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The Miami Dolphins have a problem defending tight ends.

They struggled throughout 2009 to contain them, and they're off to a rougher start this season.

Tight ends accumulated a nice stat line against Miami last year: 68 receptions for 993 yards and four touchdowns.

Through three games, even with the Buffalo Bills not throwing a single pass to their tight ends on opening day, that position is on pace to catch 69 passes for 1,099 yards and 11 touchdowns against the Dolphins.

That's an All-Pro campaign.

"We've got to do a little bit better job," Dolphins coach Tony Sparano said.

Next up are a pair of rookies who've already established themselves as dangerous targets.

The Dolphins will have difficult matchups Monday night with New England Patriots tight ends Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski.

Each is capable to doing damage.

Hernandez is more of a pure receiver, averaging 70.3 receiving yards per game. That ranks him fourth among all tight ends behind only Jermichael Finley, Antonio Gates and Dustin Keller and ahead of Dallas Clark.

Gronkowksi is the bigger red-zone threat. He has a pair of touchdowns, tying him for third in the league. On the Patriots, he has one fewer touchdown than Randy Moss and Wes Welker.

"They've done a very good job," Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said. "Both are very young in age. I think one of them is 20 (Hernandez) and one just turned 21 (Gronkowski). So for young players, it's pretty neat to find them playing such a great role on our offense.

"With each week, I think they are gaining a little more confidence in what they're doing through the experience that they're having, and we're relying on them every week to be playmakers for us."

The Patriots were one of the few teams who didn't get in on the tight end passing party last year.

As gaudy as the aforementioned 2009 tight end stats versus the Dolphins looked, the Patriots actually improved the averages. Benjamin Watson and Chris Baker combined for only five receptions and 55 yards in two games against Miami.

Tight ends tearing apart the Dolphins in the middle of the field -- think of Clark's seven-catch, 183-yard night -- were a major reason they made so many offseason defensive changes. The Dolphins fired coordinator Paul Pasqualoni. They released linebackers Akin Ayodele and Reggie Torbor and safety Gibril Wilson because they were responsible for so many big plays.

Keller exploited the Dolphins on Sunday night. He helped the Jets post a big road victory with six catches for 98 yards and two touchdowns in the first half. The Dolphins did shut him out after the intermission, but that wasn't soon enough.

Sparano knows he'll have problems again Monday night.

"It's difficult, no question about it," Sparano said of Hernandez and Gronkowski. "I think you can try a lot of ways, but with the Patriots you've got to kind of pick your poison a little bit. You can go out there and maybe try to double one of those guys, but then you could expose yourself with Randy or with Wes or with any of those people. You've got to be a little bit careful."

MIAMI -- Some first-half thoughts Sunday night from Sun Life Stadium, where the New York Jets lead the Miami Dolphins 14-10 at the intermission:

• The Dolphins made major changes to their defense because they couldn't cover players up the seams. They got rid of inside linebacker Akin Ayodele and safety Gibril Wilson for repeatedly giving up big gains in the middle of the field. Yet they've forgotten to cover Jets tight end Dustin Keller. He's having a huge game with six receptions for 98 yards and two touchdowns.
• The Dolphins' defense gave up two touchdowns in their first two games. The Jets scored two on their first three possessions.
• The Dolphins are picking on Jets rookie cornerback Kyle Wilson. On their first play, the Dolphins went deep. Brian Hartline had him beat, but Chad Henne overthrew him. Henne seemed a little extra jacked up in the first quarter. His passes sailed, but he settled down in the second quarter and seemed to find a rhythm.
• Miami receiver Davone Bess has made some big grabs. He has four catches for a team-high 60 yards.
• Meet the new Dolphins running back, Brandon Marshall. With about six minutes left in the second quarter, Marshall had two rushing attempts (3 yards) and one reception (10 yards). He finished the half with four catches for 43 yards.
• Miami's backfield hasn't done much. They have only 39 rushing yards. Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams have combined for nine carries and 32 yards.
• Jets owner Woody Johnson, general manager Mike Tannenbaum and head coach Rex Ryan voted unanimously to bench receiver Braylon Edwards for the first quarter as punishment for his drunk driving arrest. They did fine without him, taking their opening possession 72 yards on 10 plays for a touchdown. Edwards didn't have the ball thrown to him.
• Jason Taylor elicited boos from the Sun Life Stadium crowd when he sacked Henne and did his bull's-eye celebration in the first quarter.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- The Buffalo Bills are loading up on Miami Dolphins castoffs before their game Sunday in Ralph Wilson Stadium.

The Bills on Friday announced they've placed inside linebacker Kawika Mitchell on season-ending injured reserve and signed Akin Ayodele, who spent the past two years as a starter for the Miami Dolphins.

