2025 AFC East Predictions

The AFC East reigns supreme by the Buffalo Bills, who’ve won the division for five consecutive years. While this division isn’t among the strongest in the NFL, it does have two young quarterbacks, a reigning league MVP, and one wildly talented yet inconsistent team, making it one of the most volatile divisions in the league. 

Let's dive into our 2025 AFC East Predictions.

AFC East

Buffalo Bills 

Last Season: Division Winners (13-4), lost to Chiefs in AFC Title

The Bills continued to reign supreme over the AFC East, posting a 61-22 record over the last five seasons. They have the reigning league MVP, Josh Allen, who is coming off a historic MVP season, becoming the first player in NFL history with consecutive 40+ passing touchdown seasons and the first quarterback with six or more rushing touchdowns in seven straight seasons.

 The Bills made sure to take care of their franchise cornerstone, signing him to a six-year, $330 million contract extension with $250 million guaranteed, which makes him the highest-paid player in the league based on guaranteed money. He broke franchise records for total touchdowns and made history by becoming the first quarterback to score touchdowns in passing, receiving, and rushing in the same game. He recorded six turnovers in a season, the fewest of his career.

Can he continue to make precise decisions, or was it an aberration?

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A large part of Allen’s success was the Bills’ incredible offensive line. The offensive line was a crucial part of Allen’s success in minimizing his turnovers, as he was blitzed 136 times, the lowest since his rookie season. The team allowed a pressure rate of just 31.9% (eighth in the league) and led the NFL with a sack rate of only 2.6%. When facing blitzes, the line was particularly stout, permitting a 30.1% pressure rate (second-best) and a 2.7% sack rate (also second-best).

They took care of their Pro Bowl running back James Cook by signing him to a four-year, $48 million extension with $30 million guaranteed to make him one of the highest-paid running backs in the league alongside Christian McCaffrey and Saquon Barkley. Cook is the first Bills running back with consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons since LeSean McCoy in 2016-2017. Some notable shakeups this offseason included the release of Von Miller, along with the retirement of longtime safety Micah Hyde.

They extended DE Greg Rousseau (led in sacks, 8.0), and LB Terell Bernard finished second on the team in total tackles with 104. The team welcomed several significant additions, including WR Joshua Palmer, DE Joey Bosa, Michael Hoecht (Hoyt), and Larry Ogunjobi. Palmer gives the Bills a second wide receiver target outside of Khalil Shakir, who led in targets last season for the team up north. Bosa, Hoecht, and Ogunjobi should add depth and size to their defensive front line, which was just 20th in sack percentage (6.1%) and 12th in pressure rate (34.9%).

Prediction: 13-4, make playoffs

New York Jets

Last Season: 5-12, missed playoffs.

If there were a football team that could win an Oscar for being a soap opera every year, it could be the New York Jets. It was another tumultuous season for the Jets as they missed the playoffs for the 14th consecutive year—the longest active NFL postseason drought. The Jets went through an overhaul at the quarterback position, releasing Aaron Rodgers in February following two disappointing seasons, the first of which saw him tear his Achilles in 2023 in the opening game. They freed up $14 million for 2025 and $35 million for 2026 in dead cap since Rodgers' release. 

The Jets signed Justin Fields as their starting quarterback to a two-year, $40 million deal. They hired head coach Aaron Glenn who will be coaching his first full season with the Jets, having come over as defensive coordinator from the Detroit Lions. They have one of the best defenses in the NFL. Allowed the third fewest passing yards per game (192.6), 7th in defensive QB sack %, and fifth in opponent yards per rush.

Glenn should only help enhance it.

They also hired Tanner Engstrand as their offensive coordinator, a move that comes from the Detroit Lions, a team that boasted the highest-scoring offense in the league last season. Engstrand should assist in maximizing Garrett Wilson, just as he did with Amon-Ra St. Brown, who achieved three consecutive years of 80+ receptions and 1,000+ receiving yards. 

Wilson produced his first 100-catch season and only the second in Jets history last season when he grabbed 101 balls for 1,104 yards. He is one of only three receivers in NFL history to start a career with three consecutive seasons of at least 80 catches and 1,000 yards. He’s the only receiver to do that in Jets history. The Jets added to their offensive line by drafting Armand Membou out of Missouri and added a weapon in tight end in Mason Taylor from LSU.

They will need Breece Hall to become effective on the ground again as he had a disappointing season last year with a career-low 4.2 yards per carry.

Prediction: 7-10, miss playoffs

New England Patriots

Last Season: 4-13, missed playoffs

Many changes were made in New England, where the Patriots now have a weapon for Drake Maye in All-Pro wide receiver Stefon Diggs. Diggs is a legitimate deep ball threat and a go-to target out of the snap. Before his season-ending ACL injury that cut his season short last year, Diggs had six consecutive seasons (2018-23) of 1,000+ receiving yards and 10+ yards per reception. He and Mike Evans are the only ones to do so in that span.

Maye is coming off an up-and-down rookie season, largely due to a horrid offensive line and lackluster weapons mixed with poor coaching, but there should be improvements in year two. The Patriots hired former Titans coach Mike Vrabel as their new head coach. He had a 56-46 record with the Titans, leading them to the 2019 AFC Championship game and winning two AFC South division titles.

Their defense, which placed 25th in RZ Scoring % (TD) and 27th in opponent third-down conversion % last season, requires improvement. The defense ranked last in terms of sack percentage. They signed edge rusher Harold Landry to enhance their pass rush, drafted Will Campbell from LSU, and signed OT Morgan Moses to improve protection at the line of scrimmage for Maye.

Prediction: 7-10, miss playoffs.

Miami Dolphins

Last season: 8-9, missed playoffs

In South Beach, there’s always something cooking. The Dolphins made big moves this offseason, trading All-Pro CB Jalen Ramsey and Pro Bowl TE Jonnu Smith to Pittsburgh in exchange for All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and a 2027 fifth-round pick. This trade frees the Dolphins from Ramsey's substantial contract and reunites them with Fitzpatrick, who began his career with the team.

They bolstered their offensive line by signing James Daniels and Larry Borom to enhance protection for Tua Tagovailoa. Speaking of Tagovailoa, can he stay healthy? The Dolphins quarterback has had many health scares and potential life-altering ones with scary concussions throughout his career on national television, with some calling for him to retire.

If Tagovailoa can stay healthy, he’ll have many weapons to work with after signing wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, who can serve as a reliable tertiary receiving target after Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, expanding the Dolphins' offense. The Dolphins also retained defensive tackle Zach Sieler to a three-year, $67.75 million extension. Sieler had back-to-back 10-sack seasons.

One big question is the running game. Will they revert to Raheem Mostert in the starting lineup to reignite him? In 2024, they placed De’Von Achane as the starter, leaving Mostert only receiving to start in one game of 13 games played, rushing for just 278 yards, a significant decrease from his 1,012 yards in 2023, which led the NFL in rushing yards.

Prediction: 11-6, make playoffs

Division Winner: Buffalo Bills

Josh Allen is at the peak of his powers. No one in the league, let alone this division, really has an answer for him. With a strong offensive line and what should be an improved pass rush, look for the Bills to win their sixth consecutive AFC East title.