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

• The Buffalo Bills took steps forward in their draft.

Morning take: It's been a solid offseason for Buffalo, and now it's time to hit the practice field and put it all together. I expect this team to make solid improvements from last season.

• Do the Miami Dolphins deserve a "C" for their 2012 draft?

Morning take: We won't know for a couple years, but the grade seems to be about average. A lot rests on first-round pick Ryan Tannehill, and we may not see him until 2013.

• Can rookie safety Nate Ebner be a star on special teams for the New England Patriots?

Morning take: The Patriots are always interested in special teams players. Ebner is a former rugby star who likes physical play. He fits the mold.

• Here is a look at the New York Jets rookie free agents.

Morning take: All of these players are long shots. But maybe the Jets find a gem than can help fill a need.

With the stench of last year's late-season implosion still fresh, the New York Jets got together as a team for the first time in 2012 for the start of the offseason workout program.

The workouts Monday were voluntary and not open to the media. But three members of the Jets were available for a conference call. The key theme was last year, and this is the start of something new.

"We made some mistakes in 2011, but we are focused on 2012," Jets head coach Rex Ryan said of the team's fresh start. "We are excited. ... When you don't meet expectations it kills you."

Ryan went on to address the chemistry issues and eventual implosion that took place during the final month of last season. The Jets were 8-5 and on the cusp of another playoff bid before losing three straight games.

At the center of the internal issues were Jets No. 1 receiver Santonio Holmes and quarterback Mark Sanchez. The pair were not on the same page on or off the field, and things blew up in the season finale. The pair have since talked things over and recently worked out together in Florida to make amends.

Holmes also praised Sanchez on Monday for coming out to Florida and helping get key members of the offense together.

"[Sanchez] is portraying those leadership qualities," Holmes said on the conference call. "We are both looking forward to bigger and better days."

Holmes, in his first public comments since the end of last season, didn't care to address all that went wrong down the stretch.

"That was too long ago," Holmes said, while also repeating the team-wide sentiment that last season was last season.

With a talented and veteran team, it's hard to know which way the arrow is pointing for the Jets. Was last season simply a one-year misstep or the beginning of a downward spiral? The Jets are not far removed from back-to-back AFC title games in 2009 and 2010. But last year New York looked like an aging team that lost its edge.

Jets Pro Bowl center Nick Mangold says the "future is bright" for New York. The Jets will have a lot of detractors this season that think otherwise, especially if this group cannot stay together in the locker room. The important team-building process for New York starts now.

The New York Jets created a situation where they had another unhappy player in their locker room. A couple days later, they did the right thing to correct the issue.

Backup quarterback Drew Stanton wanted out after being pegged as the No. 3 quarterback behind starter Mark Sanchez and newly-acquired quarterback Tim Tebow. Stanton recently signed a one-year, $1.25 million contract with the intention of backing up Sanchez, but Tebowmania changed all that.

On Friday the Jets traded Stanton to the Indianapolis Colts, where he can backup future No. 1 overall pick Andrew Luck.

Stanton felt swerved and upset in New York. He was recruited by the Jets with the intention of being one play away. But Tebow would have ensured Stanton probably wouldn't see the light of day in 2012 unless both Sanchez and Tebow struggled or got injured.

The Jets didn't need a third-string quarterback with potential to be a malcontent. The Jets have enough locker room issues as it is. Regaining the rapport between Sanchez and No. 1 receiver Santonio Holmes and meshing Tebow in the mix are enough.

The potential Stanton headache wasn’t worth it. Both sides will be better off apart.

Just hours after saying goodbye to the Indianapolis Colts, Peyton Manning's first stop may be a telling one.

CBS Miami has an aerial shot of the future Hall of Fame quarterback landing in South Florida Wednesday afternoon. Manning will officially become a free agent as soon as the paperwork goes through the league office.

It is unknown at this stage if Manning will start his free-agent tour with the Miami Dolphins or is just going back to Miami to continue his workouts and rehabilitation. Manning, who owns a condo in Miami, recently trained with former teammate Reggie Wayne in South Beach a couple weeks ago, as well as Duke University last week.

But perhaps this is a good first sign for the Dolphins. I don't see any reason why having Manning in Miami can be a bad thing right now. The Dolphins are considered one of the favorites to land the quarterback.

Although not everything can be read accurately from Twitter, New England Patriots receiver Wes Welker seemed genuine in his response to receiving the franchise tag.

On Monday evening, just hours after Welker was tagged, he tweeted, "Glad that I will be a Patriot in 2012 and hopefully '13,'14,'15,'16,'17,'18........"

This is a good sign. Many wonder if Welker will hold out and skip offseason activities if a contract extension isn't reached. It is clear that Welker, who turns 31 in May, would prefer long-term security.

