New England Patriots: The Patriots will be kings of the East until someone says otherwise, and with the tandem of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick still intact, the Pats remain the favourites in one of the NFL’s toughest divisions. Brady will once again be joined by his go-to targets Randy Moss and Wes Welker, the latter of whom has returned miraculously from a devastating knee injury. Top pick Devin McCourty might be the answer for the Patriots at cornerback, and should help New England win the East.

New York Jets: The Jets had one of the most highly publicized off-seasons, and will look to improve on last year, when they made it all the way to the AFC Championship Game. Mark Sanchez will lead the Jets offence, but Rex Ryan teams are built on defence. The signing of Derrelle Revis will help the Jets in a division that includes top wide receivers like Randy Moss, Brandon Marshall, and even Lee Evans, and they should compete for the division’s top spot.

Miami Dolphins: The Dolphins will be a force to be reckoned with this year but may fall victim to the strength of their division. A running tandem that includes Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams will be essential in Miami’s signature Wildcat offence, and if Chad Henne can improve on his 2009 numbers the Dolphins will score a lot of points. Acquiring Brandon Marshall from the Broncos was a huge move and sets the Dolphins up as a team that could sneak up on the frontrunners in the division.

Buffalo Bills: The Bills will finish last place in the AFC East, guaranteed. The Bills are in rebuilding mode, but haven’t built much yet. Lee Evans is alone at wide receiver, and even if first-round pick C.J. Spiller can move the ball on the ground the offence will be neutralized by its ineptitude in the air. The Bills did have the league’s second ranked pass defence last year, a faint ray of light shining from the cellar of the division.