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Join me at 4 p.m. ET Tuesday for our weekly chat on the AFC East.

I am wrapping up my day at Miami Dolphins’ organized team activities. I will share my observations from practice, as well as plenty of thoughts on the Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots and New York Jets.

Here is the link. Don’t miss the AFC East party.

The AFC East blog continues its "Show and Prove" series for the division in 2013.

Next up we take a look at Buffalo Bills defensive end Mark Anderson.

2012 stats: 12 tackles, one sack

What he must prove: Anderson must prove that he is worthy of the free-agent contract he received from the Bills in 2012. Anderson, who came off a 10-sack season with the New England Patriots in 2011, signed a four-year, $19.5 million contract with the Bills last year but had an injury-plagued season. He played in just five games due to a knee injury in 2012. This is a make-or-break year for Anderson. If he cannot produce halfway through his four-year contract, the Bills could be forced to go in another direction.

Walker’s 2013 outlook: Anderson was a risky signing from the beginning for Buffalo. His 10-sack season with New England in 2011 had "flash in the pan" written all over it. Anderson only registered eight sacks in his previous four seasons combined. Buffalo needs as many pass-rushers as possible under new defensive coordinator Mike Pettine. But I am not sure Anderson is the type of player the Bills can consistently rely on this season. Despite his big contract, Anderson is probably best suited as a pass-rusher off the bench and a part-time starter if there are injuries on Buffalo’s defense.

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

• Updating a previous story, starting safety Reshad Jones reportedly changed his mind and plans to show up to the Miami Dolphins OTAs Tuesday. It was previously reported that he would not show unless there are discussions about a contract extension.

Morning take: Jones is still playing on his rookie contract and wants a raise in his final year. Miami spent a lot of money this offseason on other free agents and it will be interesting to see how the Dolphins handle Jones’ contract.

• After successful arm surgery, New England Patriots Pro Bowl tight end Rob Gronkowski will decide in about a month whether to have back surgery.

Morning take: Gronkowski is on the mend and will need about 10 weeks to recover from his fourth arm surgery. The back is another issue but not as serious. The key is to get Gronkowski ready for the regular season.

• New York Jets owner Woody Johnson says the team is in fact-finding mode with running back Mike Goodson.

Morning take: Goodson is in hot water following last week’s arrests. It’s not looking good for his situation, considering new general manager John Idzik must set a tone for the organization.

• The Buffalo Bills are working rookie wide receiver Robert Woods on the outside and in the slot.

Morning take: Woods is an NFL-ready player who should contribute immediately for Buffalo. Expect Woods to see plenty of playing time, but his best position is probably outside.

Buffalo Bills defensive end Mario Williams says his text messages to his ex fiancée last November were taken out of context.

Last week, two disturbing texts were released by the lawyer of his ex fiancée indicating that Williams was having “suicidal thoughts.” But the Bills' star defensive end denied the seriousness of those messages Monday at Buffalo's organized team activities.

“Obviously it's just a tactic to cover up the point of the whole thing," Williams said. "It is what it is. I could really care less. All it is [is] allegations and text messages and what not, whatever information blown out of proportion. I mean, it's completely out of context."

Williams is currently in a court battle over an engagement ring reportedly worth $785,000. Things got ugly last weekend when Williams' ex began releasing details of their private conversations.

Williams, who signed a $100 million contract with the Bills last season, reiterated to reporters Monday that he’s "completely fine."

"In a moment of anger, I talk about everything, I'll tell you that,” Williams said. “And I don't know too many people who would say they don't. Have you seen any of the notion, me needing any kind of help?"

The Buffalo Bills officially signed rookie wide receiver Robert Woods, the team announced Monday afternoon.

ESPN.com’s AFC East blog first reported on Sunday that both sides agreed to terms of a four-year contract. However, Woods was in Los Angeles this past weekend for the NFLPA's Rookie Premiere event and couldn’t sign until he returned to Buffalo. Woods signed the contract on Monday following the team’s organized team activities.

