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ESPN.com senior writer John Clayton recently provided his list of the top-10 tight ends heading into the 2012 season. To no surprise, the New England Patriots duo of Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez both made the cut. But the rankings were interesting: Gronkowski was No. 1 and Hernandez was No. 3.

Gronkowski has catapulted to the top of the tight-end rankings after a record-setting season. I doubt many would argue that point. But is Hernandez, Gronkowski's backup, the third-best at his position?

"Hernandez isn't as physical as Gronkowski after the catch, but he's a beast to stop in routes. Hernandez takes double coverage away from Gronkowski and vice-versa, which forces opponents into more man-to-man coverages," Clayton wrote.

There are a lot of good tight ends in the NFL. But the big point is that both Gronkowski and Hernandez are unique talents who may not be together very long in New England. Both will be looking for top dollar when their contracts expire in two years. New England will struggle to pay both at the same position.

Also worth noting is Dustin Keller of the New York Jets also came in at No. 9 on Clayton's list of top tight ends.

Earlier this week we took a look at the best running backs in the division. On Wednesday, we will examine another position: tight ends.

Here are the top four tight ends according to the AFC East blog:

No. 1: Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots

Skinny: Say what you want about Gronkowski's personality, but he is a beast on the field. His size, wing span and strong hands have made him an elite tight end in just two seasons. Gronkowski had an NFL record 17 touchdown receptions for a tight end in 2011 and is nearly impossible to stop in the red zone.

No. 2: Aaron Hernandez, Patriots

Skinny: Hernandez is part tight end, part wide receiver. He was probably the Patriots' best deep threat last year, although receiver Brandon Lloyd will take over the role this season. Hernandez is a top-10 tight end but a second option in New England. Hernandez probably will get a shot to be the guy somewhere else when his rookie contract expires in a couple years.

No. 3: Dustin Keller, New York Jets

Skinny: Keller set career highs with receptions (65) and yards (815) last season. He was Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez's most reliable weapon from the start of the season to the end. Keller has a lot of tools. He's able to make the catches in traffic as well as stretch the field. Keller should improve as New York's passing offense becomes more efficient.

No. 4: Anthony Fasano, Miami Dolphins

Skinny: Fasano is a solid player but not great at any particular thing. He does stretch the field better than he's given credit for. He averaged a career-high 14.1 yards per reception in 2011. I'm curious to see how well Fasano fits in Miami's new West Coast offense. Fasano also won't have the luxury of Brandon Marshall taking away coverage and double teams.

New York Jets tight end Dustin Keller discusses the team's offseason moves and his thoughts on new quarterback Tim Tebow.

Buffalo Bills

NFL Network analyst and former NFL general manager Charley Casserly weighs in on what the Bills can expect from defensive end Mario Williams.

The Bills have scheduled visits or have already met with 16 of their 30 allotted draft prospects.

Miami Dolphins

Defensive end Cameron Wake, unhappy with his current contract, was missing from the start of the Dolphins' offseason program.

In hopes of filling a void at outside linebacker, the team has worked out free agents Jonathan Goff, Quentin Groves, Gary Guyton and Bryan Kehl.

New England Patriots

Anthony Gonzalez joked on Tuesday about a "policy" that led him to sign with New England. “I was joking with my friends. I have a very strict Hall of Famer only policy,” he said. “Just stay with that group. It’s good. It’s wonderful, obviously. Quarterbacks make receivers look very good, and hopefully I can get some opportunities with him [Tom Brady]."

Re-signing with the Patriots was an easy decision for Matthew Slater.

New York Jets

Woody Johnson says the Jets didn’t trade for Tim Tebow to sell jerseys.

Dustin Keller, Mark Sanchez and Santonio Holmes got an early start on offseason workouts.

There is a lot of debate in the AFC East blog about which division team is the better fit for free-agent quarterback Peyton Manning. The future Hall of Famer is available, and is expected to choose a new team within the next week.

But in our latest edition of "Poll Friday," we want our community to play the role of Manning. If you were the quarterback, which AFC East team has the best supporting cast: Miami or New York?

The Dolphins are considered one of the favorites, and have several good pieces on offense. They have a Pro Bowl receiver (Brandon Marshall), a Pro Bowl left tackle (Jake Long), and a 1,000-yard running back (Reggie Bush). The defense also is solid and would work well with a high-scoring offense.

