest Buckner, there is enough talent on that defense where they shouldn’t take a step back. Another year of Jimmy Garoppolo in Kyle Shanahan’s system should help the continuity of the offense and now they have a high draft pick to go and take a wide receiver in the first round of the draft.

The Seahawks always figure out a way to remain competitive and will do so as long as Russell Wilson is at the helm of the offense. Seattle made it to the NFC divisional round in a year where a lot of people thought they would be rebuilding.

The Cardinals will be a trendy pick to make a massive leap this season. It will be Kyler Murray’s second year at the helm of Kliff Kingsbury’s system and now they added DeAndre Hopkins. If they can figure out how to be average on defense they could have a big year.

It could be argued that the Rams will be picked as the worst team in the division before the season starts. Think about that. It’s the same Rams team that would have made the playoffs last year if this year’s format was used. It’s the team that was in the Super Bowl two seasons ago.

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The AFC East is a whole new world in year one after Tom Brady

The AFC East is a whole new world in year one after Tom Brady

For the last twenty years, the AFC East has been the New England Patriots and then everyone else. The Patriots have systemically churned out 11+ wins per season, claimed their annual AFC East title and moved onward and upward come January. That might still be the case in 2020 — but if it is, it will be the best work yet by head coach Bill Belichick.

Because as the ghost of Tom Brady threatens to haunt New England, and in some ways already is, the rest of the AFC East is gearing up to take back what they’ve been deprived of for so long.

The Patriots have never been worse off. The rest of the AFC East? There are varying degrees of expectations. But all expect to be better in 2020 and all expect to compete in what could be a “wild, wild west” of a division. Here’s a breakdown of where each of the AFC East’s teams stands as of today.

Miami Dolphins

2019 record: 5-11 (Won last 2)
2020 salary cap space: $39.98M (3rd in NFL)
2020 NFL Draft selections: 14 (5 in the top-75)

Key additions: CB Byron Jones, LB Kyle Van Noy, DE Shaq Lawson, OG Ereck Flowers, RB Jordan Howard
Key departures: OC Chad O’Shea

New England Patriots

2019 record: 12-4 (Lost last 2)
2020 salary cap space: $4.60M (29th in NFL)
2020 NFL Draft selections: 12 (1 in the top-75)

Key additions: QB Brian Hoyer, DL Beau Allen
Key departures: QB Tom Brady, DL Danny Shelton, LB Jamie Collins, LB Kyle Van Noy, OL Ted Karras

Buffalo Bills

2019 record: 10-6 (Lost last 1)
2020 salary cap space: $32.92M (5th in NFL)
2020 NFL Draft selections: 7 (1 in the top-75)

Key additions: WR Stefon Diggs, DE Mario Addison, LB AJ Klein
Key departures: DE Shaq Lawson, DL Jordan Phillips

New York Jets

2019 record: 7-9 (Won last 2)
2020 salary cap space: $42.08M (2nd in NFL)
2020 NFL Draft selections: 8 (3 in the top-75)

Key additions: OT George Fant, C Connor McGovern, CB Pierre Desir, OG Greg Van Roten
Key departures: OT Brandon Shell, OT Kelvin Beachum, CB Trumaine Johnson, WR Robby Anderson (pending free agent, could return)

Oddsmakers: Latest AFC East odds post-Tom Brady

One would think so, but they’re not. According to Bet Online’s latest odds, the New England Patriots are still the current favorite. But things have changed. Odds are much closer. 

The Buffalo Bills are the favorites in the AFC East after Tom Brady’s departure, right?

One would think so, but they’re not. According to Bet Online‘s latest odds, the New England Patriots are still the current favorite. But things have changed. Odds are much closer.

The Patriots were slated 2/5 odds to win the AFC East on March 3. That’s now changed to 10/11 odds. Things have also improved for the rest of the division, including the Bills.