Woods is considered one of the most NFL-ready receivers from this year's draft. The USC product is the favorite to win a starting job opposite veteran receiver Steve Johnson.

Buffalo now has seven of their eight draft picks signed.

Here are the most interesting stories Monday in the AFC East:

• New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski will have his fourth arm surgery today with a recovery time of approximately 10 weeks.

Morning take: This timeline puts Gronkowski’s return right at training camp, although it would probably be wise to ease him in at that point. It’s unknown if Gronkowski has decided to also have back surgery, as well, this week.

• Speaking of injuries, Miami Dolphins rookie first-round pick Dion Jordan (shoulder) is expected to be ready by training camp.

Morning take: Miami knew of Jordan’s shoulder surgery and still took him No. 3 overall. Jordan has tremendous athleticism and should be 100 percent by August.

• Buffalo Bills rookie quarterback EJ Manuel says his NFL offense is simpler than his offense at Florida State.

Morning take: I’m not sure if that’s a good or bad thing. But Manuel is getting comfortable with the offense. Bills rookie head coach Doug Marrone is bringing his offense from Syracuse, which apparently is easier than Florida State’s.

• New York Jets rookie quarterback Geno Smith says he’s not naïve and he’s not a diva.

Morning take: Smith has been one of the most critiqued prospects in this year’s draft, and that won’t stop now that he’s in New York. The best way for Smith to silence his critics is by going out and playing well.

The Buffalo Bills nearly have their entire 2013 rookie NFL draft class under contract.

Buffalo reached a four-year agreement with second-round pick and rookie receiver Robert Woods, a source tells ESPN.com's AFC East blog. Woods was in Los Angeles for the NFLPA's Rookie Premiere this weekend, and is expected to sign the contract with Buffalo in the next few days.

Woods, a USC product, is considered one of the most NFL-ready receivers in this year's draft. He is the favorite to win the No. 2 receiver job in Buffalo opposite veteran Steve Johnson.

The Bills now have contract agreements with seven of their eight draft picks. First-round pick EJ Manuel, who was taken No. 16 overall, remains the only unsigned player from the 2013 class.

On Saturday, I wrote a column in the AFC East blog about the immense potential of the Buffalo Bills' 2013 draft class. This group could lay the foundation and eventually be the building block that ends the team's 13-year playoff drought.

But which rookie in Buffalo will make the biggest immediate impact this season?

Will it be first-round pick EJ Manuel? The former Florida State star is in a three-way competition with veterans Tarvaris Jackson and Kevin Kolb for the starting quarterback job. Manuel must first beat out two players before he gets on the field.

What about rookie wide receivers Robert Woods, Marquise Goodwin or Da'Rick Rogers? Woods is a polished receiver who appears NFL ready. He is the early favorite to start opposite 1,000-yard receiver Steve Johnson. Goodwin is probably the fastest player from Buffalo’s draft class and brings big-play ability. Rogers has all the measurables and talent to be an NFL receiver but must overcome his off-the-field issues.

Finally, on defense we have rookie linebacker Kiko Alonso. The former Oregon star is an aggressive player who is expected to bring a much-needed mean streak to Buffalo’s defense. Could Alonso make the biggest rookie impact?

Using our SportsNation poll, vote on which Buffalo draft pick will have the best rookie season in 2013. You can also share your thoughts in the comment section below.

There is some disturbing news coming out of Buffalo this weekend, where text messages from star defensive end Mario Williams were released by his ex-fiancée's attorney. Williams is currently in a legal battle over an engagement ring worth more than $780,000, and new details emerged that Williams allegedly had "dramatic mood swings” last year during their engagement.

"No money in the world should leave me with suicidal thoughts," Williams said in the text to his ex last November.

In another text Williams said, “I need to go back n my shell. There's no telling what Ill do to myself at this point. I'm sry Ill disappear from now on."

Should the Bills be concerned about Williams?