The signing will allow Ayodele to continue his remarkable streak of games played for an inside linebacker. He hasn't missed a game since he entered the NFL as a third-round pick out of Purdue in 2002. He has started all but 11 games over the past seven years.

Ayodele will be reunited with former Dolphins teammate Reggie Torbor. They were handpicked by former Dolphins football operations boss Bill Parcells to help rebuild from a 1-15 season. Both were released after this offseason.

Pacells coached Ayodele with the Dallas Cowboys and swung a trade to acquire him and tight end Anthony Fasano at the 2008 draft.

Miami tired of Ayodele because he was a huge liability against the pass. The coaching staff got sick of giving up mortifying plays in the middle of the field and whacked Ayodele and safety Gibril Wilson.

The Denver Broncos signed Ayodele in April, but he didn't survive training camp.

Mitchell was a starter last season until a knee injury ended his season after five games. In the Bills' conversion to a 3-4 defense, Mitchell took a back seat to Paul Posluszny and Andra Davis.

On the day the New Orleans Saints held their Super Bowl parade, long before the free-agency period opened and the draft took place, Scouts Inc. analyst Gary Horton examined the top three needs of every NFL team heading into the offseason.

Now that we've gone through offseason workouts, minicamps, training camps and three preseason games, let's take a look at each AFC East need and determine whether it was addressed.

Buffalo Bills

1. Outside linebacker: At the time of Horton's analysis, he didn't know Aaron Schobel would retire. Schobel would have been Buffalo's best pass-rusher in its new 3-4 defense. The Bills signed free agent Reggie Torbor and are hoping a group that also includes Chris Kelsay, Chris Ellis and Aaron Maybin will suffice. Need addressed? No.

2. Left tackle: The Bills chose to stick with Demetrius Bell. The Bills still haven't drafted a tackle earlier than the fifth round since 2002. Of the two they did draft, fifth-rounder Ed Wang is hurt and seventh-rounder Kyle Calloway already has been released. The Bills did sign Oakland Raiders free agent Cornell Green to play right tackle. Need addressed? No.

3. Quarterback: The Bills did next to nothing at quarterback, drafting long-term project Levi Brown in the seventh round and letting Trent Edwards, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Brian Brohm shoot it out. Edwards won a not-so-open competition. Need addressed? No.

Miami Dolphins

1. Wide receiver: Did the Dolphins address this need? Hmmm ... Let's see ... Oh, wait. That's right. They traded for Brandon Marshall, who has recorded triple-digit receptions in three straight seasons. Marshall was one of the most enormous transactions of the offseason. Need addressed? Yes.

2. Free safety: The Dolphins drafted Reshad Jones in the fifth round, but sophomore Chris Clemons has held down the position admirably. It won't be tough to outplay last year's starter, Gibril Wilson. Need addressed? Yes.

3. Nose tackle: The situation actually got worse and worse after Horton formed his analysis. Jason Ferguson was suspended eight games for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing drugs. The Dolphins re-signed Ferguson, but then he retired. The Dolphins didn't draft a nose tackle, choosing to convert defensive end Randy Starks instead. Starks is undersized for a traditional 3-4 nose tackle, but Dolphins coach Tony Sparano has claimed Starks' speed has upgraded the position. Need addressed? Yes.

New England Patriots

1. Outside linebacker: Horton wrote "This defense must generate pass-rush pressure from its outside linebackers, but the Pats are devoid of playmakers and have virtually no depth at this position." They've gotten shallower with the release of Adalius Thomas, who started their playoff game. Tully Banta-Cain and Derrick Burgess are back and penciled in as the starters. The Patriots drafted pass-rusher Jermaine Cunningham 53rd overall, but he has been too hurt to get on the practice field. Need addressed? No.

2. Wide receiver: Wes Welker was looking at a potentially long rehab at the time Horton wrote his offseason preview. Randy Moss' age also was a concern. But Welker's recovery has been quick. Moss has looked phenomenal. Emerging youngsters Julian Edelman, Brandon Tate and third-round draft pick Taylor Price should be more than enough. Need addressed? Yes.

3. Defensive end: Little did Horton know how badly the Patriots would need help here. Left end Ty Warren is done for the year because of a hip injury. Right end Jarvis Green split for the Denver Broncos. The Patriots signed free agent Gerard Warren and have moved last year's super reserve, Mike Wright, into the starting lineup. Need addressed? No.

New York Jets

1. Defensive end: Horton's concern was with the age of incumbents Shaun Ellis and Marques Douglas. Ellis is back. Douglas was a free agent who departed for the Dolphins. The Jets didn't draft any defensive linemen and didn't sign any notable free agents there. They did move Vernon Gholston from outside linebacker to defensive end. Need addressed? No.