Here’s how those all lineup currently:

  • Patriots: 10/11 (2/3 previously)
  • Bills: 7/4 (7/2)
  • Jets: 13/2 (7/1)
  • Dolphins: 10/1 (20/1)

While the Patriots are the favorites now, things will certainly change. The Patriots currently don’t have a starting quarterback yet, just Jarrett Stidham. Roster changes will happen across the division, too.

So get ready, the Bills just might be the favorites to win their first AFC East crown since 1995.

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With Tom Brady gone, Josh Allen is AFC East’s winningest starting QB

Don’t let the door hit you on the way out, but you’ve been sitting on the throne for far too long. In fact, that’s now a throne that belongs to Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen. 

Congratulations to Tom Brady on a heck of a career in the AFC East.

Don’t let the door hit you on the way out, but you’ve been sitting on the throne for far too long. In fact, that’s now a throne that belongs to Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen.

Brady announced Tuesday that he is leaving the Patriots; all signs point to a deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

So with Brady out, facts are facts. The AFC East now has a new winningest quarterback residing in it, and it’s Allen.

Brady’s 219-64 career record was going to be tough for anyone to beat. Allen currently sits at a 15-12 record in his career. Really, it’s a 15-11 record because one of those losses includes a Nathan Peterman pick-six interception which helped the Houston Texans beat the Bills once upon a time, but 15-12 it is. Allen started that game and got the loss, but he left it due to injury.

Moving around the horn, the New York Jets had a pretty brutal season in 2019, which also included Sam Darnold’s spell with mono. Overall, Darnold’s record is nearly the exact opposite of Allen’s record at 11-15 overall.

The next two teams are nearly a wash. Currently the Miami Dolphins starting quarterback is Ryan Fitzpatrick. While there’s love for Fitz in Buffalo, his career record is 55-83-1. With Miami he’s 5-8 and only has one non-losing record with a team, a 6-6 record with the Texans. For what it’s worth, he was 20-33 overall with the Bills.

Wrapping up with New England, like the Dolphins, their  current and most-realistic situation is that of a starting quarterback who is 0-0.

Jarrett Stidham is technically their No. 1 QB as things stand, and he’s 0-0. But if the Patriots, bring in a rookie to compete, as the Dolphins are likely to do, that’s still 0-0. Another veteran addition is possible, but typically when quarterbacks are on the open market, they don’t have winning records either.

In terms of individual stats, you can’t really compare since Fitzpatrick has started over 100 games more than both Darnold and Allen. So in the fairest of comparisons via record… and Allen reigns supreme.

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With Brady gone, Darnold is AFC East’s longest-tenured starting QB

Jets quarterback Sam Darnold is now the longest tenured starting quarterback in the AFC East.

Tom Brady has been a constant in the AFC East for the last 20 years, but that’s going to change in 2020.

Brady announced Tuesday that he is ready to take his football talents elsewhere; all signs point to a deal with Tampa Bay. He and the Patriots could not come to an agreement that met both sides’ desires, so instead of trying to work it out the two ultimately decided it was time to move on from each other.

With Brady now out of the AFC East, Jets quarterback Sam Darnold is the longest-tenured starting QB in the division. He made his first start in Week 1, 2018 against the Detroit Lions.

Bills quarterback Josh Allen has started more games in his career with 27 compared to Darnold’s 26. That’s because Darnold has missed six games in his first two seasons with various injuries and illnesses. However, Darnold was the one to start in the NFL right away. Allen didn’t make his first career start in the NFL until Week 2, 2018 against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Numbers-wise, Darnold and Allen are pretty close. Darnold has thrown for 5,889 yards, 36 touchdowns and 28 interceptions with a 59.9 percent completion percentage. Allen has thrown for 5,163 yards, 30 touchdowns, 21 interceptions and has a 56.3 percent completion percentage. Allen also has 17 rushing touchdowns.

These two quarterbacks are now the faces of the AFC East with Brady gone. The Patriots have a variety of different ways they can go at quarterback, while the Dolphins will more than likely find their next quarterback in the upcoming draft.

It’s crazy to think two years after being drafted that Darnold and Allen are the best and most senior quarterbacks in the division now.