Or do the Jets provide Manning with better players? New York has three Pro Bowlers on the offensive line, and a good receiver in Santonio Holmes (when he's not disgruntled). Dustin Keller is certainly an upgrade at tight end over Miami, and the Jets' defense ranked fifth in the NFL last season.

Using our SportsNation poll, vote on which team provides the better supporting cast for Manning. You can also share your thoughts in the comment section below.

The AFC East blog continues its ranking of the top 40 players in the division.

Here are Nos. 29-32:

No. 32: C.J. Spiller, RB

Team: Buffalo Bills

Stats: 561 yards, four touchdowns

Analysis: Fans were tired of waiting on C.J. Spiller. Everyone knew he had talent, but Spiller had yet to show it on the field. But opportunity knocked for the former first-round pick late in the season. Buffalo starting tailback Fred Jackson broke his leg and Spiller played well as the starter. Spiller's ceiling is high and he proved he can be a starting running back. It will be intriguing to see how Buffalo uses the Jackson-Spiller combo next season. It could be one of the best tailback tandems in the league.

No. 31: Brandon Spikes, LB

Team: New England Patriots

Stats: 47 tackles

Analysis: Spikes is the Energizer Bunny in New England. He brings a much-needed intensity and big-play ability to the Patriots' 31st-ranked defense. New England needs more players like Spikes to build around. He is perhaps New England's hardest hitter. Spikes would've had a better year in 2011 if injuries didn't force him to miss eight games. But you can see a noticeable difference when Spikes is in and out of the game for the Patriots. Spikes, Jerod Mayo and Rob Nickovich could grow together and be a solid linebacker trio for the Patriots.

No. 30: Dustin Keller, TE

Team: New York Jets

Stats: 65 receptions, 815 yards, five touchdowns

Analysis: When switching from the AFC North to cover the AFC East this past season, Keller was one of the players I was most looking forward to watching on an everyday basis. I've seen a few of Keller's games in person over the years and was impressed. But Keller didn't have the dynamic impact year I expected in 2012. It definitely all wasn't on Keller. New York's entire offense was not on the same page most of last year and had chemistry issues. Keller has the natural ability to be higher on this list, but I want to see more from him next season.

No. 29: Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB

Team: Bills

Stats: 3,832 yards, 24 touchdowns, 23 interceptions

Analysis: By all measures, Fitzpatrick had a career year. But his poor play down the stretch left a bad impression on his 2011 season. Fitzpatrick started out fast, but Buffalo’s franchise quarterback was mostly awful during the second half of the season. Fitzpatrick is very streaky and needs to work on his consistency. The Bills signed Fitzpatrick to a $59 million contract extension, making him the face of the franchise. Fitzpatrick has to live up to that billing next year and prove he can take Buffalo to the next level, which is leading the Bills to the playoffs.

» NFC Stock Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

FALLING

1. New York Jets' playoff chances: It was just one week ago that the talented but inconsistent Jets controlled their own playoff fate. It was a simple formula: Win the final two games and they're in. But the Jets laid their second egg in a row, to the cross-town rival New York Giants. Now, the Jets need to beat the Dolphins and get a ton of help. Three teams need to lose next week or the Jets will be watching the playoffs from home. This team had Super Bowl expectations entering the season. The Jets have no one to blame but themselves if they don't get into the postseason.

2. Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer: The Jets have the NFL's 27th-ranked offense. Although there's plenty of blame to go around, the offensive coordinator will probably get the brunt of it. Schottenheimer has underachieved with talented weapons such as tight end Dustin Keller, receivers Santonio Holmes and Plaxico Burress and running backs Shonn Greene, Joe McKnight and LaDainian Tomlinson. There are already rumblings in New York that Schottenheimer's job may be in jeopardy. I think, at the very least, Jets head coach Rex Ryan and the front office will take a hard look at ways to improve the offense and its coaching staff in the offseason.

3. Miami Dolphins' draft stock: The Dolphins are 5-10 and currently own the No. 8 overall pick in April’s NFL draft. Sounds good, right? Well, not so much. Miami is searching for a top quarterback and may be on the outside looking in this offseason. Three very good quarterback prospects were expected to be available: Stanford's Andrew Luck, Baylor's Robert Griffin III and USC's Matt Barkley. Luck will be gone with the first pick, Griffin is projected to go before No. 8 and Barkley opted to return for his senior season. The Dolphins could roll the dice with Oklahoma's Landry Jones, but he's considered a drop-off from the other three college quarterbacks. It's looking more and more like Miami could stay with Matt Moore in 2012 or see whether there are any intriguing veterans available in free agency.