2. Safety: Compared to the Jets' banner acquisitions, Brodney Pool was a blip. The Cleveland Browns gave up on him because of recurring concussions, but the Jets' medical staff found his problem was related to migraine headaches. He's a multifaceted safety with a nose for the ball, interception four passes in 10 games last year. Need addressed? Yes.

3. Wide receiver: The Jets practically stole Santonio Holmes from the Pittsburgh Steelers for a fifth-round draft choice. Holmes was the MVP of Super Bowl XLIII and was coming off a 1,248-yard season. But character issues, underscored by a four-game suspension to start the season, made him a bargain. Need addressed? Yes.

ESPN.com NFL Power Ranking (pre-camp): 13

DAVIE, Fla. -- The Miami Dolphins might be the best NFL team people don't notice.

They're often overlooked in the AFC East. The New England Patriots have at least tied for the division's best record in nine straight seasons, and the big-talking New York Jets, coming off an appearance in the conference title game, are a fashionable Super Bowl pick.

Miami shouldn't be discounted.

Head coach Tony Sparano, who dropped 55 pounds in the offseason, wants his players to be hungry. The theme of training camp is "Feed the Wolf," a slogan he put on T-shirts in response to the Dolphins sliding from 11-5 and a division championship to a losing record last year.

"I had a meeting with the group and kind of got into them a little bit during practice about 7-9 not being good enough and how this football team shouldn’t be fat," Sparano explained. "They should be starving.

"One of the things that we talk about is feeding the wolf with little successes every day. ... We feed the wolf when we do something good, and that's what our guys understand. Small successes will lead to bigger successes down the way."

So when it comes to the AFC East race, dare we call Miami a sheep in wolf's silk-screened clothing?

THREE HOT ISSUES

1. What will the Chad Henne-to-Brandon Marshall connection mean to the offense? The Dolphins have been all about the ground game since Bill Parcells and Sparano took over in 2008. Ronnie Brown, Ricky Williams, rugged offensive line, the Wildcat, possession receivers ... Run, run, run.

Last year, the Dolphins ranked fourth in run offense and 20th in pass offense. Henne threw the fewest touchdown passes of any quarterback with at least 400 attempts. Just five of those touchdowns went to wide receivers.

Marshall's arrival can change that dramatically. While the Dolphins will continue to rely on their ground game, Henne now has a go-to target on third-and-critical or in the red zone. Marshall's amazing talents are on display every day at camp. He has sensational hands, outleaps helpless defenders and can snatch any ball remotely in his area.

Don't expect Marshall to extend his streak to four seasons of at least 100 receptions, but his presence gives Henne the kind of target who opens up all sorts of possibilities the Dolphins haven't had in years.

2. Will unproven outside linebackers provide enough of a pass rush with Joey Porter and Jason Taylor out the door? The Dolphins' 44 sacks last season tied for third in the NFL. But four of their top six contributors, totaling 28 sacks, either are no longer on the team (Porter and Taylor), playing a new position (Randy Starks) or out for year (Phillip Merling).

The Dolphins are counting on Cameron Wake and rookie Koa Misi, a pair of tantalizing-but-unverified pass-rushers, to handle most of the workload. Starks has the most sacks of any returning player with seven. But he has been moved to nose tackle, a position where Pro Bowlers record one or two sacks a year.

Wake's 5.5 sacks were next on the list. By the looks of his performances in camp, he'll be a force on passing downs even if he can't stop the run as effectively as the Dolphins would prefer. Misi, a second-round draft choice, has handled first-team reps with aplomb.

3. What will the interior offensive line look like? The Dolphins should have the makings of a nasty offensive line, but the inner three positions aren't solidified.

The Dolphins have had trouble settling on a center. Two years ago, they signed free agent Jake Grove and traded away Samson Satele. Now Grove is alternating first-team reps with Joe Berger for a spot that's up for grabs.

At guard, incumbent Donald Thomas, third-round draft choice John Jerry and free-agent signee Richie Incognito are fighting -- in Incognito's case, literally -- for jobs.

Sparano, an O-line aficionado at his core, wants his center and guards to be more than maulers in the run game. They must be better pass protectors.

"People think the left tackle's the only guy that [pass blocks on an island]," Sparano said. "But that's not true when you're turning the protection away from one of them. So to identify who can really handle those one-on-one battles is going to be important for us. That to me is what has to get better."

BIGGEST SURPRISE

Ikaika Alama-Francis wasn't good enough to stick with the 0-16 Detroit Lions. He was their second-round draft choice in 2007, but they cut the young defensive end after two seasons. He was on the street for two months before the Dolphins signed him in November. Alama-Francis was a healthy scratch for all six games he was on the roster and an afterthought heading into the offseason.

