Open Rants by YvnggLxnkk

New England Patriots

The Subtractions:

HB Jeremy Hill, WR Cordarrelle Patterson, WR Chris Hogan, WR Riley McCarron, TE Rob Gronkowski, TE Jacob Hollister, TE Dwayne Allen, OT Trent Brown, OT LaAdrian Waddle, DE Trey Flowers, DE Adrian Clayborn, DT Danny Shelton, DT Malcolm Brown, OLB Ramon Humber, MLB Albert McClellan, CB Eric Rowe

The Additions:

HB Brandon Bolden, WR Demaryius Thomas, WR Maurice Harris, TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE Matt LaCosse, DE Michael Bennett, DT Mike Pennel Jr, OLB Shilique Calhoun, S Terrence Brooks

The Draft:

Round 1 Pick 32

N’Keal Harry WR Arizona State

Grade: C-

New England definitely needed to address the WR position early on in this draft but there was better options at the position here such as Parris Campbell and AJ Brown. Harry is a possession receiver with good size that lacks speed. He could be an effective endzone target for Tom Brady during his final seasons but he could have trouble separating at the next level.  

Round 2 Pick 45

Joejuan Williams CB Vanderbilt 

Grade: C

Williams is a talented corner with good instincts but trading up for him wasn’t really necessary. Duke Dawson was disappointing as a rookie in 2018 so he’ll be pushed for reps by the newcomer from Vandy. 

Round 3 Pick 77

Chase Winovich DE Michigan 

Grade: A

Winovich could have went late in the first or sometime in the second so he’s a terrific value pick here in Round 3. While Michael Bennett was brought in to replace the departed Trey Flowers, Deatrich Wise is currently listed as the starter opposite him so an upgrade was certainly needed. Winovich is a high character player who will fit in great with New England. Don’t be surprised if he eventually develops into a leader up front.

Round 3 Pick 87

Damien Harris HB Alabama 

Grade: A+

Wow, this is a major steal in the third round. Harris is a tremendous talent and comes into the NFL with fresh legs as he was part of a large rotation of skilled backs with The Crimson Tide. Even with Brady beginning to regress a bit, New England will be just fine with Sony Michel and Harris giving them a strong power running game for the legendary QB to lean on in his twilight years. 

Round 3 Pick 101

Yodny Cajuste OT West Virginia 

Grade: B

Cajuste is a bit of a raw prospect whose still learning the Tackle position but this is the right range for him here in Round 3. Replacing Trent Brown won’t be easy so if 2018 first rounder Isaiah Wynn fails on the blind side, Cajuste is a solid backup plan.

Round 4 Pick 118

Hijalte Frodholt OG Arkansas 

Grade: B

Frodholt is a strong interior blocker who did a nice job opening up running lanes for The Razorbacks. He needs some development time but could potentially be a starter one day.

Round 4 Pick 133

Jarrett Stidham QB Auburn 

Grade: C+

Stidham started his college career with Baylor in the high flying Big 12, full of gimmicky offenses. After transferring to Auburn he struggled with the much better SEC defenses in 2018. He has a big arm and was respected by his Tiger teammates but his mechanics and technique need serious work. He’s heading into a great situation where he can learn from arguably both the greatest coach and QB of all time so perhaps he’ll reach his potential after all.

Round 5 Pick 159

Byron Cowart DT Maryland

Grade: D

I thought Cowart would go a bit later than this but New England must see something in him that I don’t. He wasn’t very impressive at all for The Terps so I don’t quite understand this selection but he’ll serve as depth for the team up front.

Round 5 Pick 163

Jake Bailey P Stanford

Grade: F-

The Patriots killed it with their Day 2 selections but I can’t say the same for what they’ve done so far here on the third day. Ryan Allen showed steady improvement during his first three NFL seasons but he seems to have peaked as noting more than a decent pro Punter. I get why they’re bringing in competition but this is entirely too early to take a Punter.

Round 7 Pick 252

Ken Webster CB Ole Miss

Grade: A

Webster was once projected to in the second or third round but nagging injuries and an arrest in college dropped him all the way to the final frame. He performed nicely at the combine however so maybe he can get back to playing at a high level with some development. 

Overall Grade: B

The Offense:

There was a couple stretches during the 2018 season where Tom Brady appeared to have regressed somewhat. This included the postseason as outside of the blowout of The Chargers, Brady didn’t really play all that well. The team instead leaned on stud HB Sony Michel who followed up a tremendous rookie campaign with a terrific postseason. Brady will benefit greatly during these final years from having a strong rushing attack to lean on. Jarrett Stidham was added in the 4th Round of The 2019 NFL Draft to become the possible heir apparent to Brady. Bill Belichick and Josh McDaniels will attempt to fix Stidham’s mechanics so it should be interesting to see what they’re able to do with him.

