The AFC East has ben shaken up with the departure of quarterback Tom Brady from the New England Patriots this offseason. Regardless, it seems New York Jets quarterback Sam Darnold is not planning on taking them lightly.

The division is seemingly up for grabs more than it has been for the past two decades. According to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, Darnold says the Jets do not plan on overlooking the Patriots any time soon:

“With a great player like Tom Brady, obviously leaving is a big deal … It’s headlines. For us, every single game in the NFL is a tough one and I think any player can attest to that. So, we’re not going to take anyone more lightly even though one of the greatest players — if not the greatest player — of all-time left the organization. We’re not going to take them any more lightly.”

Darnold's comments are certainly understandable given given what he has experienced during his first couple of years in the league. Although Brady's absence may allow for more room for error for the Jets defense, it does not do much for him when it comes to squaring off again this formidable Patriots defense twice a year.

Of course, it is safe to assume that a collective sigh of relief came over the rest of the division when Brady announced his decision to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It remains to be seen whether or not New England is capable of bouncing back in dominant fashion despite the significant changes under center.

One thing is for sure, the other teams in the AFC East smell blood in the water and are well aware that throne seems to be open for the taking.