But with three workouts left until the Dolphins broke for the summer, they switched him to outside linebacker. Alama-Francis weighed 290 when he joined the Dolphins in November. He's an explosive 275 now.

"He looks like a linebacker out there, moving around right now," Sparano said. "He's a handful in the rush. He sets the edge of the defense pretty well, strong guy and very, very smart. I like what he's done."

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

Quarterback Pat White hasn't shown any obvious signs of development to contradict the general belief Miami wasted a second-round draft pick on him last year. White missed the first day of training camp because of unexplained personal reasons. One report, quoting a family member, suggested White wouldn't play this year. He arrived the next day, but he hasn't shown much.

White has gotten limited reps, buried behind Henne, Chad Pennington and Tyler Thigpen. When given the opportunity, White's passes are scattershot, albeit more accurate than last year.

Merling would have been the easy choice here had he made it to training camp. Before he could get there, he was charged with felony assault of his pregnant girlfriend and suffered a season-ending Achilles injury.

OBSERVATION DECK

• You can't comprehend the size of some players until you see them in person. Marshall and Karlos Dansby are two of those guys. We can lose perspective when we're inundated with athlete heights and weights that are often fudged, but Marshall (6-4, 230) and Dansby (6-4, 250) are monstrous for their positions.
• Starks' transition from defensive end to nose tackle has been interesting. He's small for the job at 6-foot-3 and 305 pounds, but his speed and athleticism have created problems for the Dolphins' O-line.
• Second-year receiver Patrick Turner is having an erratic summer. When I first laid eyes on him at rookie camp in 2009, I immediately was struck with how great his hands were. Turner made catching a football seem so effortless. He has been plagued by drops throughout this training camp, and when he does make a catch his teammates sound overly encouraging -- "Way to go, Pat!" -- to keep his confidence up. Turner was inactive for 14 games last year because he has no special-teams value. If the Dolphins can't trust him as a receiver, he'll have a hard time getting on the field.
• Free safety Chris Clemons, a fifth-round draft choice last year, has looked like he belongs. The position was viewed as a question mark when the Dolphins axed Gibril Wilson, but Clemons has had some bright moments.
• I'd be shocked if any star has signed more autographs in training camp than Marshall. After every open session, he slowly walks along the fence and puts his signature on every piece of memorabilia or scrap of paper thrust in front of him. Maybe he's doing his penance for past misdeeds, but Dolfans have no reason but to love him so far.
• Tough break for running back Kory Sheets, who suffered a season-ending right Achilles injury while returning a kickoff Wednesday. He had a nice shot to make the roster and made one of the most eye-popping plays I saw during my stay. On Monday night, he exploded through the offensive line and got into the second level with such speed, his teammates reflexively screamed "Whooooo!"
• Veteran cornerback Will Allen, rebounding from a knee injury, has been the team's nickelback. The Dolphins want sophomores Vontae Davis and Sean Smith to stay on the field. Although Allen would be a quality contributor, his contract could put him on the bubble. He has two years left on his contract with base salaries that total $10.7 million.
• Two years ago, Greg Camarillo was the Dolphins' best receiver. Now he looks like the fourth receiver behind Marshall, Brian Hartline and Davone Bess. That's a nice problem for Miami to have.
• Like the Buffalo Bills, the Dolphins aren't fooling around with extra legs in camp. They know Dan Carpenter will be their kicker and Brandon Fields will be their punter and aren't bothering to push them.
• Just talking out loud here because I realize frustrating receiver Ted Ginn had to go, but what if the Dolphins still had his speed to stretch the field with Marshall? That would have been a challenge for opposing defenses.

» NFC On the Radar: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

A player, coach or issue that should be on your radar as training camp approaches.

DAVIE, Fla. -- One of the Miami Dolphins' biggest weaknesses heading into the offseason was free safety.

They released last year's starter, Gibril Wilson, despite signing him to a lucrative contract last year. They courted free agent Ryan Clark, but he opted to re-sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

That left the Dolphins with seemingly very little to work with. Last year's backup, Tyrone Culver, has two career starts in three NFL seasons. Chris Clemons started two games at free safety as a rookie last year. The Dolphins also drafted Reshad Jones out of Georgia in the fifth round.

Free safety is such a question mark that many observers believed the Dolphins would pursue St. Louis Rams free agent O.J. Atogwe, but we haven't seen any signs of serious interest yet.

Maybe that's because of Clemons, who has been making a strong impression throughout minicamp and voluntary workouts.