RISING

1. Jerod Mayo, New England Patriots linebacker: New England needs someone to step up defensively down the stretch. Mayo is the most likely candidate to do it. He is coming off his best game of the season in a key win over Miami. Mayo recorded 13 tackles and a season-high two sacks. Mayo is one of the few consistent players on New England's inconsistent defense. Keep an eye on Mayo in the playoffs.

2. Leodis McKelvin, Buffalo Bills cornerback: Buffalo fans expected more from McKelvin when the team drafted him in the first round in 2008. The Bills were counting on McKelvin to develop into a shutdown corner. That hasn't been the case. But one area where McKelvin has been as good as advertised is his ability to return kicks, which came in handy during Buffalo's win over the Denver Broncos. McKelvin set a team record with 136 punt return yards, including an 80-yard touchdown in the second quarter that was Buffalo's final lead change.

3. Wes Welker, Patriots receiver: What more can you say about Welker? He continues to produce and had another big game against Miami. Welker recorded 12 receptions for 138 yards. Teams are focusing on Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski more, which should open up opportunities for Welker. Welker was targeted 19 times last week by Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. Welker has 116 receptions for 1,518 yards in what will surely be another Pro Bowl season.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The Buffalo Bills and New York Jets are tied, 14-14, at intermission.

Here are some notes at halftime:

• Buffalo quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has struggled in recent weeks, but got off to a good start against New York. Fitzpatrick completed 6 of his first 8 passes in the first quarter for 74 yards and a touchdown. He led a 90-yard touchdown drive in the opening period for Buffalo's first score of the game. Overall he is 12-for-17 for 117 yards and two touchdowns.
• Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis and Bills receiver Steve Johnson are having a nice battle in the first half. Johnson has made five catches for 44 yards and a touchdown against Revis, which is a good game for most receivers on Revis Island.
• But Johnson's touchdown celebration was controversial and might catch the attention of the league office. He was dancing and appeared to pretend to shoot himself in the leg, mocking Jets receiver Plaxico Burress. Johnson was flagged 15 yards for excessive celebration. The move also wasn't in great taste, considering Burress spent time in jail for the incident.
• Looking at other wild-card contenders, the Cincinnati Bengals are losing to the Cleveland Browns, 17-7, at halftime, and the Tennessee Titans are tied with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 10-10.

DENVER -- The New York Jets got Tebow-ed, falling to the Denver Broncos, 17-13, in a stunning, last-minute collapse Thursday night. Broncos QB Tim Tebow led a 95-yard drive, scoring on a 20-yard run with 58 seconds left.

What it means: The Jets fell to 5-5 in the most unimaginable fashion, blowing leads of 10-3 and 13-10 in the fourth quarter. The Jets have serious issues -- a mistake-prone Mark Sanchez, injuries to their running backs and an offense that doesn’t have a clue.

Tebowmania: With only three full days to prepare for Tebow and the Broncos’ college-style offense, the Jets’ defense was stellar for 56 minutes. Then came an utter collapse. Tebow came to life, leading a 12-play, 95-yard drive. In Denver, they will call it The Drive II. He made plays with his feet, and occasionally with his arm. The Jets fell asleep on the game-winning plays, allowing Tebow to scramble -- untouched -- into the end zone.

It may have been the death knell for the Jets’ season.

Bad Mark -- again: Sanchez did it again. For the second straight week, he threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown. This was a momentum-changing killer, a forced throw to Plaxico Burress that was picked by cornerback Andre Goodman. It made it 10-10. It was Sanchez’s third pick-six of the season.

It was another maddeningly inconsistent performance by Sanchez. He completed 11 straight passes at one point, but he missed a wide-open Dustin Keller in the end zone and made two clock-management errors -- one week after getting ripped by Rex Ryan for a botched timeout.

But say this for Sanchez: He’s one tough hombre. He took a beating in the second half, drilled twice by Denver pass rushers, but he managed to lead a 42-yard field goal drive for a 13-10 lead. Nevertheless, the Jets have to be concerned as they look forward.

Brutal special teams: This is supposed to be a strength, but the special teams were awful all night. Joe McKnight fumbled on a third-quarter kickoff return (his second lost fumble in five days), Nick Folk missed two field goal attempts (52 and 61 yards) and punter T.J. Conley shanked a 13-yarder. Give Folk credit; he rebounded to make a 45-yard field goal that could have been the game winner.