Michel will once again serve as the featured runner while James White will continue to be the pass catching back. White is one of the NFL’s most underrated players, he had a great year in 2018 catching 87 passes for 751 yards and 7 TDs to go along with 425 yards and 5 more TDs on the ground. The ground game will be even better this year thanks to the addition of Damien Harris who comes from a stacked Alabama backfield with fresh legs. Rex Burkhead is a smart football player but just a plodder in the backfield. He may have scored the TD that won the AFC title last year but his role will be smaller in 2019.

While Brady could be playing his final season in 2019, he’ll no longer have his big play target at his disposal as Rob Gronkowski announced his retirement this offseason. In his prime Gronk was arguably the most dominant TE in NFL history but looked much slower last season so he made the right decision. Many thought New England would bring a replacement in via the draft but that wasn’t the case, with the team instead opting to give Austin Seferian-Jenkins a one year prove it deal. The former Washington Huskie was a disappointing 2nd Round Pick by Tampa Bay who put together a career year with The Jets in 2017, earning himself a nice deal from Jacksonville last offseason. He was banged up much of last year and didn’t do much in the 5 games he played in so The Jags cut him. He has talent and could produce nicely in McDaniels’ offense if he can finally put it all together. FA pickup Matt LaCosse, former Texan Stephen Anderson, and promising second year man Ryan Izzo will compete for reps. 

Julian Edelman misses all of 2017 with a Torn ACL and his return last year was delayed thanks to a 4 game PED suspension to start the year off. Brady and his “little brother” showed they still have their strong chemistry as Edelman hauled in 74 passes for 850 yards and 6 TDs, and capped the season off with a SB MVP award. He’s still merely a system player like Wes Welker before him but Edelman should once again finish as NE’s leading receiver. Josh Gordon was having a fine comeback year in 2018 until he unfortunately caught another drug suspension. Belichick is in record saying that he remains in the team’s plans but he likely won’t play at all in 2019. This is why they signed veteran Demaryius Thomas, who was one of the most productive wideouts in the league for years but has regressed the past few seasons. Perhaps he can put together one more nice year with a future HOF QB once again delivering him the ball. Phillip Dorsett did a nice job in 2018, as the former first round pick had the best season of his career so far with 32 grabs for 290 yards and 3 TDs. The team is depending on him to step up and play a bigger role offensively in 2019. Second year man and Free Agent signing Maurice Harris will also compete for reps along with this year’s first round selection N’Keal Harry who should be a terrific red zone target for Brady.

The Patriots wisely let the aging Nate Solder walk last offseason and picked up a major upgrade in a draft day trade, acquiring Trent Brown from the 49ers. After a slow start, the massive Brown played dominantly down the stretch and in the playoffs, and was an integral part of NE’s Super Bowl run. Las Vegas made Brown the NFL’s all time highest paid Lineman this offseason so 2018 first round pick Isaiah Wynn will get a chance to start on the blind side despite his small hands. If he struggles, 3rd round rookie Yodny Cajuste is the backup plan but he’s raw and is still learning the position. RT Marcus Cannon signed a well deserved extension following the 2016 season, and the past two years he hasn’t played very well coming out of the gates but eventually settled down and did a solid job. LG Joe Thuney didn’t have a very good season in 2017 but stepped up his play big time this past season. He’ll once again start across from the team’s top blocker, Shaquille Mason who is one of the NFL’s most athletic lineman. He excels on pulls and blocking downfield. David Andrews took over the starting job between them a couple years ago and hasn’t looked back. The goal for him should be the Pro Bowl in 2019.

The Defense:

New England signed 2013 DROTY Stephon Gilmore to a massive contract before the 2017 season and things weren’t looking too good early on as he was torched in his first couple of games with the team by Tyreek Hill, and DeAndre Hopkins. Gilmore settled down however, and then put together a career year in 2018. He very well could have been named SB MVP this past February, as he locked down his side of the field for the entire game and made a huge game saving play to sabotage a promising Rams drive late in the 4th Quarter. He appears to be entering the prime of his career and will be a very important part of this Patriot defense for years to come. Jason McCourty came in as the replacement for Malcolm Butler last year following two solid years with some historically bad Cleveland Brown teams. Re-uniting with his twin brother Devin for the first time since their Rutgers days, he had a career year. Jonathan Jones has emerged as one of the league’s top nickel corners with his ballhawking play the last two years. JC Jackson went undrafted in 2018 only because of off the field issues but made The Patriots roster and put together an excellent rookie campaign while keeping his nose clean. Second year men Duke Dawson, and Keion Crossen along with rookie Joejuan Williams will compete for reps. As for the other McCourty twin, Devin, he remains the emotional leader of this unit and continues to be under appreciated for what he brings to the team. Patrick Chung looked like he was slowing down towards the end of 2017 but he played well in 2018 before getting injured prior to the SB. If he looks to have regressed further, perhaps Duron Harmon whose been the best third Safety in the league for quite some time will take over the starting job. Former Jet Terrence Brooks was added for depth purposes and the team still has hopes for Obi Melifonwu.