"Speed, range, and he knows. He understands," Dolphins coach Tony Sparano said of Clemons, last year's fifth-round pick from Clemson. "He's been pretty vocal, and those are all qualities that your free safety has to have."

Sparano expressed curiosity in Clemons' tackling ability. They don't have reels of tape on Clemons against NFL competition. He was scratched from the first five games and played in nine as a reserve in addition to his two starts.

He finished the season with seven tackles and zero passes defensed.

"That guy has to be a good tackler back there," Sparano said. "So that's the next step.

"The range, the speed, the mental awareness right now and where he is with our defense is what leads me to believe that the guy can be a good player for us."

In the past two seasons, three AFC East teams have gone to the playoffs. The New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins won a division crown, and the New York Jets held a third-quarter lead in the conference championship.

One would think those front offices would want to keep those teams as intact as possible.

That's not the case across the board.

NFC West crony Mike Sando crafted an interesting post that charted how many holdovers each team kept from last year's season-ending rosters.

Sando explains:

The chart shows how many Week 17 starters, backups and players from injured reserve remain with their 2009 teams. The retention rate divides those totals by the sum of 53 plus all players who were on IR lists in Week 17. The starter totals can be somewhat misleading for teams that rested key players before the playoffs, but the retention rates apply equally. Every team had 53 players on its roster in Week 17.

As you would predict, the Patriots and Dolphins ranked among the top 10 in players retained.

The Patriots kept 86.4 percent of their players, fifth highest in the NFL and second to the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC.

The Dolphins dropped some big-name players in guard Justin Smiley, outside linebackers Joey Porter and Jason Taylor and safety Gibril Wilson. But they've kept 83.6 percent of their year-end roster, which is ninth.

Interestingly, the Dolphins have brought back 17 starters. Just three teams have held onto fewer: Carolina Panthers (15), New Orleans Saints (16), Detroit Lions (16).

The Jets, meanwhile, have tinkered enough to be ranked 23rd. They've retained only 75.4 percent of the players who helped them make their deep postseason run.

On one hand, you realize the Jets are being aggressive in assembling a team for the Super Bowl. On the other hand, you wonder how much they're violating the ain't-broke-don't-fix theory and whether it will negatively affect the team's chemistry.

The Buffalo Bills unsurprisingly have undergone a high turnover rate under new general manager Buddy Nix and new head coach Chan Gailey, who is switching to a 3-4 defense.

The Bills have retained 71.2 percent of the season-ending roster. Four teams have undergone greater upheaval. The Bills were ravaged by injuries last year, as illustrated by the fact they've kept 10 players who finished the season on IR. The Lions are the only team to bring back more IR players, with 11.

Earlier, I mentioned defensive coordinator Mike Nolan is a Miami Dolphins addition who often gets overlooked when judging their offseason.

Then Football Outsiders editor in chief Aaron Schatz produced a piece for ESPN Insider that reminded me about addition by subtraction.

The Dolphins' defense should be substantially better simply because linebacker Akin Ayodele and safety Gibril Wilson aren't on it anymore.

Schatz compiled data on the defenders who allowed the most broken tackles, defining them this way:

Either the ball carrier escapes from the grasp of the defender, or the defender is in good position for a tackle but the ball carrier jukes him out of his shoes. If the ball carrier sped by a slow defender who dived and missed, that didn't count as a broken tackle.

Ayodele was the worst among all linebackers, with 17 percent of his attempted tackles ending up broken. Wilson surprisingly didn't make the top 10 among defensive backs, but former Dolphins Andre Goodman (third at 20 percent) and Renaldo Hill (10th at 17 percent) were there.

Elsewhere in the AFC East, Bills linebacker Paul Posluszny and new Dolphins linebacker Karlos Dansby tied for sixth among the most efficient tacklers at their position, getting their tackles broken a mere 3.3 percent of the time last year.

In the secondary, Dolphins backup Jason Allen rated tops with no broken tackles, while safety Dolphins safety Yeremiah Bell was sixth best at 3.7 percent.

Schatz shared the team data, breaking it down both offensively and defensively at FootballOutsiders.com.

On offense, the New England Patriots were tied for fifth, breaking tackles on 6.3 percent of their plays. The Bills were tied for eighth at 6.2 percent. The Dolphins were tied for 15th at 5.6 percent. You'd think a run-dominant team like the New York Jets would be higher than 24th, making opponents miss on 4.9 percent of their plays.

Defensively, the Jets were the most efficient AFC East club, with opponents breaking tackles on 5.2 percent of their plays.

The rest of the division was below average. The Dolphins were tied for 18th at 6.1 percent. The Patriots were 22nd at 6.2 percent. The Bills were tied for 24th at 6.7 percent.