5 takeaways from the Bills’ trade for Stefon Diggs

The Bills made a bold move to acquire Stefon Diggs in a massive trade that can shake up the AFC.

The Buffalo Bills made a big splash in free agency via trade late Monday by acquiring former Minnesota Vikings wide receiver, Stefon Diggs. The new wide receiver is coming off a season where he averaged 17.9 yards per catch, caught six touchdowns, and amassed 1,130 yards on 63 catches.

Diggs was clearly unhappy in Minnesota, and got the move he wanted out and to Buffalo. There are plenty of variables going into this trade, but here some key things to note.

Here are five takeaways from the Bills’ trade for Stefon Diggs:

Stefon Diggs #14 of the Minnesota Vikings. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)

Receiver depth

The Bills made strides in improving their receiver corp last offseason with the additions of John Brown and Cole Beasley. The two made instant impacts during their first season, but the receiving corp around them lacked. The pair combined for 1,838 receiving yards and 12 total touchdowns.

The rest of the Buffalo’s pass catchers, including running backs, (15) totaled 1,251 receiving yards and caught eight touchdowns. There was clearly room for improvement behind the pair of Beasley and Brown. The addition of Stefon Diggs will give Buffalo another option whether, it be downfield or in the slot. This sort of versatility can create a more dynamic, and unpredictable offense. Plus, it’s assumed that Diggs will be the No. 1 wideout on Buffalo’s depth chart. Brown put up 1,060 yards last season while Beasley had six touchdowns. Both of those were career-highs for them, and now they’re going to draw weaker defensive backs from opponents as Diggs will get all the attention.

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Bye bye Brady: Patriots legend, Jets nemesis leaving New England

Tom Brady has officially announced that he is not returning to the Patriots.

Tom Brady has been tormenting the Jets for the last 20 years, but New York’s interdivisional nightmare is over.

Brady announced on multiple social media platforms that his “football journey will take place elsewhere.” He doesn’t know where that will take place yet, but it won’t be New England or within the AFC East.

The Chargers and Bucs are among his most likely suitors.

Brady went 30-8 against the Jets during his time as the Patriots’ quarterback. The only team he has more wins against is another AFC East foe, the Buffalo Bills. Since 2000, Brady and Bill Belichick have dominated the AFC East — and the rest of the NFL. They’ve won the AFC East 20 times over the last two decades with six Super Bowl wins in that span.

Brady’s stats throughout his Patriots career are unreal. Brady threw for 74,571 yards and 541 touchdowns in New England, the highest totals for a single team in NFL history. He’s also a 14-time Pro Bowler, five-time All-Pro, and three-time MVP.

For Jets fans, the bar is not high, but this is something to celebrate. They’ve dreamt of this day for a long time.

Now the AFC East is going to look completely different with Brady gone. Josh Allen and Sam Darnold are the top two quarterbacks in the division now, while Miami still doesn’t have a quarterback yet. The Patriots could go a few different ways, as could Brady.

It’s safe to say that the AFC East is as open as ever with Brady’s time in New England officially coming to a close.

AFC East offseason: Tom Brady announces he’s leaving the Patriots

Perhaps because it’s so surreal, we’ll keep it short and sweet. Quarterback Tom Brady took to his social media accounts and announced he’s leaving the New England Patriots and AFC East.

March 17, 2020, folks. The day has finally come.

Perhaps because it’s so surreal, we’ll keep it short and sweet. Quarterback Tom Brady took to his social media accounts and announced he’s leaving the New England Patriots and AFC East.

Brady’s note thanks all his teammates, coaches, fans, and other relating to the Patriots, but contains one key note: “My football journey will take place elsewhere.”

Although, it doesn’t indicate exactly where.

Here’s Brady’s two notes via his Twitter account:

Stay tuned to find out exactly where Brady’s going to land. Suspected landing spots include the Chargers, Raiders and Bears. The Titans took themselves out of that race by re-signing quarterback Ryan Tannehill.

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