Buffalo invested $100 million in Williams and made him the highest-paid player in franchise history. He had an up-and-down first season with the Bills in 2012 but still led the team with 10.5 sacks. Williams dealt with a nagging wrist injury and apparently wasn’t in the best frame of mind at times last season because of issues in his personal life.

Lawsuits can get ugly when they involve former lovers, and it appears this is one where no punches will be pulled. Williams recently wrote a Twitter message assuring everyone that he is fine.

"I'm still here and always will be," Williams tweeted. "I'm too strong for ridicule and the childish extremes those will do to try and taint a person’s name when in reality you make me stronger, hungrier and more determined."

The best thing Williams can do at this point is prove he's ready to move on with his life. A big year on the football field in 2013 certainly can help in his recovery while also boosting Buffalo’s stock. That would be a win-win for Williams and the Bills.

This is a tough thing for Williams to go through, especially when details of his personal life are being released to the public. Maybe the Bills should have a brief talk with him just to make sure everything is OK. The Bills are counting on Williams heavily this year, and he needs to be sound physically and mentally.

Longtime readers of the AFC East blog know I detest grading drafts before rookies play their first NFL game. But there is nothing wrong with examining potential.

The “P” word is exactly what I see when I look at the Buffalo Bills‘ 2013 draft. I see a potential franchise quarterback in first-round pick EJ Manuel. I see potentially two or three good NFL receivers in second-round pick Robert Woods, third-round pick Marquise Goodwin and talented rookie free agent Da’Rick Rogers. I also see an aggressive, potential starting linebacker in Kiko Alonso.

The Bills haven’t tasted the playoffs since the Music City Miracle in the 1999 season. For the past 13 years, the Bills and their fans have been sent home packing after Week 17. They’ve had just one winning season since 2000.

Potentially, Buffalo’s rookie class could lay the foundation for ending the NFL’s longest playoff drought.

“Down the road I think the strength of this draft is going to be in the second round,” ESPN NFL draft analyst Kevin Weidl said. “I really like the Woods pick. I liked him on tape a lot. I think Robert Woods is really one of the more underrated players in this draft. ... Alonso is a guy who is an intense football player and a guy who makes a lot of plays. He flies around the field with sideline-to-sideline range, I thought.”

However, Manuel is the centerpiece of this group. The Bills shocked a lot of people by making him the first quarterback off the board with the No. 16 overall pick. ESPN draft expert Todd McShay was among the biggest critics, calling it a mistake and a wasted pick. Most agreed Buffalo took Manuel earlier than it needed to.

But the Bills fell in love with Manuel’s size, accuracy and athleticism. The rookie has a lot of tools to work with and will compete with veterans Kevin Kolb and Tarvaris Jackson for the starting job in training camp. Manuel can silence his critics by winning the job this year and playing well.

I caught up with Manuel and Goodwin at this week's NFLPA Rookie Premiere event in Los Angeles, which taught first-year players on the business of football and promoted giving back to the community. Count Goodwin among those who believe Manuel will develop into a franchise quarterback with the Bills.

“If I can describe him in one word, he’s A1,” Goodwin said. “He’s one of the best quarterbacks I’ve been surrounded by, and he’s an even better person. He’s my roommate right now, and I’ve definitely got to know him on a personal level. It’s been great. I text him every day. I talk to him every day. So it’s been great.”

Weidl says Manuel has a lot of physical tools to succeed but still plenty to learn.

“The wild card in this mix is EJ Manuel, and the focus of this draft class will always be EJ Manuel,” Weidl said. “Manuel, when you look at him, he’s everything you want in a quarterback in terms of physically. He’s got size, above average arm strength, he’s got mobility, and when you see how he carries himself, he’s a true professional.

“But the questions I had is on the field off his tape. He wasn’t always naturally accurate and he forces his receivers to adjust at times. And when the bullets are flying, especially under pressure, he didn’t always show the poise I’d like to see at quarterback. He didn’t always get deep in his progressions.”