Painful injury: The Jets, already without the injured LaDainian Tomlinson (sprained knee), lost starting running back Shonn Greene (ribs) in the first quarter. Greene caught a 4-yard screen pass and landed on the ball as he hit the ground, grimacing in pain. It’s a familiar injury for Greene, who suffered a severe rib injury in the 2009 AFC Championship Game.

Makeshift backfield: Without Greene and Tomlinson, the backfield consisted of special-teams star Joe McKnight and rookie Bilal Powell, who made his NFL debut. That hurt the Jets’ pass protection because neither McKnight nor Powell is a good blocker.

Powell actually made the best bad play of the game -- yes, you read that correctly. On a second down from the Broncos’ 1, Powell fumbled in a crowd. It squirted across the goal line and left guard Matt Slauson pounced on it for the touchdown to give the Jets a 10-3 lead.

McKnight is an undisciplined runner, but he ran hard between the tackles and was effective on screen passes. The Jets aren’t a big screen offense, but they exploited the Broncos’ rush with well-timed screen passes.

Rare score: How fitting that the first touchdown in the ugliest of games was scored by a 325-pound guard from Nebraska. The way the Jets’ offense was playing, it wasn’t going to come from one of their skill-position players. Get this: Slauson’s TD was the first by a Jets offensive lineman since guard Randy Rasmussen in 1972.

All quiet on Revis Island: Just as he expected, Darrelle Revis didn’t get much action against the run-heavy Broncos. Best we can tell, he didn’t fall asleep.

What’s ahead: The Jets get a 10-day break before resuming against the Buffalo Bills in a home game. The Jets dominated the first meeting, 27-11.

A quarter of the season is in the books. Here is our first report card of all four teams in the AFC East.

Buffalo Bills (3-1, first place in AFC East)

Offense: A

Defense: C-

Quarter-season MVP: QB Ryan Fitzpatrick

Analysis: Fitzpatrick and tailback Fred Jackson were in consideration for Buffalo’s early-season MVP. But Fitzpatrick gets the nod, because he runs the show and is off to a hot start. Fitzpatrick has thrown for 1,040 yards, nine touchdowns and three interceptions. Even in his one bad game against Cincinnati, he didn’t commit a turnover. Buffalo is ninth in total offense but fourth in scoring. This group usually doesn’t settle for many field goals. The Bills are plus-seven in turnover ratio, because Fitzpatrick is smart with the football and the defense is opportunistic. Buffalo’s defense is tied for the NFL lead with eight interceptions and two returned for touchdowns. But the group gives up more than 400 yards per game. It's going to be hard for Buffalo to win every game via shootout.

New England Patriots (3-1, second place)

Offense: A

Defense: F

Quarter-season MVP: Quarterback Tom Brady

Analysis: Brady is an easy MVP pick, although receiver Wes Welker deserves a lot of credit as well. The difference is Welker wouldn't put up monster numbers without Brady. What more can you say about New England's offense? They are first in total yards (507.5 per game) and tied for second in scoring (33.8). But the defense has been horrendous this season. There were some signs of improvement last week against the Raiders. But New England’s defense remains 32nd in the NFL. Brady is so hot that, so far, it doesn't matter. But what happens in the playoffs if New England’s offense can’t light it up every game?

New York Jets (2-2, third place)

Offense: D+

Defense: B

Quarter-season MVP: Linebacker David Harris

Analysis: New York's MVP choice was a hard one. Several players are doing well, such as linebacker Bart Scott and tight end Dustin Keller. But I went with Harris. He has 22 tackles, one sack and an interception return for a touchdown. The offense, which is ranked No. 25 in the NFL, shows flashes of potential then disappears. There are games when quarterback Mark Sanchez throws for 300 yards and others when he gets pummeled. The running game has been non-existent and the offensive line has been the worst part of the team so far. The defense isn't as dominant as previous years, but it's still solid. The Jets are ranked eighth in total defense.

Miami Dolphins (0-4, fourth place)

Offense: C-

Defense: D-

Quarter-season MVP: Punter Brandon Fields

Analysis: I was struggling to pick an early MVP for the winless Dolphins. I was thinking on the lines of tailback Daniel Thomas, but he's been hurt and in and out of the lineup. Linebacker Cameron Wake has a team-high three sacks but only nine tackles. Quarterback Chad Henne has been decent but not spectacular. So I went to Twitter to see who Dolphins fans would pick. They hit the nail on the head: Punter Brandon Fields. He's been the most consistent player for Miami. He's averaging 51.6 yards per punt and landed seven kicks inside the 20. Miami's defense hasn't taken advantage. The Dolphins have gone from sixth last year to No. 30 this season. The offense has been decent but fails to execute at key moments and in the red zone. With Henne's injury, I don't know if this unit can get much better the rest of the season.