The Miami Dolphins have swapped out guards, signing free agent Cory Procter and trading Justin Smiley to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Procter started 11 games at left guard for the Dallas Cowboys in 2008 but finished last season as their backup right guard. He was a coveted free agent after his release last week, making the rounds with several teams, including the New England Patriots.

Terms of the Smiley deal aren't yet known, and he must pass a physical before it's official.

Smiley represents another misfire by the Dolphins' front office. Football operations boss Bill Parcells and general manager Jeff Ireland made Smiley their first acquisition when unrestricted free agency opened in 2008, signing him to a five-year, $25 million contract practically at the stroke of midnight.

Smiley was a quality player when healthy but missed significant time with shoulder injuries and a busted up lower leg.

The Dolphins have made their share of mistakes in free agency, but they're not afraid to unload a player quickly when they don't think it's working out.

Under Parcells, the Dolphins previously obtained and unloaded safeties Gibril Wilson and Chris Crocker, receiver Ernest Wilford and quarterback Josh McCown.

Football Outsiders writer Vince Verhei has conducted a post mortem on the AFC East draft to identify remaining holes for every roster.

Here's a synopsis of Verhei's findings for an ESPN Insider article.

Buffalo Bills

Not surprisingly, the offensive line stands out as the biggest problem. Football Outsiders pinpointed the line as the primary concern heading into the draft, and the Bills waited until the fifth and seventh rounds to make their only O-line picks, tackles Ed Wang and Kyle Calloway.

Verhei writes that while ninth overall pick C.J. Spiller still could shine, "On third-and-long, though, prospects seem dismal. Bills quarterbacks could spend a lot of time on the Ralph Wilson Stadium turf -- or on the disabled list."

Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins cut free safety Gibril Wilson and hotly pursued Ryan Clark before he re-signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers. So they recognized the need, then waited until the fifth round to draft Reshad Jones, who will compete with Tyrone Culver (two career starts in three NFL seasons) and Chris Clemons (two starts last year as a rookie).

"One of these men will be the last line of defense on a team with serious playoff aspirations in 2010," Verhei writes.

New England Patriots

Verhei identifies outside linebacker as the biggest weakness, but doesn't seem as down on this void as with the others. The Patriots drafted Florida pass-rusher Jermaine Cunningham in the second round. But Verhei calls Tully Banta-Cain's 10 sacks "a one-year fluke" and describes the rest of the depth chart as a collection of quasi-capable castoffs.

New York Jets

Two areas that seemed most pressing for the Jets heading into the draft were safety and getting younger along the defensive line. The Jets didn't select a safety or a D-lineman among their four picks.

Verhei sees defensive line as the biggest problem. Marques Douglas, a 12-game starter, remains unsigned and probably isn't coming back. The Jets have moved Vernon Gholston from outside linebacker to end.

» NFC draft analysis: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Just once, I'd love to hear an NFL general manager lean into the microphone and admit he didn't get the players he wanted in the draft.

Alas, the moment the draft wraps up is the most optimistic time of the year. Every front office loves its new prospects. Fans hope every one of them will be a superstar.

In reality, the draft is a scattershot event. There will be more failures than successes, and we probably won't know for a couple years which teams truly did well over the past three days.

But the infusion of newcomers will have an immediate impact. It only takes one or two players -- Mark Sanchez, Shonn Greene or Jairus Byrd to name a few -- to make a difference, especially in a tightly contested division.

Here are some draft highlights from the AFC East:

Best move

The New England Patriots traded up two spots in the second round to outmaneuver the Baltimore Ravens and select Arizona tight end Rob Gronkowski with the 42nd pick.

Gronkowski is a first-round talent, but slipped because of medical concerns. He entered the draft a year early despite missing last season because of lower back surgery.

Patriots coach Bill Belichick wasn't concerned. He said the team's medical staff signed off on Gronkowski's back.

"We have a deal," Belichick said. "I don't diagnose the players and they don't call plays.

"He's a hard matchup for a defensive back. He's big, and he plays big, and he has a big frame. A lot of times he just boxes them out, and they stuff it in there to him, and he's just a hard guy to cover. He's a strong runner with the ball in his hands."

Riskiest move

The Gronkowski selection could be listed here because back problems can plague a physical athlete, but the biggest gamble was the Buffalo Bills' decision to take Clemson running back C.J. Spiller with the ninth overall pick.

Spiller very well could be a star for Buffalo. He better be. The Bills ignored several serious needs -- offensive tackle, nose tackle and quarterback among them -- and added Spiller to a backfield that already included a pair of 1,000-yard backs.

Who will get him the ball? Who will block for him?

The Bills passed on Iowa tackle Bryan Bulaga and Tennessee nose tackle Dan Williams, Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen twice and Texas quarterback Colt McCoy thrice.

