Buffalo Bills
Last season: 7-9 (3rd in AFC East), missed playoffs
Keep Tyrod Taylor
Quarterbacks are difficult to find, so when a team gets a good one, they would be wise to keep him around. I don’t think Cardale Jones will ever be the answer in Buffalo or anywhere else in the NFL, so it doesn’t make sense for Buffalo to get rid of Tyrod without a really good replacement in mind and in hand.
Pair Mike Williams with Sammy Watkins
If Sammy Watkins health would have cooperated in 2016, Tyrod’s numbers would have looked a lot better, and there might not even be a conversation about his status with the team. Drafting Mike Williams with the 10th overall pick would give them not only a great compliment to Watkins, but also a good insurance policy with another true #1.
Find a good zone-coverage cornerback
Stephen Gilmore is going to get a nice payday as the top cornerback on the market, and Buffalo might not be able to or might not want to match the offers he gets when free agency begins. New head coach Sean McDermott could probably find a solid replacement to fit his zone defense, especially in a deep cornerback draft class.
Miami Dolphins
Last season: 10-6 (2nd in AFC East), lost in Wild Card Round
Let Kenny Stills go
12 million dollars a year is pretty darn expensive for a guy that caught just 69 passes over two seasons with the Dolphins. Stills best season came in 2014 when he caught 63 passes for 931 yards, but that was with Drew Brees throwing darts to him in New Orleans. Adam Gase will be able to find someone else to fill-in for Stills at a much cheaper cost.
Keep Kiko Alonso
Alonso had a nice resurgence in Miami last season after being traded along with Byron Maxwell from the Eagles, and the two look like cornerstones of the defense. Kiko has a nose for the football that will allow him to play any linebacker spot depending on who else the Dolphins bring in to the unit.
Draft a best LB/DE available in the first round
Unless there is a player at a different position where Miami has too high a grade on the pass up, they need to add to their front-seven. I had them getting Zach Cunningham in my most recent mock draft, and he, Temple’s Haason Reddick, or a pass rusher are all good targets.
New England Patriots
Last season: 14-2 (1st in AFC East), won Super Bowl LI
Trade Jimmy Garoppolo… if the price is right
There have been ranging reports about what the Pats are going to do with Jimmy G, but seems obvious that he will get traded if the return is substantial. Tom Brady has shown no signs of slowing down, so Garoppolo is expendable. Expect something to get done for a first round pick and a little more.
Draft a tight end
Martellus Bennett is a free agent, so there will be a hole at the position behind Rob Gronkowski if Bennett goes elsewhere. There are several good tight ends in this year’s draft, and Miami’s David Njoku or Ole Miss’ Evan Engram seem like the best fits as the sidekick to Gronk.
See how cheap Adrian Peterson is
LeGarrette Blount has been great for New England, but he might get a lot more money someplace else, and could decide to leave after winning two rings with the Pats. If that’s the case, Adrian Peterson would find no better place to win a ring than New England if that’s what he’s after at this point in his career.
New York Jets
Last season: 5-11 (4th in AFC East), missed playoffs
Blow it up
The Jets have already taken a lot of steps to accomplish this, but they should keep going. Everyone on the roster except for Leonard Williams should be made available for trade, but they should even listen to a potential Godfather offer for him. Todd Bowles is a good coach and didn’t really have a chance at success after how badly the quarterback situation was handled last summer, and he deserves the opportunity to rebuild the team how he sees fit.
Get high-character players
Not that the Jets had any “bad” guys in the locker room last season, but overall, the locker room was not a great environment. Starting with the 6th overall pick, the Jets need to get a player and person they love. Trading down might not be the worst idea either if they aren’t sold on anyone there.
Look ahead to the 2018 NFL Draft
This doesn’t mean “tank”, but the Jets definitely shouldn’t spend another draft pick on a quarterback if they love Sam Darnold next year. New York should try to win as many games as possible in 2017, but not by sacrificing future success and compromising their cap situation or future draft picks. Then, if they have enough assets at their disposal, they’ll be able to make a move for the first overall pick in 2018 if they do not finish with the league’s worst record.