Jets tight end Dustin Keller talks about the win over the Cowboys , what it felt like to play in New York on the 10th anniversary of 9/11 and more.

Of the five panelists asked to pick the AFC East, four have the Jets finishing second and Matt Williamson picked them to finish third. Here's my intelligence report on New York:

Five things you need to know about the Jets:

1. Mark Sanchez is going to have a shaky start: The third-year quarterback lost three-quarters of his receiving corps on the eve of training camp (Braylon Edwards, Jerricho Cotchery and Brad Smith), and it's going to take time to get comfortable with his new weapons, Plaxico Burress and Derrick Mason. Fortunately, he still has Santonio Holmes, who will be the go-to guy. During this transition period, the Jets will have to rely on their running game and defense to carry the day. Once the passing game is up to speed, offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer will be able to open things up. After two years of protecting him with the strong running game, the plan is to put more on Sanchez's shoulders. He'll be fine as long as he improves his accuracy.

2. The defense could dominate: If there's one thing Rex Ryan does well -- other than yapping -- it's coaching defense. Barring injuries, this should be a top-three unit for the third straight year. The Jets return 10 starters, nine of whom have been in Ryan's system for two years -- rare continuity. There should be very few mental mistakes, and the familiarity with the scheme should allow Ryan and defensive coordinator Mike Pettine to cook up some exotic packages. The major flaw is the lack of an elite pass-rusher, but they'll manufacture pressure with an array of blitzes.

3. They're not going to win many footraces: Save for Holmes, TE Dustin Keller and CB Antonio Cromartie, you can't say the Jets have any players exceedingly fast for their positions. The Jets are a big, physical team; they're not going to out-quick many opponents. Burress and Mason are 34 and 37, respectively; third-down back LaDainian Tomlinson is 32; and the middle of the pass defense -- safeties and linebackers -- will get exploited by certain teams. They will continue to struggle between the hashmarks against tight ends and slot receivers.

4. The new kickoff rule will hurt: You could argue that the Jets won three games last season, including a playoff game, because of long kickoff returns. It was an absolute weapon for the Jets, who relied on the return game to change field position. Now, with Smith gone and with touchbacks expected to increase, the Jets are losing a bullet in their revolver. Mike Westhoff is one of the smartest special-teams coaches in the business, but it's hard to scheme up a kickoff return when the ball is flying out of the end zone.

5. Built to win now: This is a smart, veteran team that knows what it takes to get to the playoffs. They're hungry, too, having lost the last two AFC Championship Games. It has to happen this season because they probably won't have Tomlinson, Burress and Mason in 2012, and the highly paid linebacking corps is one year away from an overhaul. They have 19 starters back, which gives them an edge in the post-lockout world. The key is staying healthy, because there are thin areas on both sides of the ball.

Thoughts from the Jets 27-7 preseason win over the Cincinnati Bengals.

WHAT IT MEANS: Rebounding from a so-so performance last week, the New York Jets improved in all phases and defeated the helpless Cincinnati Bengals on a rainy Sunday night at New Meadowlands Stadium. Plaxico Burress was the star, but this was more than a one-man show. Midway through the preseason, the Jets (1-1) have to feel good about themselves. And there appeared to be no major injuries.

LIKE OLD TIMES: Burress made his Jets debut and gave the rain-soaked fans what they wanted -- a moment to talk about. The moment came with 51 seconds left in the second quarter, when he made an over-the-shoulder, 26-yard touchdown catch. With his back to Mark Sanchez, Burress threw his 6-foot-5 body into a dive, securing the high, arching pass as he skidded across the wet turf.

With that one play, Burress announced his return to football. After nearly two years in prison, he was back, demonstrating the kind of athleticism you wouldn’t expect from a 34-year-old receiver that spent that much time in the big house. It came against a backup cornerback named Fred Bennett, but that didn’t matter. It was all about body control, hand-eye coordination and sticky hands.

Burress played 30 of 32 plays in the first half, finishing with three catches for 66 yards. Translation: A smashing debut.