The Bills have struggled in recent years making big plays in the passing game. Former starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick did not have the arm strength to successfully throw deep, and Buffalo lacked big-play receivers.

Enter rookies Woods, Goodwin and Rogers, who all have big-play capability to go with Manuel’s size and arm strength. If Manuel can grow over the next couple of years with his athletic and talented rookie receivers, the Bills could have a dangerous passing offense to go with dynamic running back C.J. Spiller.

“They are great receivers who run great routes,” Manuel said. “The best thing about Robert is he always wins [one-on-one battles]. Marquise, a lot of people talk about his speed, but he runs good routes too.”

New Bills general manager Doug Whaley told the AFC East blog this week that he’s excited about his rookie class — and for good reason. But the team also took on some character risks.

Alonso, Rogers and safety Duke Williams, who will compete for a starting role, all had off-field issues in college. Alonso had multiple alcohol-related incidents while at Oregon and also was arrested for burglary and criminal mischief in 2011. Rogers’ long list of issues include an arrest, a suspension and a failed drug test that resulted in him being kicked out of the University of Tennessee. Williams was suspended three times at the University of Nevada for various incidents. He reportedly got into a fight with a teammate in 2010, which led to one suspension. He also was arrested for theft in 2009.

The Bills said they examined those players’ backgrounds and believe their issues are behind them. That remains to be seen. Buffalo was willing to add good talent in exchange for character concerns.

The Bills also could have their kicker of the future in sixth-round pick Dustin Hopkins, who was a teammate of Manuel at Florida State and set the NCAA record for points scored. Hopkins will compete with longtime kicker Rian Lindell, who is 36 and entering his 15th season. According to Weidl, Hopkins is a good kicking prospect who has a chance to unseat the veteran.

If everything falls into place, the Bills could have a franchise quarterback, a starting linebacker, at least two contributing receivers and a kicker from one draft class. Rarely does everything go according to plan in the NFL, but the Bills appear to have more hits than misses in this draft, which was not always the case for this struggling franchise.

The Bills will not erase 13 years of losing overnight. But in the near future, we may look back at this 2013 draft class as the tipping point for when Buffalo finally started changing its losing ways.

» NFC Eight in the Box: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

A look at key players for each AFC East team who are coming back from injuries:

New England Patriots: There is no bigger injury concern in the AFC East this offseason than Rob Gronkowski. The Pro Bowl tight end has had three surgeries within the past year to fix his broken arm, and he is scheduled to have a fourth surgery next week. The timeline for Gronkowski’s return is approximately 10 weeks. That will put Gronkowski on pace for training camp if there are no setbacks. Gronkowski is arguably the best tight end in the NFL when healthy, and he’s certainly New England’s best red zone threat. After losing starting receivers Wes Welker and Brandon Lloyd this offseason, the Patriots really need a healthy and productive Gronkowski to thrive on offense this year.

New York Jets: It’s easy to forget about Santonio Holmes. Due to a serious foot injury, the former Super Bowl MVP was virtually nonexistent last season after playing just four games. The Jets’ passing game was in shambles as a result. But Holmes returns this season as New York’s No. 1 receiver and has a lot of responsibility on his shoulders. The Jets are rebuilding and don't have much talent on offense. There will also be a four-way quarterback competition between Mark Sanchez, rookie Geno Smith, Greg McElroy and Matt Simms. Holmes is one of the few players the Jets have on offense who has consistently produced throughout his career. It’s unknown if Holmes will return to his pre-injury form, but he should be better than any receiving threat the Jets have.

Miami Dolphins: One year ago, cornerback Brent Grimes was coming off a Pro Bowl season and viewed as one of the up-and-coming stars at his position. But a season-ending Achilles injury in 2012 dropped his stock, and now Grimes is trying to get back to his Pro Bowl form in Miami. The Dolphins signed Grimes to a one-year “show me” contract this offseason. No team was willing to make a multiyear commitment while Grimes still recovers from his torn Achilles. The Dolphins are taking a risk that Grimes will be 100 percent before the start of the regular season. He’s projected to be Miami’s No. 1 cornerback. The Dolphins were ranked 27th against the pass in 2012 and desperately need him. He also will provide veteran leadership to Miami’s two rookie corners: Jamar Taylor and Will Davis.