Welker's tag is slated for $9.4 million in 2012. The Patriots and Welker will continue to negotiate, but there is no guarantee an extension will be reached.

Still, these are good, early vibes from Welker. He says he's happy to be in New England this year and remains hopeful that it will be for longer. The next step is to see if Welker signs the tag and eventually shows up to New England's offseason workout program.

One of the biggest offseason storylines in Buffalo is how the Bills will better share the football between starting running back Fred Jackson and 2010 first-round pick C.J. Spiller. Buffalo coach Chan Gailey addressed that dynamic at the NFL combine.

Both tailbacks are talented. But Jackson has been the primary ball carrier in Buffalo's offense, leaving Spiller mostly in a limited role until late in the season.

Spiller filled in well during the final six games after Jackson suffered a season-ending leg injury. Spiller rushed for 446 yards and five total touchdowns in that span to take momentum into the offseason.

"He could be an every-down back. I don't see any reason he couldn't carry 20-25 if he needed to," Gailey said of Spiller. "But he’s a valuable, versatile player. He can play wideout. We’re fortunate to have two very good backs. I’m going to try to make sure we keep them fresh and wear ‘em out at the same time. Does that make sense? But you want them to be on the field doing something, running routes, creating a threat for the defense."

Gailey added that Jackson is fully healed from his injury, which is good news for Buffalo. But the coaching staff has to figure out a way to use a healthy Jackson and Spiller next season to their full capabilities.

A report surfaced that Spiller is ready to turn up his game in Year 3 and compete for a starting role. That probably won't happen next season with Jackson still on the roster and about to get a contract extension. But Gailey said it's a good problem to have.

"If every guy I have on the team doesn't want to be a starter, I've got the wrong guys," Gailey said. "I want everybody to want to be a starter. But everybody's not. There's 11 of 'em. You have to learn to handle that. Whoever it is. You have to learn to handle it."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that the Miami Dolphins have scheduled second interviews with Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin, Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy and Dolphins interim coach Todd Bowles.

Morning take: With time running out, this is most likely Miami's final list. Which coach of this group would Dolphins fans prefer?

• Steve Wyche of NFL.com thinks the New England Patriots will draft a wide receiver in the first round?

Morning take: It’s an interesting thought, consider Deion Branch is on his last legs and Chad Ochocinco isn’t a good fit. But I still think New England would be better off drafting defenders with its two first-round picks.

• The Associated Press reports that New York governor Andrew Cuomo is seeking millions in funding to renovate Ralph Wilson Stadium.

Morning take: This is part of the plan to keep the Bills in western New York. The stadium lease runs out in 2013, so Buffalo is on the clock.

• Former Dolphins and New York Jets quarterback Chad Pennington says Tony Sparano is the right fit for the Jets' offense.

Morning take: There are plenty of skeptics based on what we saw from Miami’s offense under Sparano the past few years. The biggest question is whether Sparano will be able to develop quarterback Mark Sanchez in his fourth season.

Former Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Mike Nolan has agreed to the same post with the Atlanta Falcons.

Here are some quick thoughts on the departure:

• I think this is a big loss for the Dolphins. Nolan may have been the best coach on Miami's staff this past season. Miami's defense was very tough against the run and came on strong late in the year. Nolan's success was one of the biggest reasons the Dolphins were competitive in the second half of the season.
• Nolan's replacement is hard to predict, mostly because the Dolphins haven't found their head coach. If the next Dolphins coach retains people on staff, Todd Bowles would be a great candidate. Bowles did a solid job with Miami by going 2-1 on an interim basis. But the new coach could gut the entire staff and start from scratch.
• Overall, the Dolphins are definitely losing in their once-promising coaching search. Not only did they lose out on the best possible candidate -- Jeff Fisher -- but now the Dolphins loss arguably the best coach on their old staff. It also doesn’t help that the Indianapolis Colts, who hold the No. 1 overall pick, just joined the competition. Miami's goal was the hit a home run in this search. It appears that won't be the case.

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

• New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan backs quarterback Mark Sanchez and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer.

Morning take: Ryan has to back his quarterback and offensive coordinator. He still has one game left in the season. But behind closed doors, the head coach and the front office will evaluate all that has gone wrong in this disappointing season.

• New England Patriots rookie running back Stevan Ridley is showing good progress.

Morning take: This is huge for the Patriots, who need some type of running game heading into the playoffs. New England’s rushing offense has hit a wall lately. But with Ridley leading the charge, it could be making a comeback.

• The Buffalo Bills are expected to be without center Kraig Urbik and offensive tackle Demetrius Bell.

Morning take: I can't remember the last game the Bills had all of their starting offensive linemen and top reserves healthy. Buffalo needs to add depth at that position in next year's draft.