Buffalo didn't pick an offensive tackle until the fifth round, taking Virginia Tech's Ed Wang at 140th overall -- a span of 429 picks league-wide since the last time Buffalo drafted a tackle.

Most surprising move

Thanks to an active offseason that featured several trades and free-agency signings, the New York Jets went into the draft with few glaring needs.

But they did have a couple. Analysts expected them to bolster an aging defensive line or add a safety.

The Jets chose to address stable positions, however, and also added players to their deepest positions.

Their first four picks were Boise State cornerback Kyle Wilson (despite having Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie), UMass guard Vladimir Ducasse (before cutting Pro Bowl guard Alan Faneca), USC running back Joe McKnight (despite having the No. 1 run offense) and fullback John Conner (with a pick acquired in a trade that sent Leon Washington to the Seattle Seahawks).

File it away

The Miami Dolphins drafted a pair of defenders within the first 40 picks, Penn State defensive lineman Jared Odrick and Utah edge-rusher Koa Misi. You would expect both of them to contribute right away.

A player taken much later also could find his way into the starting lineup. Hard-hitting Georgia safety Reshad Jones was projected by many to be a third-round draft pick. The Dolphins got him in the fifth.

The Dolphins have a major need at free safety. They cut last year's starter, Gibril Wilson. The only other options on the roster are Tyrone Culver (two career starts in three NFL seasons) and Chris Clemons (two starts last year as a rookie).

» NFC Big Question: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Have the Miami Dolphins done enough since the free-agency period began?

Miami got off to a rousing start in free agency by pouncing on Karlos Dansby like a 43-year-old bachelorette on the bride's bouquet. Bill Parcells whipped out owner Stephen Ross' checkbook to make Dansby the NFL's highest-paid inside linebacker, one of top two or three most-significant moves at the start of free agency.

That was nearly a month ago.

The Dolphins haven't done much else since then. They courted safety Ryan Clark, but he re-signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers. They haven't gotten involved with any wide receivers, much to their fans' chagrin.

The Dolphins brought back Chad Pennington to be their third-string quarterback and nose tackle Jason Ferguson, who won't be able to play until he serves an eight-game suspension. They added freak-on-a-short-leash guard Richie Incognito with a low-risk contract, making him one misstep away from being cut.

Upgrades, however, don't always occur through acquisitions. The Dolphins made some classic addition-by-subtraction moves, cutting outside linebacker Joey Porter, inside linebacker Akin Ayodele and safety Gibril Wilson. Porter signed with the Arizona Cardinals and was arrested for DUI. Ayodele and Wilson haven't found work.

Dolfans should be relieved those guys are gone, but only Ayodele has been replaced. They still need to establish a new pass-rushing presence on the edge (especially if they don't want Jason Taylor back) and locate a safety in addition to help at receiver and nose tackle.

Dansby will be a force on Miami's defense, and Incognito will be a nice pickup if he can keep his temper under control.

But the Dolphins, who went 7-9 last year, need to find more veterans to keep pace with the AFC runner-up New York Jets and defending AFC East champion New England Patriots.

ORLANDO, Fla. -- The Miami Dolphins have had their share of spending misadventures since Bill Parcells took over football operations nearly 2 1/2 years ago.

We learned Monday morning they're trying to trade left guard Justin Smiley, the player they signed to a five-year, $25 million contract one minute into 2008 free agency. They've already unloaded notable free agents such as safeties Gibril Wilson and Chris Crocker, receiver Ernest Wilford and quarterback Josh McCown.

But when it comes to running football operations, Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross trusts Parcells implicitly.

So completely, in fact, that Ross said Monday he doesn't get involved in even the biggest decisions about his cash.

"I'm putting my money with Bill Parcells and our organization," Ross told a small gathering of reporters during a break in the NFL owners meetings. "Nobody bats 1.000. I just look at the bottom line and end results and where we are and what we're spending. The results are in the won-loss record."

Ross suggested he stood aside two weeks ago, when the Dolphins made Karlos Dansby the NFL's highest-paid inside linebacker with a five-year, $43 million deal.

"Bill tells me beforehand," Ross said. "We have salary caps -- this year we don't, but we still have to live in a financial world today -- and I say 'Hey, what counts is on the field.' That's what he's looking to do: deliver winners.

"I don't try to micromanage him. You can't look at every dollar you spend. One thing I found out: Sports is different than business. From a businessman, when it comes to what you do for paying players, you have to have a little different discipline than you'd otherwise have."

Ross can refrain from meddling because Forbes recently ranked the Manhattan real-estate developer the 277th wealthiest man on the planet with an estimated net worth of $3.4 billion.