Buffalo Bills: Mark Anderson has become the forgotten defensive player in Buffalo. Just one year ago, the Bills made Anderson one of their big free-agent signings. But a knee injury forced Anderson to miss 11 games, and he recorded just 12 tackles and one sack. The Bills brought in Anderson to add a pass rush. He had 10 sacks with the Patriots in 2011 and aims to get healthy and return to form under new Bills defensive coordinator Mike Pettine. Buffalo needs as many pass-rushers as possible to assist Mario Williams, who led the Bills with 10.5 sacks last season.

 

Quarterbacks are the lifeblood of any NFL organization. With a franchise quarterback, a team can consistently contend. Without a quality quarterback, it's difficult to even make the playoffs.

Therefore, it’s never too early to take a look at 2014 quarterback rankings from ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. Here is an early projection of the top signal-callers in next year’s draft.

• No. 1: Teddy Bridgewater, Louisville
• No. 2: Tajh Boyd, Clemson
• No. 3: Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M

The 2014 quarterback class is stronger than this year’s -- assuming Bridgewater and Manziel indeed decide to leave school early. The top three are Heisman Trophy candidates with a lot of hype. If this trio stays healthy and productive, teams will be looking at each prospect as a future first-round pick.

The AFC East saw two teams draft top-rated quarterbacks this year. The Buffalo Bills selected EJ Manuel No. 16 overall in the first round, and the New York Jets took Geno Smith No. 39, near the top of the second round. If both players show promise this season, the entire division could be out of the quarterback market.

The New England Patriots are set at quarterback with future Hall of Famer Tom Brady and young backup Ryan Mallett. The Miami Dolphins also believe they have a franchise quarterback in Ryan Tannehill. The 2012 first-round pick showed flashes as a rookie and is set to enter a crucial second season.

It has been a whirlwind offseason for new Buffalo Bills general manager Doug Whaley. He spent the past several months on the road scouting for the NFL draft, and now Whaley is settling into his new position this week as Buffalo's general manager.

Whaley was officially promoted from within to take over for former general manager Buddy Nix and took some time Thursday to discuss his new position with the AFC East blog. Whaley has a big job ahead. The Bills have not been to the playoffs since 1999, which is currently the NFL's longest playoff drought.

Turning the franchise around starts at quarterback, which is a position Buffalo hasn’t had a long-term solution for since the days of Hall of Famer Jim Kelly. This year the Bills have three players vying for that spot: rookie first-round pick EJ Manuel and veterans Kevin Kolb and Tarvaris Jackson. Whaley said he’s not afraid to go into the season with a rookie quarterback if that's how the situation plays out in training camp.

"My philosophy on quarterbacks has always been the same," Whaley told the AFC East blog. "The best guy plays."

There are also new challenges ahead for Whaley that he didn't have to worry about as assistant general manager. One of the biggest issues facing the Bills is the pending contract dispute involving Pro Bowl safety Jairus Byrd, who is unhappy about getting the franchise tag. This will be Whaley's first big challenge as GM and a situation to keep an eye on with the Bills this summer.

“We want to keep our good players and Jairus is obviously a good player,” Whaley said. “We have an organizational goal not to negotiate in the media and want to keep it that way. But we will continue to negotiate with Jairus.”

The New England Patriots -- lead by coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady -- have been the mountain every AFC East team has tried to climb for the past dozen years. The Bills, Miami Dolphins and New York Jets consistently discuss closing the gap with New England.

Whaley spent 10 years with the Pittsburgh Steelers and knows what it is like to consistently contend and win championships. Whaley added it’s his ultimate goal to eventually make the Bills the “Beasts of the East.”