The Patriots had to match an offer from the hated Jets to keep OLB Dont’a Hightower a few years back but he missed most of the 2017 season, causing the team to field a pedestrian Linebacking corps for much of the year. This at least opened up an opportunity for former Lions bust, Kyle Van Noy whose been a solid starter the past two years, giving the team a little bit of everything. They’ll be counting on Hightower to remain healthy once again this year, but their depth is solid with John Simon, Ufomba Kamalu, and FA pickup Shilique Calhoun. New England used a 4th round selection to take Purdue MLB Ja’Whaun Bentley in 2018 and the athletic youngster played great in the pre-season earning himself the starting job. He excelled in coverage but was lost for the year and Elandon Roberts played the best football of his career to earn his job back. It’s not a given that he’ll start however, as him and Bentley will compete for the right to start.

Trey Flowers didn’t quite have the huge breakout year he was expected to these past couple seasons but he was by far the team’s top pass rusher. He re-United with Matt Patricia this offseason in Detroit so NE brought in Michael Bennett to be his replacement. The former Seahawk is no longer the league’s top 4-3 end with his age beginning to catch up to him but he still tallied 9.5 sacks with Philadelphia in 2018. Rookie Chase Winovich figures to start across from him unlesss Deatrich Wise can prove to be more than the decent rotational pass rusher he’s been for his first two NFL seasons. Lawrence Guy was once just a rotational player himself but he earned a starting role this past season and he proved to be a very stout run stuffer. Former Jet Mike Pennel Jr was added in Free Agency and will start next to him. He’s also a strong run defender who should make the most of this opportunity. Third year player Adam Butler was great as a rotational pass rusher inside and will serve in that role once again.

The Special Teams:

From 2013-15, Stephen Gostkowski was one of the NFL’s most accurate kickers, only missing 8 field goals in that span. These past past three seasons haven’t been quite as prolific for the 14th year vet,  and he had his worst year ever from 50+ in 2018 only going 2 of 5. He was good otherwise, going 25 of 27 from 49 and under. 

Ryan Allen saw his NET average rise in both his second and third seasons but then posted a career low 43.4 mark in 2017. He bounced back last year with a 45.1 clip but will be competing for his job against Jake Bailey, a 5th Round rookie out of Stanford.

Cordarrelle Patterson was great as The Pats KR in 2018 but he’s now in Chicago after signing with The Bears this offseason. Neither Julian Edelman or Sony Michel did very well in the return game a year ago so perhaps Braxton Berrios will earn the job. Matthew Slater remains the league’s top Special Teams gunner, while Nate Ebner is also terrific on kickoff and punt coverage.

The Outlook:

New England has gone back to their previous identity as a power running team, like they were during their initial dynasty from 2001-04. Brady will be 42 years old by the time the 2019 season kicks off and I see him continuing to regress, but he’s a master of The Pats system so he won’t be too much worse than he was a year ago. With NY and Buffalo both much improved, and questions on both the Defensive Line and the blind side, the division won’t be a cakewalk this year. By the end of the 2019 campaign however, I still see them atop the AFC East.

The Prediction:

11-5 

1st Place in AFC East

New York Jets

The Subtractions:

QB Josh McCown, HB Bilal Powell, HB Isaiah Crowell, WR Jermaine Kearse, WR Andre Roberts, WR Rishard Matthews TE Clive Walford, OG James Carpenter, OG Dakota Dozier, C Spencer Long, OLB Jeremiah Attachou, MLB Kevin Pierre-Louis, CB Buster Skrine, CB Morris Claiborne, S Terrence Brooks, K Jason Meyers

The Additions:

QB Trevor Siemian, QB Luke Falk, HB Le’Veon Bell, HB/WR Ty Montgomery, WR Jamison Crowder, WR Josh Bellamy, WR Stacy Coley, WR Tim White, TE Daniel Brown, OG Kelechi Osemle, OG Tom Compton, OG Jordan Morgan, DE Charles Tapper, MLB CJ Mosley, CB Brian Poole, K Chandler Catanzaro 

The Draft:

Round 1 Pick 3

Quinnen Williams NT Alabama 

Grade: A

Williams was the top ranked player on my board as he was a dominant force for The Crimson Tide throughout the 2018 season. New York needs help on the edge but I guess they couldn’t resist on taking advantage the top player in this class. New York now many look into trading Steve McLendon with Williams joining both Leonard Williams and Nathan Shepherd as The Jets young talented Defensive Lineman.

Round 3 Pick 68

Jachai Polite OLB Florida

Grade: A+ 

Polite received first round grades from some teams so getting him here in Round 3 is unbelievable value. He’ll likely start 

as a rookie and should form a solid duo with Jordan Jenkins. 

Round 3 Pick 92

Chuma Edoga OT USC

Grade: C+

Edoga protected Sam Darnold so that familiarity should help him potentially earn the starting RT job as a Rookie. He’s got talent but needs to stay healthy and develop.

Round 4 Pick 121

Trevon Wesco FB West Virginia   

Grade: C

Adam Gase gets his FB for the new look Jets offense but this is a bit early to take Trevon Wesco. I guess NY didn’t want to lose out on the skilled run blocker who will try to make life easier for Le’Veon Bell right away.

