NFL Team Needs: AFC East

The newest segment for NFLMocks is the NFL Team Needs focus.  We are going to bring you division by division team needs and these needs will be updated throughout the offseason and during the actual season.  And after the season is said and done and free agency has settled we will have the areas your team should address when entering the 2011 NFL Draft.  We encourage you to check out our 2011 NFL Draft Player Scouting Reports, 2011 NFL Draft Prospect Big Board, our 2011 NFL Mock Draft, and our 2011 NFL Draft Prospect Position Rankings.

AFC East

Buffalo Bills

1. Quarterback
2. Offensive Tackle
3. Outside Linebacker

Thoughts:

The Bills may be a tough watch this up coming season. Many are predicting the Bills to have the number one pick in 2011 and we all know there is only one way to get it. Difficulties are compounded in upstate New York with a new coaching staff, with new schemes for offense and defense. Unless there is a talented, young , incumbent quarterback on the roster when new coaching staffs take over, there will eventually be a point the new staff will want “their guy”. That is to say, if they have a predictably high draft pick, the coaching staff may decide to take their favorite quarterback prospect. The double-edged sword in the Bills using such a high draft pick on a quarterback, is that they have no franchise left tackle to protect him. The interior of the line is young and talented, but every tackle on the roster is better off at right tackle or as a backup. The Bills added some nice pieces in the 2010 draft to help transition their defense from a 4-3 to a 3-4 with NT Torell Troup (2nd Round), DE Alex Carrington (3rd), and OLB Arthur Moats (6th), but one draft won’t be enough. Teams that run 3-4 defenses can never have enough talent at outside linebacker. Having one that sets the edge in the run game, instinctive in coverage, and dangerous rushing the quarterback is tough to pass up.

Miami Dolphins

1. Nose Tackle
2. Running Back
3. Wide Receiver

Thoughts:

The retiring of starting NT Jason Ferguson two weeks before the start of camp actually creates two holes in the Dolphin starting line. His replacement is DE Randy Starks who played quite well last season and will now have to learn a new spot on the line and be surrounded by young talent in Kendall Langford and rookie Jared Odrick. Getting a true NT will allow Starks to move back to DE and improve both positions in the process. The running back roster will be needing upgrades soon with Ricky Williams getting old and Hilliard/Sheets better as role players (fullback/scat back). Ronnie Brown has also been injury prone and having talent at the position to spell/replace him will help their overwhelming rushing attack. The 2011 looks to have a lot of top end talent at the wide receiver position and Miami would be smart to take a good long look at them. Brandon Marshall is an exceptional talent, but he managed to find trouble in Colorado and will now be home in south Florida. Without him, there is certainly some depth, but Bess and Camarillo would be best used out of the slot and no other receiver has shown they require any attention to be focused on them instead of Marshall. Should Marshall’s stay in Miami be a dream scenario, adding another top wideout across from Marshall would give the Dolphins one of the most dangerous wide receiver cores in the AFC, which can only be good for them.

New England Patriots

1. Outside Linebacker
2. Offensive Guard
3. Running Back

Thoughts:

The Patriots are a tough team to forecast because they have used 24 picks in the last two drafts. However, in all 24 of those picks, only two were outside linebackers and more revamping is needed. The puss rush generated from the outside linebacker spot is critical to advancing in the playoffs and the only players producing are older or on their way out. Speaking of on their way out, OG Logan Mankins is still at odds with the front office and he will be waiting for a while till they take care of Brady. Without him and the aging Stephen Neal, there isn’t much talent on the roster and protection for Brady is a must. It pains me a little to say this, but Laurence Maroney won’t be putting it together as a full time option and everyone else at running back is on their last legs. Maroney could still be a good young complement to a running attack, but an additional talent would do wonders.

New York Jets

1. Safety
2. Outside Linebacker
3. Running Back

Thoughts:

Conversely to New England, the Jets have spent a total of seven picks in the last two drafts. This doesn’t make it any easier to forecast for the Jets as they have signed a few older free agents and are trying to keep the young talent they already have. One position that could use an upgrade is safety. A lot of decent talent with Jim Leonard and Brodney Pool, but their are no play makers on back end of the defense. If they can find a “Ed Reed”-type prospect to team with Revis and the rest of the talented secondary depth, the road to the playoffs would always run through New York. Jason Taylor and Calvin Pace will be good for a year till Taylor leaves for Hollywood, but Bryan Thomas is better as a situational player and a threat opposite Pace will keep offenses on their toes. In adding Tomilinson and drafting Joe McKnight, the Jets now have one of most injury ready backfields in the NFL. LT wasn’t always an injury risk, but he did miss some games early last year and appears to have hit the “30 Year Wall” for running backs. Both Greene and McKnight dealt with numerous injury issues in college, but hopefully everyone can stay healthy. Green will be a mainstay, but LT is older and McKnight has had his issues getting up to NFL speed this offseason. Another back next year will keep the running game moving and pressure off of Sanchez.