» NFC Needs Revisited: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

» Draft Watch: Biggest needs (2/17) | Busts/gems (2/24) | Schemes, themes (3/3) | Recent history (3/10) | Needs revisited (3/17) | Under-the-radar needs (3/26) | History in that spot (3/31) | Draft approach (4/7) | Decision-makers (4/14) | Dream scenario/Plan B (4/21)

Each Wednesday leading up to the NFL draft (April 22-24), the ESPN.com blog network will take a division-by-division look at key aspects of the draft. Today's topic: Biggest needs revisited.

Buffalo Bills

The first "Draft Watch" installment broke down each team's biggest needs before the free-agency period began. Four weeks later, not much has changed for the Bills. Their positional priorities continue to be quarterback, left tackle and a nose tackle for their new 3-4 defense. The Bills have been judicious in their signings, and the players they've brought aboard haven't addressed major areas of concern. They've added right tackle Cornell Green, inside linebacker Andra Davis and defensive end Dwan Edwards.

Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins knew an inside linebacker was essential and threw a ton of money at the best one on the free-agent market. They made Karlos Dansby the highest-paid player at his position. But they haven't found a free safety after cutting last year's starter, Gibril Wilson, and failing to land Pittsburgh Steelers free agent Ryan Clark. Nose tackle remains a question mark. They re-signed veteran Jason Ferguson, but he'll be suspended for the first eight games for violating the league's policy on performance-enhancing substances. The Dolphins' perennial need is at wide receiver, an area they've declined to address through free agency since misidentifying Ernest Wilford in 2008.

New England Patriots

The Patriots have four draft picks in the top 53 slots. They can address several positions that way. And maybe that's why they haven't been too active in free agency outside of re-signing their own players. Outside linebacker appears to remain a glaring need. Bill Belichick brought back last year's sacks leader, Tully Banta-Cain, but Adalius Thomas' future is in doubt. The Patriots may have tipped their hand about what they consider a need by getting involved in trade talks for Arizona Cardinals receiver Anquan Boldin. Last week's news that slot receiver Wes Welker underwent rotator cuff surgery creates that much more concern.

New York Jets

No team's needs have changed as much in the past four weeks as the Jets. General manager Mike Tannenbaum has been busy through trades and free agency. Tannenbaum said the Jets were destined to draft a cornerback with their first-round pick until they traded with the San Diego Chargers for Antonio Cromartie. The Jets haven't brought in any new receivers yet (unless you want to count running back LaDainian Tomlinson for what he adds out of the backfield), but something tells me Tannenbaum will make a trade to improve the receiving corps. As for the draft, the Jets could use safety help after trading Kerry Rhodes and must fortify their general depth on both sides of the ball, particularly on the lines.

In pouring over ProFootballFocus.com researcher Sam Monson's data on missed tackles, what stood out most of all was the abysmal season the Miami Dolphins had in that area.

We knew the Dolphins had trouble tackling, but to see where their players ranked was disconcerting.

They were near the bottom at cornerback and inside linebacker and had an erratic safety.

Tackle data is subjective. The NFL declines to acknowledge tackles as an official stat. The league does list unofficial numbers on NFL.com, but teams generally keep track of their own when coaches break down game film. Team figures are what I quote when writing a story.

It should be pointed out that tallying missed tackles is even more subjective, but when criteria is applied uniformly, then I believe there is value in seeing how players compare.

The Dolphins were atrocious, and the misses certainly contributed to the Dolphins' decision to fire defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni. Inside linebackers coach George Edwards (now Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator) and outside linebackers coach Jim Reid (now University of Virginia's defensive coordinator) also left.

Here are Miami's lowlights from Monson's spreadsheet on a stat called "tackle inefficiency rating," which factors solo tackles and missed tackles:

• Inside linebackers Channing Crowder and the recently released Akin Ayodele ranked 114th and 106th, respectively, in TIR among 117 graded linebackers (inside and outside).
• Rookies Sean Smith and Vontae Davis ranked 82nd and 54th, respectively, in TIR among 88 graded cornerbacks.
• Free safety Gibril Wilson, cut the same day as Ayodele, had a mediocre TIR. But Wilson missed seven tackles through the first six games. His miscues were glaring in Miami's 2-4 start.

Dolphins coach Tony Sparano sounded exasperated after a particularly poor tackling performance in a critical loss to the Houston Texans in Week 16.

"What I'm surprised of -- and this is my fault; this is what I'm disappointed in me for -- is that I take great pride in the fact that we work our team hard enough, and that our team gets better as the season goes on," Sparano said. "We didn't get better in that phase. We didn't get better fundamentally. We didn't tackle well enough."