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We continue our series on AFC East free agency with an early look at the Miami Dolphins.

Here is the full list compiled by Brian McIntyre's Mac's Football Blog:

Restricted

• RB Lex Hilliard
• OT Lydon Murtha
• DE Ryan Baker
• DE Phillip Merling

Unrestricted

• QB Chad Henne
• QB J.P. Losman
• RB Steve Slaton
• G Vernon Carey
• OT Marc Colombo
• DE Kendall Langford
• NT Paul Soliai
• LB Ikaika Alama-Francis
• LB Marvin Mitchell
• LB Jason Taylor
• CB Will Allen

Analysis: The Dolphins have some interesting decisions to make. There are five unrestricted free agents who started last season and several contributors. Miami could lose its entire right side of the offensive line with Carey and Columbo. Although Carey is the better player, both were Tony Sparano guys. Sparano was fired and took a job with the New York Jets as offensive coordinator. Soliai had another good year at nose tackle and is set to cash in after making it to the Pro Bowl. He played on the franchise tag last year and the Dolphins seem unwilling so far to offer a long-term contract. Henne was another Sparano favorite and will not return. Taylor, a future Hall of Famer, retired after this season.

Here are the most interesting stories Thursday morning in the AFC East:

• In addition to receiver Santonio Holmes, the New York Jets guaranteed the 2012 salary of right tackle Wayne Hunter.

Morning take: This move was a surprise. Hunter allowed the most sacks on the team, and I thought quarterback Mark Sanchez would get injured at times from that side. Will Hunter start again in 2012?

• Ex-New England Patriots safety Rodney Harrison says Rob Gronkowski partying after the Super Bowl wasn't right.

Morning take: This is "Gronk" being "Gronk." If you don't know by now, the guy beats to the tune of his own drum. But what's most interesting to me is how nimble he was on the dance floor. I didn't see that from Gronkowski and his injured ankle a few hours prior against the New York Giants.

• Could the Buffalo Bills go after San Diego Chargers receiver Vincent Jackson?

Morning take: The Chargers have no plans to franchise Jackson, so it looks like Jackson will hit the open market next month. If Buffalo doesn't re-sign Steve Johnson, Jackson may be a fallback option.

• Here is a look at the Miami Dolphins' depth chart on defense.

Morning take: The Dolphins defense was solid last year but could take some losses, particularly on the defensive line. Jason Taylor retired and defensive ends Paul Soliaia and Kendall Langford are both unrestricted free agents.

The football season is officially over. But that only means the rumor mill is about to heat up with free agency and the NFL draft. We will be doing more mailbags again in the AFC East blog starting this week.

How will the New England Patriots handle 20 free agents? Will the Miami Dolphins or New York Jets land Peyton Manning? What’s up with Steve Johnson and the Buffalo Bills? There are hot topics all over the division that need to be addressed in the coming weeks and months.

Send all your offseason questions here, and I will get to as many as I can by Saturday.

We continue our early look at free agency in the AFC East. Next up is the Buffalo Bills.

Here is Buffalo's full list of pending free agents, courtesy of Brian McIntyre's compiled list:

Restricted

• OL Chad Rinehart
• OL Kraig Urbik

Unrestricted

• RB Tashard Choice
• WR Derek Hagan
• WR Steve Johnson
• WR Ruvell Martin
• WR Roscoe Parrish
• TE Scott Chandler
• OT Demetrius Bell
• LB Andra Davis
• LB Kirk Morrison
• LB Reggie Torbor
• CB Reggie Corner
• S Bryan Scott
• K Dave Rayner

Analysis: The name that obviously stands out the most is Johnson, Buffalo's leading receiver. The Bills have been at odds about Johnson's value since the regular season. Johnson wants to be paid like a top, No. 1 receiver, upwards of $8 million per year. Buffalo so far seems uncomfortable going that high. Both sides have another month to work this out before Johnson hits the open market. Another player to watch is Chandler, the Bills' starting tight end. The Bills want him back. He's a solid, underrated player in Buffalo's offense. Someone who probably won't return is Parrish. He's been too injury-prone over the past couple of seasons.

The New York Jets have a lot of questions entering free agency. They have a lengthy list of names about to hit the market, spelled out clearly by Brian McIntyre of the well-respected Mac's Football blog.