Round 5 Pick 157

Blake Cashman MLB Minnesota

Grade: B

New York adds more depth inside with Cashman who is being taken in the right range. He should develop into a decent rotational run stopper. 

Round 6 Pick 196

Blessaun Austin CB Rutgers 

Grade: B+

Austin has a promising skill set and provides some pretty good value here in Round 6. He’s got solid size and athleticism to go along with his developing ball skills. I could see him as a starter in the pros one day.

Overall Grade: B+

The Offense:

Todd Bowles did the best he could but his offense just couldn’t overachieve last year like they did in 2017 even with #3 Pick Sam Darnold under Center. The former USC Trojan started off strong then struggled immensely before finishing on a very high note. Overall in 13 games he passed for 2,865 yards 17 TDs and 15 INTs while completing 57.1 percent of his passes. Darnold is expected to make major strides in 2019 following the hiring of Adam Gase as NY’s new Head Coach. Gase always got the most out of his teams during his 3 year stint in Miami and now gets the opportunity its to work with a true franchise QB.

It was vital for The Jets to improve both Darold’s supporting class and blocking. The major acquisition they made was All Pro HB Le’Veon Bell who sat out all of last year in a holdout with Pittsburgh. Bell’s Jets contract is actually worth less money than what The Steelers were offering so this was a fantastic signing for New York. Bell figures to be well rested and ready for a monster season. Eli McGuire couldn’t quite step up to be NY’s scatback last year so the team added Ty Montgomery via FA. 

Jamison Crowder performed nicely for Washington the past four seasons cementing himself as one of the league’s top slot receivers. He’ll provide Darnold another weapon to go along with Robby Anderson and Quincy Enunwa. The latter signed an extension this offseason after showing pretty good chemistry with his young QB a year ago. Anderson on the other hand was a terrific downfield threat for Josh McCown in 2017 earning a Pro Bowl vote from me but didn’t get on the same page with Darnold until later on in the year. He still finished with 50 catches for 752 yards and 6 TDs and will attempt to post an even better stat line in 2019. Former Bear Josh Bellamy was added in Free Agency to provide some depth. The Jets seem to finally have found themselves a talented weapon at the TE position as Chris Herndon finished his rookie campaign on a high note totaling 39 grabs for 502 yards and 4 TDs. He figures to improve in year 2. Neal Sterling emerged as an effective #2 at the position a year ago while Eric Tomlinson continues to be an effective extra blocker. FA pickup Daniel Brown will fight the disappointing Jordan Leggett for his roster spot.

As for the improved protection, Kelechi Osemle was acquired in a trade with The Raiders. He’s getting up there in age but remains a good, dependable starter. RG Brian Winters seemed to finally find some consistency last season and was the team’s best blocker. Sandwiched between the two is Jonotthan Harrison who hopes to prove himself a worthy starter. Kelvin Beachum played really well in 2017 but regressed last season. Darnold’s former blind side protector at SC Chuma Edoga was drafted to develop into an upgrade. For now he’ll look to beat out the mediocre Brandon Shell for the starting RT job.

The Defense:

New York once had the league’s best and deepest 3-4 front and now seems to be attempting to go back to that with all the young talent they’ve added in recent years. They put the exclamation point on this with the selection of Quinnen Williams 3rd overall this last April. Williams was an absolute force for The Tide last year, and his dominance helped them greatly with their national title run. He’ll be the Nose surrounded by 2015 first rounder Leonard Williams and former Colt Henry Anderson. Anderson was brought in on a one year prove it deal last offseason and proved to be a productive interior pass rusher, notching 7 sacks. Williams has still yet to have that breakout year that’s been expected of him but he’s a force up front and could be in for a career season in 2019. Second year man Nathan Shepherd is massive and strong and should continue developing into a solid all around 3-4 end. The addition of Williams seems to indicate Steve McLendon could be moved soon.

Edge Rusher was by far the biggest team NY had entering the draft and passing on Josh Allen turned out to be ok as they were able to get Florida edge rusher Jachai Polite in Round 3. He’s a very talented young pass rusher and figures to start as a rookie opposite Jordan Jenkins who finally apppeared to be a starting caliber player in 2018 posting a career high 7 sacks. Frankie Luvu, Tarell Basham, and Brandon Copeland give them some solid depth. Besides the Bell signing the biggest move made by The Jets this offseason was signing former Ravens MLB and team captain CJ Mosley. The tackling machine is also tremdous in coverage and figures to form a terrific starting duo with Avery Williamson who lived up to the big contract he signed last offseason in his first year as a Jet. 2016 1st Rounder Darron Lee has all the talent in the world but just hasn’t put it all together yet. He’s a nice backup and rotational player to have as depth. 

