The New England Patriots dominated the AFC East for 18 seasons but Tom Brady's departure from the Patriots in 2020 created a power vacuum. For the last two seasons, the Buffalo Bills have filled that vacuum.
The Bills won the division title in 2020 and 2021 with records of 13-3 and 11-6, respectively. In 2020, the Miami Dolphins were the only other team in the division to win double-digit games, whereas, in 2021, the Patriots were the only other team to win double-digit games.
The Bills seem poised to reign over the division once more but there is one team that is sure to make the race to the top very interesting.
The Bills' biggest threat in the AFC East in 2022
The Miami Dolphins
It is not a stretch to call the Dolphins this year's offseason winners. They signed offensive linemen Terron Armstead and Connor Williams to vastly improve one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL. Then, they pulled off the biggest splash of the offseason by trading for All-Pro wide receiver Tyreek Hill.
These acquisitions combined with the hiring of first-year head coach Mike McDaniel, who has been considered one of the brightest and most creative young minds in football, will likely propel the Dolphins to Super Bowl contender status.
For the New York Jets, the days of former head coach Rex Ryan and AFC Championship game berths are long gone. They are in full-blown rebuild mode and will likely not compete for a division title this season. Especially, with the injury to quarterback Zach Wilson, casting a dark cloud over their franchise.
The Patriots are the biggest threat to the Dolphins to overcome the Bills. They still have head coach Bill Belichick at the helm and Mac Jones is reportedly showing drastic improvement going into his second season.
For New England, their main problem stems from their coaching staff. Long-time offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels left the team to become the new head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders. Former New York Giants head coach Joe Judge was hired as his replacement. Judge previously served as special teams coordinator for the Patriots from 2015-2019.
Reportedly, the offense with Belichick and Judge working together does not look good thus far. This revelation bodes well for both Buffalo and Miami. If New England's problems extend into the regular season, the division will be a clear two-team race.
Currently, the Bills are the cream of the crop. Quarterback Josh Allen is arguably the best quarterback in the NFL. Wide receiver Stefon Diggs is arguably a top-five player at his position. Their defense is also one of the best in the league.
These factors are why the Bills have not only been the best team in the AFC East for the last two seasons but have also been a Super Bowl contender as well.
Buffalo is the favorite to win the division but the X-factor for the Dolphins will be third-year quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
Tagovailoa has shown promise in the past but now he has been given a completely retooled offensive line and two of the best wide receivers in the league in Hill and Jaylen Waddle. He will continue to receive help from a defense that serves as one of the league's most underrated units.
The cherry on top is the addition of a head coach who believes in him in McDaniel. The recipe is there for a Josh Allen-like jump from Tagovailoa. All he has to do is stay healthy and put it all together.
In Allen's third season, he exploded for 4,544 passing yards and 37 touchdowns. That was his first season with Diggs, who had a career year. Diggs had 127 catches for 1,535 receiving yards, and eight touchdowns.
Now that Tagovailoa has Hill at his disposal one has to wonder if he and the Dolphins are on a similar trajectory.
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