Here's the list:

Restricted

• TE Matthew Mulligan
• LB Aaron Maybin
• LB Jamaal Westerman
• CB Marquice Cole

Unrestricted

• QB Mark Brunell
• QB Kevin O'Connell
• RB LaDainian Tomlinson
• WR Plaxico Burress
• OL Robert Turner
• DT Sione Pouha
• LB Bryan Thomas
• CB Donald Strickland
• S Jim Leonhard
• S Brodney Pool
• K Nick Folk

Analysis: There are not many "must-haves" on this list. The Jets already are strapped for salary-cap space and had locker-room issues. I expect plenty of turnover in free agency. Big names like Tomlinson and Burress are not expected to return on offense, and injuries suffered by Leonhard (knee) and Thomas (Achilles tendon) will hurt their chances to come back on the defense. If I had to pick two players from this unrestricted group who could return, it would be Folk and Pouha. But both would have to be at the right price. In terms of restricted players, I think Maybin is a guy the Jets will keep. They found a niche for him in New York and gave him a chance to jumpstart his career. Maybin also was one of the team's best pass-rushers last season.

Here is a potential clue to tracking the Miami Dolphins in free agency: Watch the Green Bay Packers.

Yes, general manager Jeff Ireland is running the show in Miami. But that doesn't mean Dolphins rookie head coach Joe Philbin won't add some influence about the players he's most familiar with.

Green Bay went 15-1 this season. Here are some key pending free agents for the Packers to keep an eye on:

• QB Matt Flynn
• TE Jermichael Finley
• RB Ryan Grant
• C Scott Wells

Philbin worked directly with this group day-to-day as Green Bay's offensive coordinator.

It's no secret Philbin likes Flynn, who was Aaron Rodgers' backup for four seasons. Perhaps no coach outside of the Packers’ staff knows Flynn better than Miami’s rookie head coach. I fully expect Miami to be in the Flynn sweepstakes if Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning is out of the equation.

Finley and Grant are interesting cases. I doubt Finley is going anywhere. He is one of Rodgers' favorite targets and most likely will get an extension or the franchise tag. Grant might be someone of interest, although Miami has 1,000-yard rusher Reggie Bush and budding rookie Daniel Thomas. Wells is Green Bay's starting center, and Mike Pouncey is Miami's long-term solution there.

The New York Jets said weeks ago that No. 1 receiver Santonio Holmes is not going anywhere. On Wednesday, the team spoke with its wallet.

According to various reports, Holmes' 2013 salary for $7.5 million was contractually guaranteed Wednesday by staying on the roster. The Jets were already on the hook for Holmes' guaranteed 2012 salary of $7.75 million.

The moral of this story is Holmes and third-year quarterback Mark Sanchez must make it work. Both players feuded last year as the offense imploded down the stretch. There was early speculation that one — or both — wouldn't return next season. But the Jets have too much money tied into both players to split them up.

Here are the most interesting stories Wednesday morning in the AFC East:

• What are the odds Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning lands in the AFC East?

Morning take: The odds are probably better than any other division, considering that two teams might have interest. The Miami Dolphins and New York Jets could both use a healthy Manning in their offenses to take their teams to the next level.

• Former New England Patriots safety Rodney Harrison believes quarterback Tom Brady will get another shot at a Super Bowl.

Morning take: It's always hard to predict these things. New England should be in the running next season, and that's all a team can ask for. But so much has to go right to make it all the way to the Super Bowl.

• New Buffalo Bills tight ends coach Pete Metzelaars wants to recruit pending free agent Scott Chandler to return.

Morning take: Chandler is an underrated free agent who doesn't put up big numbers but is a solid player. I'm interested to see what kind of value he commands on the open market.

• New York Jets signed receiver Patrick Turner to a one-year contract.

Morning take: Turner is most famous for replacing Santonio Holmes in the fourth quarter of the regular-season finale. He only had eight receptions but the Jets seem to like his potential.

Here are the latest happenings Tuesday evening in the AFC East:

• Should the New England Patriots be favored to win the Super Bowl in 2012?
• What can the New York Jets learn from this year's Super Bowl?
• Here is an early look at the Miami Dolphins' depth chart on offense.
• The Buffalo Bills hired Pete Metzelaars to coach tight ends.
• Here is a recap of this week's AFC East chat.