Trumaine Johnson was another player signed to a big contract during NY’s spending spree a year ago and while he did a decent job last year, it’s clear that he’s extremely overpaid. Daryl Roberts came out of nowhere to have himself a career year in 2018, and he’ll be out to prove it wasn’t a fluke as he enters this year as a starter. Buster Skrine is gone and the team brought in an upgrade to man the slot in former Falcon Brian Poole who has been solid throughout his career and happens to be coming off his best year yet. 2017 1st Rounder Jamal Adams was a lot better in his sophomore season as he proved to be a field general. He’s always around the ball when the whistle blows. His running mate Marcus Maye has a brilliant start to his career a couple years ago but cooled off hitting the proverbial rookie wall. This past season he was banged up but is hoping to stay healthy and show off his ball skills in 2019.

The Special Teams:

Jason Myers had a great 2018 season kicking for The Jets but he signed with Seattle this offseason. The team brought back Chandler Catanzaro who did a solid job handling the FG duties in 2017. Last year with Tampa Bay he finished 16 of 20 but was a perfect 3 for 3 from 50+.

Lachland Edwards was atrocious as a rookie back in 2016 but he’s proven to be a pretty strong legged punter. His Net Average in 2018 fell a whole point from the impressive 46.9 he posted in 2017.

Andre Roberts is gone so Trenton Cannon figures to handle the return duties.

The Outlook:

New York is my sleeper team for 2019. Adam Gase should help Sam Darnold take a large leap in year 2 and the defense looks to be solid. If some of their younger defenders can develop quicker than expected they could challenge New England for the Divsion Crown.

The Prediction:

10-6

2nd Place in AFC East

Buffalo Bills

The Subtractions:

HB Taiwan Jones, HB Chris Ivory, WR Deonte Thompson, TE Charles Clay, TE Logan Thomas, OT Jordan Mills, OG John Miller, C Ryan Groy, DT Kyle Williams, P Matt Darr

The Additions:

HB Frank Gore, HB TJ Yeldon, HB Senorise Perry, WR Cole Beasley, WR John Brown, WR Andre Roberts, TE Tyler Kroft, OT LaAdrian Waddle, OT Jake Fisher, OT Ty Nsekhe, OG Quinton Spain, OG Spencer Long, OG Jon Feliciano, C Mitch Morse, DT Robert Thomas, DT Kyle Peko, OLB Eli Harold, CB EJ Gaines, CB Kevin Johnson, S Mo Alexander

The Draft:

Round 1 Pick 9

Ed Oliver DT Houston 

Grade: A+

Oliver Was tanked 5th on my board and could have went as high as 3rd to The Jets so he represents some tremendous value at #9. Kyle Williams retired this offseason and Oliver should be a more than adequate replacement. He reminds me a lot of Warren Sapp, an athletic freak who can cause havoc for opposing QBs from the interior. 

Round 2 Pick 38

Cody Ford OT/OG Oklahoma 

Grade: A+

Jawaan Taylor and Cody Ford were the top ranked Offensive Lineman on my board so why both fell to Round 2 is beyond me. Buffalo did a nice job improving their blocking via Free Agency but more work still needed to be done. Now they’ve got themselves an immediate starter with versatility for them to plug him he in wherever needed.

Round 3 Pick 74

Devin Singletary HB Florida Atlantic

Grade: B

Singletary dominated at FAU and could develop into a solid ground back for the pros. There is one concern I have with him though, as Lane Kiffin worked the hell out of him these past two seasons. Hopefully this won’t cause him to have injury issues at the next level.

Round 3 Pick 96

Dawson Knox TE Ole Miss

Grade: C+

Buffalo only had two TEs on their roster heading into the draft so it’s no surprise to see them take one here on Day 2. Knox didn’t produce much at Ole Miss but that’s mostly due to the issues the program has faced recently. He has upside but needs time to develop.

Round 5 Pick 147

Vosean Joseph MLB Florida 

Grade: A+

Wow, I thought Joseph could have went in Round 2 so he represents great value here early on Day 3. Buffalo added Eli Harold this offseason via trade but was still desperate for better LB depth, so having a talent like Joseph fall into their laps this late is a blessing. 

Round 6 Pick 181

Jaquan Johnson S Miami 

Grade: A

Johnson has both size and athletic limitation but he has a lot of heart so I could see him putting together a solid career at the next level. He was heavily productive for The Hurricanes and is a nice value pick this late. Potential steal.

Round 7 Pick 225

Darryl Johnson DE NC A&T

Grade: C

I don’t know too much about Johnson but he played on a higher level than most of his peers in college at the lower ranks. Depth on edge is always important so I don’t have a problem with this Pick here in Round 7.

Round 7 Pick 228

Tommy Sweeney TE Boston College 

Grade: B

Sweeney is a solid blocker with decent reviving skills who was moderately productive in college. As I mentioned earlier, The Bills had two TEs on their roster heading into the draft so even though they already took Dawson Knox on Day 2, I like this pick here in the final round.