SANCHEZ ROCKS: After an efficient but largely non-descript performance last week, Sanchez (12-for-20, 173 yards, two TDs) delivered some big plays in the passing game. The protection was better this week, thanks to the return of All-Pro center Nick Mangold. He led the offense to two touchdowns (drives of 16 and 99 yards) and a field goal in seven possessions, wrapping up the night with a 10-play, 99-yard touchdown drive.

Until then, the Sanchez-led offense was like the weather -- blah. In fact, the Jets started 0-for-6 on third down. The turning point was a 43-yard pass to a wide-open Dustin Keller, providing good field position after being backed up at their 1. From there, Sanchez hit Keller on a third-down catch, setting up the Burress highlight-film catch.

WIDE-OPEN OFFENSE: For the second straight week, the Jets relied heavily on a three-receiver attack. In fact, they used their “11” personnel package (3 WRs, 1 TE, 1RB) on 19 of 32 plays in the first half. With Derrick Mason (knee) sitting out, they used Burress, Santonio Holmes (16-yard TD) and rookie Jeremy Kerley in three-wide packages.

NO GROUND AND POUND: By placing an emphasis on the passing attack -- a necessity, given the new parts -- the running game was out of sync. LaDainian Tomlinson got the start with Shonn Greene (foot) out of the lineup, and the 32-year-old looked a bit sluggish. He rushed for 16 yards on nine carries. Tomlinson got a lot of work, appearing in 31 of 32 plays in the first half. Joe McKnight and Bilal Powell didn’t see significant time until the second half.

OPPORTUNISTIC D: The Jets roughed up the offensively challenged Bengals, intercepting three passes -- Eric Smith, Jim Leonhard and Brashton Satele. The three turnovers set up 17 points for the Jets, and that was pretty much the story of the game. Keep in mind, the Bengals no longer have Carson (I Wanna Retire) Palmer at quarterback. They started rookie Andy Dalton and replaced him with journeyman Bruce Gradkowski.

WELCOME MAYBIN: Bills castoff Aaron Maybin, the 11th overall pick in the 2009 draft, made his presence felt in his Jets debut. After only three days of practice with the team, Maybin recorded a strip sack on Bengals third-string QB Jordan Palmer. Hey, that might have been enough to grab a spot on the 53-man roster.

Buffalo Bills

During a radio interview Thursday, GM Buddy Nix didn't deny that Lee Evans is available on the trade market.

The New York Times' Andy Benoit has a season preview for the Bills.

The Bills still have some needs to fill, but with veterans Drayton Florence, Terrence McGee and Leodis McKelvin in the secondary, the team is set at cornerback.

Miami Dolphins

Coach Tony Sparano admitted the Dolphins will stick to a rudimentary game plan for the team's preseason opener. Sparano on expectations for the offense: "I don’t want to use the term vanilla, but that’s kind of where you’re going to be.”

Considering what's gone wrong for the Dolphins over the past year, they could use an image makeover, according to TCPalm.com's Ben Becker.

More details are emerging about the April incident that left both Brandon Marshall and his wife Michi-Nogami Marshall injured. According to reports, the police "found a 13-inch kitchen knife laying next to a magazine clip from a firearm on a table outside of Marshall’s office. Both were covered in blood."

New England Patriots

Receiver Taylor Price, a 2010 third-round pick, impressed Bill Belichick with his performance in Thursday night's preseason opener. Belichick on Price: "Taylor had some good plays, made a couple good catches. ... But again, he’s done some of those things in practice over the last couple weeks. It’s good to see them happen in the game, but he’s been very competitive in training camp this year. The year’s made a big difference.”

Rookie running back Stevan Ridley didn't waste any time making a big impression in his first NFL action.

Tom Brady was among a number of New England's starters would did not see any action in the opener.

New York Jets

The Associated Press has a profile on Mark Sanchez and Scotty McKnight, childhood best friends who have been reunited as teammates on the Jets.

Center Nick Mangold was fine after leaving Thursday's practice early with what was later described as a stinger.

Rex Ryan said he plans to play Plaxico Burress for a few snaps in Monday’s preseason opener with the Texans, even though Burress continues to be limited in practice due to an ankle injury.

The Star-Ledger's Conor Orr looks at Dustin Keller and the Jets' depth at tight end heading into the season.

Jets chairman & CEO Woody Johnson, tight end Dustin Keller and guard Brandon Moore talk about being back in business.