MIAMI — How will Ricky Williams be remembered in South Florida?

Will the former Miami Dolphins tailback be remembered for his three 1,000-yard seasons, including an amazing 1,853 rushing yards in 2002? Or will Williams be remembered for his failed drug tests, abrupt retirement/return, and his always-wavering will to play football?

The Dolphins saw the best and worst of Williams during his eight-year tenure in Miami. It was a roller-coaster ride and the most years he spent with his three NFL teams.

Williams in his prime was a fantastic runner. Williams finished with 10,009 rushing yards in a career where he essentially missed three full seasons in 2004, 2006 and 2007. Those numbers could have been even higher had Williams always maintained his focus on football.

But focus and football never added up for Williams, and that is the part that rubs a lot of Dolphins fans the wrong way. Miami was invested in Williams — the Dolphins traded for him in 2002 — but football was never something he truly loved. It was too easy for Williams to walk away. He was much more interested in other things.

Following retirement and drug-related suspensions, Williams was never the same, consistent player when he returned in 2008. He had a one-year resurgence in 2009, rushing for 1,121 yards, because teams couldn't figure out Miami's innovative Wildcat offense. But Williams never rushed for more than 673 yards the rest of his career before retiring this season with the Baltimore Ravens.

Williams is a thoughtful and intelligent person and should do very well in the next phase of his life. But his football phase in the NFL will be viewed through a murky lens, especially in Miami.

It's time to turn the page and move toward the 2012 offseason. The AFC champion New England Patriots certainly have a lot of questions to address in the coming months.

But what is New England's most important need this offseason? There are several areas the Patriots can use an upgrade.

Do the Patriots need a shutdown corner the most? Patriots fans had to watch New England's 31st-ranked pass defense get carved up all season. Very few had confidence the Patriots would stop Eli Manning and the New York Giants in the final minutes of the Super Bowl with the game on the line, based on what we've seen. Would a stud No. 1 cornerback make the biggest difference?

What about a deep threat at receiver? Quarterback Tom Brady ran an offense based more on precision than going vertical. New England's best deep threat was No. 2 tight end Aaron Hernandez. Would a speedy receiver via the draft or free agent take New England's offense to new levels?

You can't forget the pass rush and a stud safety. The Patriots' two best pass rushers this season were Mark Anderson and Andre Carter. Anderson is a pending free agent, and Carter finished the season on injured reserve. Also, the safety depth needs an upgrade opposite Patrick Chung. In the playoffs, Patriots coach Bill Belichick used starting cornerback Devin McCourty at safety in sub packages.

Vote on the No. 1 offseason need for the Patriots. You can also share your thoughts in the comment section below.

The 2011-12 season is officially over. It ended with the New England Patriots coming up short in a 21-17 Super Bowl loss to the New York Giants.

But that doesn't mean the party stops here. We are just getting started with our offseason preparation. Join me at 4 p.m. ET to discuss all the latest with the Patriots, Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills and New York Jets.

Will Peyton Manning land in the division? What are some needs in free agency and the draft? There are plenty of intriguing offseason storylines, and we will get the ball rolling.

Click here for the chat. Don't miss the fiesta.

New York Jets owner Woody Johnson reportedly will meet with starting quarterback Mark Sanchez this week. There is a lot to talk about after the team imploded down the stretch and was one of the NFL’s biggest disappointments.

Here are three topics I think Sanchez and Johnson must address in their face-to-face meeting:

1. Does Sanchez have the Jets’ full support?

Publicly, the Jets are saying all the right things. Johnson and general manager Mike Tannenbaum have both gone on record to say Sanchez is the starting quarterback in 2012. But behind the scenes there is speculation about Sanchez’s long-term future in New York. He’s had three years with the team and showed marginal improvement. Some believe Sanchez may have even regressed last season, although most statistics show otherwise. But Sanchez, more than anything, wants to come from this meeting with Johnson knowing he has the full support of the Jets organization. It would seem highly disingenuous if Johnson and Tannenbaum are publicly deeming Sanchez the starter next season. Then, the team goes after Peyton Manning in March. Johnson needs to be completely forthright with Sanchez and where he stands as the starting quarterback.