Overall Grade: A

The Offense:

Buffalo May have gotten lucky and made the postseason in 2017 but they quickly learned that Tyrod Taylor could only get them so far. Taylor is no longer the Pro Bowler he was back in 2015 which is why The Bills decided to move on and trade up for Josh Allen in the 2018 Draft. Allen was perhaps the biggest love em or hate em prospect in his class, with some scouts praising his excellent scrambling ability and cannon arm, and others criticizing his accuracy woes and struggles against bad completion in College. Allen was rushed in way too early as a rookie, getting thrown in with the wolves and posting some ugly passing numbers. He completed an enmity 52.4 percent of his passes for 2074 yards 10 TDs and 12 Picks. While Allen showed off his strong arm at times, his throws were often off target, though, this wasn’t his fault all the time since he had the second worst offensive line in the league blocking for him and no real weapons to speak of. Allen was constantly running for his life and making things happen with his legs during his rookie campaign. He actually finished as Buffalo’s leading rusher with 631 yards on 89 attempts to go with his 5 TDs, some of which were highlight reel plays. Matt Barkley returned to the NFL after sitting at home all of 2017 and in his one start for Buffalo he had one of the best games of his career so he’s earned himself the backup role.

Buffalo’s top priority this offseason absolutely had to be to improve both their blocking and receding corps. They did just that with the signing of former Cowboy Cole Beasley, and former Cardinal and Ravens John Brown. Beasley has been a very reliable target the past three years for Dak Prescott thanks to his great rote running and ability to convert first downs. He’ll provide a much needed safety valve for the young Allen. Brown on the other hand was once seemingly on his way to becoming one of the league’s better WRs but his sickle cell disease has gotten in the way. He got a chance to prove himself last year wit Baltimore and showed he can still be a dangerous deep threat. Allen’s big arm and Browns blazing speed should go together nicely. Zay Jones will have a much more fitting role thanks to the FA pickups. He showed much improvement from his terrible rookie year so he’s a promising young target. TE Charles Clay is gone after a disappointing tenure in which he didn’t live up to his big contract. The Bills signed former Bengal Tyler Kroft to be their starter heading into camp. Kroft is a solid blocker and a dependable red zone target. Former UDFA Jason Croom flashed some potential has a Receiver last season but he’ll be fighting for reps with rookies Dawson Knox and Tommy Sweeney.

The Bills added a boatload of O-Linemen via Free Agency to begin complete overhaul of its blocking. The only starter from last year that will be returning is LT Dion Dawkins who was a RT at Temple but was forced over to the blindside as a rookie in 2017 where he has played very the past two seasons. Ty Nsekhe has been one of the NFL’s top swing tackles for some time but he’ll get a chance to start permanently at RT with Buffalo. Center Mitch Morse bounced back from an injury filled 2017 season and earned himself a nice deal with The Bills. Quinton Spain comes over from The Titans where he had been a solid blocker for years. Wyatt Teller made strides throughout his rookie season and was looking to possibly start at RG in 2019, until Buffalo was able to land Cody Ford in the 2nd round of this past April’s draft. He can basically play wherever he’s needed up front so he’ll be a steal for The Bills. LaAdrian Waddle, Jake Fisher, Spencer Long, and Jon Feliciano were also all signed and will compete for depth spots.

With how bad the blocking was a year ago it’s no surprise LeSean McCoy had the worst season of his career. The future Hall Of famer appears to be slowing down but he could still have one more year left in the tank. He won’t have to worry about being overworked this seaso. As The Bills signed both Frank Gore and TJ Yeldon. Gore is 35 years old but he continues to be a solid short yardage back. Yeldon on the other hand never developed into a starter for Jacksonville like some thought he would but he’s been one of the better #2 backs in the league these last couple years so he should continue to do a nice job handcuffing.

The Defense:

The main reason Buffalo made their fluky playoff appearance two years ago was a strong defense that fields one of the league’s top secondaries. That offseason The Bills signed both Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer to be their new starting Safeties and the move has paid off big time. The former packer, Hyde was banged up last year but hopes to return to form in 2019. Poyer has worked hard on his ball skills and is tremendous in coverage. They already had solid depth at the position but added rookie Jaquan Johnson and veteran Mo Alexander to make them even stronger. In that same offseason, The Bills also used their first round selection on LSU Corner Tre’Davious White who has quietly emerged as a legitimate lockdown CB. He and E.J. Gaines formed a nice duo in 2017 by Gaines played with Cleveland this past season. He’s been brought back however, which will allow their two youngsters Taron Johnson and Levi Wallace to play more fitting roles. Former Texan first rounder Kevin Johnson was also signed. If he can finally stay healthy perhaps he’ll be able to revive his career.

For 13 years Kyle Williams was the bedrock of Buffalo’s defensive front but he announced his retirement this offseason which is why The Bills selected Houston DT Ed Oliver 9th overall this last April. He’s going to be a nightmare for opposing offenses as there really just isn’t any weaknesses in his game. Star Lotulelei was signed by The Bills to a ridiculous contract this past offseason but he did have his best season in quite some time. He’ll enter camp as the starter and try to keep second year man Harrison Phillips from taking his job. Jerry Hughes is getting older but he’s still a tough pass rusher and a great leader. Trent Murphy posted 10.5 sacks back in 2016 before missing all of 2017 due to injury. He was brought in to try and light a fire under disappointing 2016 first round pick Shaq Lawson. It seemed to work somewhat as Lawson finally showed some blitzing ability. He’s much more athletic and than the limited Murphy so this Training Camp will be key to determine how his carrrr turns out.