The Buffalo Bills, as expected, promoted former assistant general manager Doug Whaley to the top spot as general manager on Thursday. It comes just three days after former general manager Buddy Nix stepped down to take a lesser role with the team.

This decision has been in the works for months, as Buffalo’s front office prepared for the transition to Whaley. Nix, 73, took on a less-taxing role as special assistant earlier this week now that the NFL draft is complete.

Whaley is thought of very highly in the organization and was being groomed for the GM role. Before joining the Bills, he spent 10 years with the Pittsburgh Steelers, which included two Super Bowl titles following the 2006 and 2009 seasons. We will have more on this move this afternoon in the AFC East blog.

It was not a very good year for AFC East defenses in 2012. Three teams in the division finished with rankings in the 20s.

But there have been a lot of changes for the division via free agency and the draft. Let’s take a look at updated defensive rankings for the AFC East entering the regular season.

No. 1: Miami Dolphins

Analysis: The Dolphins ranked 21st in total defense in 2012. But Miami was decent against the run and only allowed 19.8 points per game, good for seventh in the NFL. The Dolphins’ biggest issue was their inconsistent pass defense. Miami gave up too many big passing plays and it cost the Dolphins some games. The Dolphins aggressively attacked their cornerback position by signing former Pro Bowler Brent Grimes and drafting Jamar Taylor and Will Davis in the second and third rounds, respectively. The Dolphins also added another pass-rushing threat with No. 3 overall pick Dion Jordan. If Miami stops allowing big passing plays, the Dolphins’ defense will be tough to beat.

No. 2: New England Patriots

Analysis: The Patriots were 25th in total defense in 2012. But I project New England to make a sizable jump in 2013. The Patriots made solid strides last year in red-zone defense and points allowed. But New England gave up too many chunk passing plays in between the 20s. The Patriots were 29th in pass defense last season. The return of No. 1 cornerback Aqib Talib to the secondary is huge, in addition to starting corner Alfonzo Dennard overcoming his legal issues and the Patriots signing hard-hitting safety Adrian Wilson. New England’s pass rush should also improve, led by a healthy Chandler Jones. There is a lot to like about the Patriots’ defense this season, especially with head coach Bill Belichick calling the shots. I wouldn’t be surprised to see New England move up 10 spots or more from last year’s ranking.

No. 3: New York Jets

Analysis: Here is one thing you can count on with the Jets under head coach Rex Ryan: He will field a very good defense. New York has been in the top 10 in total defense since Ryan took over in 2009. The Jets, despite their ugly 6-10 record, was ranked No. 8 in total defense last season. But look for the unit to take a step back in 2013. New York’s scheme remains strong, but this is the least amount of talent Ryan has had in his five seasons with the Jets. New York traded the best cornerback in the NFL -- Darrelle Revis -- to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and lost Pro Bowl safety LaRon Landry, linebacker Bart Scott and defensive linemen Sione Po'uha and Mike DeVito. The Jets will try to replace these established veterans with younger players, many of whom are rookies or players with just one year of experience. Defense will still be the Jets' strength, but they won’t be as strong on that side of the ball than in previous years.

No. 4: Buffalo Bills

Analysis: I had a hard time ranking the Bills’ defense. This group has talent on paper, but Buffalo never came close to putting it all together last season. The Bills ranked No. 22 in total defense in 2012, 31st against the run. It will be the job of new defensive coordinator Mike Pettine to get the most out of his talent. Buffalo has some quality players on defense. Pro Bowl safety Jairus Byrd, defensive tackle Kyle Williams, defensive end Mario Williams and former first-round picks Marcell Dareus and Stephon Gilmore are all talented. But collectively, the Bills’ defense grossly underachieved. The linebacker play must improve dramatically. I’m also concerned about two major holes at cornerback and safety.

I'm sure there will be plenty of debate about these rankings -- and really, the AFC East is wide open on defense this year. I wouldn’t be surprised if any of these teams lead the division defensively; all four have a chance to be competitive. It most likely will come down to which team can consistently execute defensively and stay healthy over a 16-game season.