2. How do the Jets plan to make the offense better?

Both Sanchez and Johnson need to have an honest and blunt conversation about the offense. There shouldn’t be any sugarcoating from either side. Sanchez should clearly explain where he thinks the weaknesses are and what he needs around him. Meanwhile, Johnson should be honest about what improvements he wants to see from his quarterback. This could provide a very productive back-and-forth to help map out the future direction of the offense. New York will run a new system next season under first-year offensive coordinator Tony Sparano. Johnson should take in Sanchez’s suggestions heading into the draft and free agency, and Sanchez should listen closely to the areas Johnson thinks the quarterback needs to work on.

3. Can chemistry problems with receiver Santonio Holmes be fixed?

This is something Johnson needs to know. Two of his highest-paid players on offense feuded last season, and Johnson needs to get to the source of whether this pairing can work in 2012. There isn’t much the Jets, Sanchez or Holmes can do to change it due to their large contracts. The quarterback and receiver must make it work for at least another year. The emotions of a bitter ending seem to have worn off, and Sanchez and Holmes appear to be on the right track. Rest assured Johnson will want an update on where this pairing stands heading into the offseason.

Due to responsibility of covering the Super Bowl, I never got around to Todd McShay's latest mock draft for the AFC East.

Let's take a look at McShay's second offering.

Miami Dolphins (No. 8 or No. 9)

McShay's pick: Melvin Ingram, DE/OLB, South Carolina

Analysis: Nothing against Ingram, who is a good prospect. But the Dolphins need several positions before they add a pass-rushing defensive end/outside linebacker. Miami already has one of those in Cameron Wake. What they don't have is a franchise quarterback, a play-making safety or a right tackle. Defensive tackle Paul Soliai also is a free agent and may need to be replaced. Perhaps most of these needs will be addressed in free agency before the draft. But with the way the roster currently stands, some other players may be a better fit in the first round.

Buffalo Bills (No. 10)

McShay's pick: Courtney Upshaw, DE/OLB, Alabama,

Analysis: Upshaw would be a great pick for Buffalo. He does everything well for a linebacker, including rush the passer, which is needed. Upshaw also is versatile, although the Bills appear to be going strictly to a 4-3 next season. Upshaw can bring that nasty mentality and a pass rush that Buffalo has been looking for. The Bills need a difference-maker on defense and Upshaw has that potential.

New York Jets (No. 16)

McShay's pick: Mark Barron, S, Alabama

Analysis: I also agree with this pick for the Jets. New York has several needs, but perhaps no need is bigger than safety. The Jets may need to replace both safeties next season. Jim Leonhard is a free agent coming off a season-ending knee injury and Eric Smith had a terrible year. Opponents often avoided New York's corners and had a field day throwing over the middle against the safeties. Barron could help stop that trend.

New England Patriots (No. 27 and No. 31)

McShay's picks: Chandler Jones, DE, Syracuse; Brandon Thompson, DT, Clemson

Analysis: McShay sees the Patriots rebuilding the defensive line. I think New England needs more help on the back end with the secondary (corner and safety). But I really don't have too big a problem with this, as long as the Patriots are drafting defense in the first two rounds. I wouldn't mind if New England spent its first four picks on defensive players. Also keep in mind Patriots head coach Bill Belichick likes to trade these picks. But I think it's wise for New England to finally cash in.

Here are the most interesting stories Tuesday morning in the AFC East:

• Will the Super Bowl run by the New York Giants motivate the cross-town rival Jets?

Morning take: It should. The Giants were only one game better than the Jets in the standings in the regular season. But chemistry and getting hot at the right time made the difference. The Jets have to play second fiddle to the reigning champs in their own market for another year.

• Is New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady entering the twilight of his career?

Morning take: I wouldn't write off Brady just yet. He did just throw for the second-most passing yards ever at age 34. I think Brady has at least two or three good years left as long as he stays healthy.

• Should the Miami Dolphins proceed with caution with Peyton Manning?

Morning take: Yes, the Dolphins need to be cautious. If Manning is released, it will be because, in part, he's physically limited due to his neck. The Dolphins have to do their medical homework on Manning before giving him a big contract.

• Buffalo Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick won't use his rib injury as an excuse.

Morning take: That's admirable. Fitzpatrick's play tailed off in the second half of the season but he never complained. If not for teammate David Nelson, this topic would have never come up.