AFC East Offseason Grades Patriots Progress or Plu
FOXBORO Following their 7-9 finish to the 2020 NFL Season, the New England Patriots entered the 2021 season with a clear intent to return to their winning ways. With rookie , the Patriots began the season 24. However, they won eight of their next 11 games and finished with a 107 record to secure a wild card New York Giants Accessories berth. In their first wild card appearance under head coach Bill Belichick, the Patriots were defeated 47-17 by their division-rival Buffalo Bills. With a , some key veteran additions via free agency, and a rookie cla s which features , the New England Patriots are looking to improve upon their performance in 2021. However, the Patriots were far from the only team in the AFC East making notable improvements. With training camps set to begin throughout the league, for each team in the division.Who made the biggest improvements? Who still needs the most help? Find out below:BUFFALO BILLSKey additions: Von Miller, DE (FA); Shaq Lawson, DE (FA); Jordan Phillips, DT (FA); DaQuan Jones, DT (FA); Tim Settle, DT (FA); Ike Boettger, G (re-signed); Greg Mancz, G (FA); Kaiir Elam, CB (draft); Christian Benford, CB (draft); Rodger Saffold, G (FA); Ryan Bates, G (re-signed); Terrel Bernard, LB (draft); Baylon Spector, LB (draft); Matt Araiza, P (draft); Case Keenum, QB (trade); James Cook, RB (draft); Duke Johnson, RB (FA); Taiwan Jones, RB (re-signed); David Que senberry, T (FA); O.J. Howard, TE (FA); Tavon Austin, WR (FA); Jamison Crowder, WR (FA); Khalil Shakir, WR (draft)Key lo ses: Levi Wallace, CB (FA); Star Lotulelei, DT (released); Mario Addison, DE (FA), Jerry Hughes, DE (FA); Emmanuel Sanders, WR (FA); Cole Beasley, WR (released); Daryl Williams, OL (released); Jon Feliciano, G (released); Mitchell Trubisky, QB (FA); Efe Obada, DE (FA); Vernon Butler, DT Corey Webster Jersey (FA); Harrison Phillips, DT (FA); A.J. Klein, LB (released)Offseason grade: B+. For a team thats advanced in the playoffs in each of the past two seasons, the Bills have had quite a significant amount of roster turnover this year, but almost all of it has been for the better. They added the top pa s rusher on the free-agent market in Miller, bolstered both lines with other key free-agent additions such as Saffold, Phillips, Settle and Lawson, replaced backup QB Mitchell Trubisky with someone even more accomplished in Keenum and drafted Elam in the first round. They also drafted Cook, who should help in the pa sing game and added Crowder and Austin. GM Brandon Beane did this all by staying under the salary cap, too.Biggest question: Whats happening at cornerback? TreDavious White had surgery to fix a ruptured ACL in December, and remains out indefinitely. Their other starter on the outside, Wallace, was allowed to depart in free agency. The Bills responded by drafting two corners in Elam and Benford but not adding any veterans. As long as White is out of the picture, they will need Dane Jackson and probably Elam to step into a defense that was ranked No. 1 in scoring and yards last season and prove they belong.Fantasy fact: Allen has finished as the No. 1 quarterback in fantasy points in each of the past two seasons. Can he do it for a third consecutive year? Well, only two other quarterbacks have accomplished the feat in the Super Bowl era. Steve Young finished first in 1992, 1993 and 1994, and Brett Favre finished first in 1995, 1996 and 1997. Can Allen join the list? Key additions: New York Giants Hoodies Sweatshirts Cole Strange, OL (draft); Tyquan Thornton, WR (draft); James White, RB (re-signed); Mack Wilson, LB (trade); Malcolm Butler, CB (FA); Jakobi Meyers, WR (re-signed); Devin McCourty, S (re-signed); Ty Montgomery, WR (FA); Nick Folk, K (re-signed); Trent Brown, OL (re-signed); DeVante Parker, WR (trade); Jabrill Peppers, S (FA); LilJordan Humphrey, WR (FA).Key lo ses: Kyle Van Noy, LB (FA); Shaq Mason, OL (trade); Chase Winovich, DE (trade); J.C. Jackson, CB (FA); Gunner Olszewski, ST (FA); Ted Karras, OL (FA); Donta Hightower, LB (FA)Scroll to ContinueOffseason grade: C-Coming off a disappointing season in which a 9-4 start deteriorated into an embarra sing 30-point playoff lo s to the Buffalo Bills, the Patriots responded by making no drastic moves in the offseason. Defensively, New England lost a Pro Bowl playmaker in Jackson and moved to replace him with Butler and Texans free agent Mitchell. While most thought Bill Belichick would look to improve a sagging linebacker corps, he merely acquired Browns castoff Mack Wilson and, surprisingly, didnt addre s the position in 10 draft choices. On offense, the Patriots filled the void left by Mason and Karras by reaching in the first round for Strange and then curiously using picks New York Giants Jersey on two of their deepest positions: quarterback and running back. The departure of long-time offensive play caller Josh McDaniels to the Las Vegas Raiders left the immediate future of second-year quarterback Mack Jones in the unproven hands of Joe Judge and Matt Patricia.Biggest question: Who is the Patriots No. 1 receiver? They traded for Parker, but in an AFC East that boasts Tyreek Hill (Dolphins), Stefon Diggs (Bills) and Garrett Wilson (Jets), can veterans Meyers, Kendrick Bourne, NKeal Harry and Nelson Agholor, or rookie speedster Thornton step up?Fantasy fact: Damien Harris had 15 touchdowns and finished with 210.1 fantasy points last season. The only Patriots back to score more touchdowns in a single season in the last 20 years is LeGarrette Blount (18 touchdowns in 2016). Only James White (2018), Corey Dillon (2004) and Blount have Odell Beckham Jr T Shirts scored more points than Harris for New England in that time. Key additions: WR Tyreek Hill (trade); T Terron Armstead (FA); WR Cedrick Wilson Jr. (FA); C/G Connor Williams (FA); RB Chase Edmonds (FA); RB Raheem Mostert (FA); RB Sony Michel (FA); QB Teddy Bridgewater (FA); DE Emmanuel Ogbah (FA/re-signed); TE Mike Gesicki (FA/re-signed)Key lo ses: WR DeVante Parker (trade); RB Duke Johnson (FA); QB Jacoby Bri sett (FA); G/T Je se Davis (released)Offseason grade: AConsidering the Dolphins were able to upgrade practically everywhere on offense and keep intact a pretty good defense, its difficult to pick at anything they did in the offseason. The acquisitions of Hill and Armstead were the headline grabbers, for sure, but Bridgewater is a significant upgrade over Bri sett as the backup quarterback. The trio of Mostert, Edmonds and Michel is more dynamic than what the Dolphins had last year, and Wilson complements the addition of Hill. On defense, the Dolphins were able to retain a long list of pending free agents headed by Ogbah but also featuring Elandon Roberts, Duke Riley and Brennan Scarlett, among others. Its hard to find fault with the overall body of work for a team that was one game out of the pl