Remember in 2016 when long time special trainer and rotational pass rusher Lorenzo Alexander notched 12.5 sacks and got voted into the Pro Bowl ? He fell back down to earth the next year yet Buffalo didn’t bring in a new starter. It paid off as Alexander had a nice 2018 season where he was stout against the run and even was able to grab 6.5 sacks. Third year man Matt Milano took over the other starting OLB spot late in his 2017 rookie campaign. He is great in coverage so if he can just improve as a run stopper he’ll have a solid career. Along with Allen, Buffalo was also able to add a new face to their defense in the first round a year ago. Tremaine Edmunds showed he’s a tough, hard hitting Inside backer as a rookie but struggled in coverage. Depth was needed at LB so The Bills traded for solid rotational LB Eli Harold and drafted talented Florida MLB Vosean Joseph.

The Special Teams:

Steven Hauschka didn’t kick as well in year 2 with Buffalo, finishing 22 of 28. If he shows further regression this year, The Bills might consider bringing in a replacement.

Buffalo finally dumped lousy Punter Colton Schmidt last year but Matt Darr was somehow even worse. Two players named Corey/Cory will battle for the duties in Corey Bojourquez and Cory Carter.

Micah Hyde is healthy and should reclaim his job returning punts. Isiah McKenzie and Marcus Murphy will handle kickoffs. 

The Outlook:

Buffalo overachieved in 2018 and just put together a great offseason. They’ll be much more competitive this year and Josh Allen should take the next step in his development with the improved supporting cast he has around him. If he makes major strides I could see Buffalo qualifying for a WC spot but I don’t believe it’s their time just yet.

The Prediction:

7-9 3rd Place in AFC East

Miami Dolphins

The Subtractions:

QB Ryan Tannehill, QB Brock Osweiler, HB Frank Gore, HB Brandon Bolden, HB Senorise Perry, FB MarQueis Gray, WR Danny Amendola, WR Leonte Carroo, TE AJ Derby, OT Ja’Wuan James, OT Sam Young, OG Ted Larsen, OG Josh Sitton, OG Wesley Johnson, C Jake Brendel C Travis Swanson, DE Cameron Wake, DE Robert Quinn, DE Andre Branch, DE Cameron Malveaux, DT Sylvester Williams, DT Ziggy Hood, OLB Stephone Anthony 

The Additions:

QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB Josh Rosen, QB Jake Rudock, HB Kenneth Farrow, WR Ricardo Louis, TE Dwayne Allen, TE Clive Walford, OT Chris Reed, DE Tank Carradine, DE Tyrone Holmes, OLB Jayrone Elliott, OLB James Burgess Jr, CB Eric Rowe  

The Draft:

Round 1 Pick 13

Christian Wilkins DT Clemson 

Grade: A+

Once again the Dolphins get a nice value pick in Round 1 because of teams passing on particular prospects. Laremy Tunsil dropped to them in 2016, and Minkah Fitzpatrick in 2018. Now they pounce on Christian Wilkins who was ranked 7th in my board. He’s arguably the most disruptive interior pass rusher in this deep class so that says a lot. His numbers with The Tigers don’t even tell the full story as he was responsible for many pressures and knockdowns as well. He dominated Alabama’s front in the National Title game and will provide an excellent replacement for Ndamukong Suh. 

Round 3 Pick 78

Michael Deiter OG/C Wisconsin

Grade: B

Miami blocking situation looked pitiful heading into the draft so there should be no surprise that they picked a versatile blocker this early. Deiter is a powerful run blocker capable of playing both Guard spots and at Center. He likely won’t be the only OL prospect Miami drafts. 

Round 5 Pick 151

Andrew Van Ginkel OLB Wisconsin 

Grade: C

Miami was desperate for LB depth so former Wisconsin Badger walk on Andrew Van Ginkel is the Pick. He isn’t very fast or quick and his coverage skills are really what caused him to fall to the 3rd day, but he’s a solid sideline to sideline tackler who could serve as a decent rotational run stuffer capable of starting in a pinch.

Round 6 Pick 202

Isaiah Prince OG Ohio State

Grade: B

Prince has some upside but he was inconsistent in college. Miami’s offensive front is so thin at the moment that despite being a 6th rounder,  Prince has a good chance to start right away.

Round 7 Pick 233

Chandler Cox FB Auburn 

Grade: C

The Dolphins let MarQueis Gray and his expired contract go so they needed a new FB. Chandler Cox is a terrific run blocker who paved the way for a huge season by Kerryon Johnson 2 years ago and he did a solid job this past year as well.

Round 7 Pick 244 

Myles Gaskin HB Washington

Grade: A+

This could potentially go down as a big time steal. I thought Myles Gaskin would either go somewhere like late in the 2nd down the 3rd or 4th round range. The fact he fell this far into the final round baffles me. Kenyan Drake can’t seem to get the most out of his potential and Kalen Ballage is raw so I wouldn’t be surprised if Gaskins is Miami’s lead back by the end of 2019. He runs with tremendous acceleration, and he was a big play guy for The Huskies capable of going the distance every time he touches the ball.

Overall Grade: B

The Offense:

 When Dolphins owner Stephen Ross introduced Adam Gase as his franchise’s new Head Coach a few years ago he referred to him as “the next Bill Belichick”. Yet after three seasons in which Gase got Miami to overachieve every year he was fired. Brian Flores who had been serving as New England’s DC is the new guy in charge and it appears the team is tanking for the 2019 season so they’ll be the ones with the privilege of selecting Tua Tagovailoa #1 overall in 2020. Ryan Tannehill is gone, as Miami has become the latest team to sign Ryan Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick put up some crazy numbers with TB during the first few weeks of the 2018 season but eventually he always goes back to his old self. He’ll be competing for the starting job with Josh Rosen who was a Top Ten Pick just last year but was by far the worst of the rookie QB crop. Rosen didn’t have much to work with in Arizona but that also appears to be the case here. I think we’ll end up seeing both of these men start for The Dolphins at some point in 2019.

HB Kenyan Drake was expected to breakout last season but couldn’t even beat out the ancient Frank Gore for the starting job. Second year Kalen Ballage and rookie Myles Gaskin will battle Drake for reps, but honestly I see Miami finishing dead last in that department this season.

Part of that problem is an offensive line that’s probably the league’s worst. LT Laremy Tunsil shook off whatever happened during his sophomore slump and was excellent last season. He’s the one bright spot they have up front. Across from him, longtime reserve Chris Reed will battle 6th Round rookie Isiah Prince for the starting RT gig. Daniel Kilgore is a mediocre Center returning from injury. RG Jesse Davis looks like a solid NFL back up but he shouldn’t be starting in the pros. Rookie Michael Deiter is promising blocker with great power that will start immediately for The Dolphins but could struggle due to the weak lineup around him. 

Miami Re-Signed 2015 first round selection DeVante Parker this offseason which was a move I didn’t really agree with. This is going to be his last chance to impress so he better form some chemistry with his new QBs. Kenny Stills and Albert Wilson are the other starting Wideouts. Stills has big games every now and then but disappears for weeks at a time while Wilson was a Gase project who may not be in the new regime’s long term plans. 2018 2nd Rounder Mike Gesicki didn’t do much of anything with Ryan Tannehill under Center but he did show a better rapport with Brock Osweiler. He’s looking to step his play up in his second season. Miami signed veteran Dwayne Allen to compete for the starting job, while Nick O’Leary and Clive Walford battle for a roster spot. Durham Smythe will handle blocking duties. 

The Defense:

The Dolphins have had some good luck in the draft recently, and that was once again the case in 2019 with Christian Wilkins joint Davon Godchaux up front for Miami. Godchaux is a stout run defender while Wilkins is a potentially elite pass rusher, so they’ll go good with one another. Vincent Taylor and Akeem Spence provide nice depth. Both Cameron Wake and Robert Quinn are gone so it’s time for 2017 First Round Pick Charles Harris to step up. He’s shown promise in just first two seasons but will need to take the next step to be an effective starter. Veteran Tank Carradine will likely start opposite him, he’s a mediocre player.

Minkah Fitzpatrick should be better in his sophomore campaign. The Bama alumnus can play all over the field so it should be interesting to see how Flores uses him. Xavien Howard ended 2017 on a very strong note and picked up right where he left off in 2018. He led the league with a whopping 7 INTs and was voted to The Pro Bowl. Bobby McCain is a solid nickel corner and FA signing Eric Rowe gives them even more depth at the position. Reshad Jones is getting up there in age and definitely looked to have lost a step last year but he’s still the leader of this stop unit and Miami’s young players can learn from his instincts and football IQ. TJ McDonald Jr is a talented Safety who just can’t seem to get right. The Dolphins don’t have anyone else to take his place so he’ll have to start again in 2019. The Dolphins hope this is the year he puts it all together but I doubt it.

Former Buckeye teammates Raekwon McMillan and Jerome Baker both did a nice job as first time starters a year ago. Baker is extremely athletic and should improve this season while McMillan is a solid field General. Kiko Alonso is a good sideline to sideline tackler but he has a reputation for being a dirty player.

The Special Teams:

Jason Sanders has a pretty good rookie campaign a year ago finishing 18 of 20. Matt Haack is just an average punter. Jakeem Grant has found a home in Miami thanks to his team terrific return skills. He brought two kicks to the house a year ago.

The Outlook:

Miami is the worst team in the NFL. This roster is a complete mess and they’re not hiding the fact they’re tanking. Perhaps a future with Tagovailoa under Center gives the team hope but this is going to be a LONG year.

The Prediction:

2-14

4th Place in AFC East