• Should the Miami Dolphins consider trading left tackle Jake Long?

Morning take: Only if the team has determined it doesn't want Long long-term. He is in the final year of his contract and coming off a season-ending biceps injury. If the Dolphins don't intend on re-signing beyond 2012, maybe this should be considered.

Here are seven notes and observations after Week 16 in the AFC East:

• New York Jets coach Rex Ryan will not be on the hot seat. I already hear grumblings coming from Jets Nation, but it's not going to happen. Ryan is too good a coach. He led the Jets to back-to-back AFC title games in his first two years. Ryan is not the issue in New York. His problem is his brash trash talking makes him an easy target. I can go down a list of many things that went wrong with the Jets this season before I get to Ryan. But his boastful ways place the biggest spotlight on him when things go bad.
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Kirby Lee/Image of Sport/US PresswireMark Sanchez still must prove he's the long-term answer at quarterback for the Jets.
• If quarterback Mark Sanchez doesn't improve his accuracy next offseason, he's going to have a hard time proving he's the long-term solution in New York. Most great quarterbacks complete about 60-65 percent of their passes. Sanchez has been hovering around the mid-50s his entire career and hasn't shown much improvement in three seasons. Sanchez misses too many open receivers, particularly deep, which either leads to interceptions or leaves big plays on the field. Sanchez has some strengths, but accuracy is a major weakness that is hard for teams to overcome. He threw a career-high 59 times Saturday against the New York Giants and only completed 30 passes for a 50.8 completion percentage.
• The New England Patriots got the best of both worlds against the Miami Dolphins. New England received a scare by falling behind 17-0 at halftime but rallied to win, maintaining the inside track on home-field advantage. This game was enough to serve as a wake-up call for the Patriots. Despite seven straight wins, they cannot go on cruise control. It was a good learning tool that coach Bill Belichick can build on late in the season.
• Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo had his best all-around game of the season against Miami. He led New England with 13 tackles, two sacks and two additional hits on the quarterback. I like the idea of giving Mayo more opportunities to get to the quarterback. Mayo is at his best when he's attacking, as oppose to reacting. Saturday's game marked Mayo's first two sacks of the season. Mayo only has 5.5 for his career.
• Jake Long tearing his biceps was the worst possible news for the Dolphins' left tackle. Long is going into a contract year in 2012. Any chance he had of Miami giving him an extension this offseason might have ended with this season-ending injury in December. Long will miss the Dolphins' final game and has a lengthy rehabilitation process ahead. Miami would be wise to let Long play out the final year of his contract and see how he bounces back from this major injury. Eventually, Long will be looking to become one of the NFL's highest-paid offensive linemen.
• With the Detroit Lions clinching a playoff spot last weekend, the Buffalo Bills are alone with the longest non-playoff streak in the NFL. It will be a dozen years and counting for the Bills since they last made the postseason. This season, Buffalo got off to a fast start but fizzled down the stretch. According to ESPN Stats & Information, the teams with the second- and third-longest streaks are the Houston Texans (nine seasons) and San Francisco 49ers (eight seasons). Both will make the playoffs this season, leaving a huge gap between Buffalo and the next team -- the Cleveland Browns (eight seasons).
• Parity is alive and well in the NFL. The league is doing exactly what it's supposed to, considering the amount of average teams. An astounding 14 clubs are in position to finish 8-8 or 7-9 this season. Other than the Green Bay Packers (14-1), there are no true dominant teams. Fans love that nearly every team has a shot. There is a fine line for most teams being in or out of the playoffs.

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

• Miami Dolphins left tackle Jake Long reportedly has a torn right bicep and most likely will miss the last game of the season.

Morning take: With only one game left, the good news is Long won't miss much. But the bad news is Long has a long road to recovery ahead in the offseason.

• New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick gave his team a harsh halftime speech during their come-from-behind win against the Dolphins.

Morning take: New England trailed 17-0 and responded immediately. So you had a feeling something happened in that locker room. Great coaches find a way to push the right buttons.

• Is New York Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer coaching for his job next week?

Morning take: It depends on who you believe. Some reports have Schottenheimer as a head-coaching candidate and others have him being let go by the Jets.

• Did the Buffalo Bills really lose by winning Saturday against the Denver Broncos?

Morning take: In Buffalo's case, I think the win was more important. The Bills might lose a spot or two of draft position. But no one wants to go into the offseason on such a long losing streak. It was a quality win for the Bills.

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

• The New York Giants say they will not be afraid to attack New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis.

Morning take: I hope this is not the Giants' offensive game plan. I've seen plenty of teams say that and either avoid Revis or try their luck unsuccessfully. The Giants would be much better off attacking the Jets' safeties.

• The New England Patriots have five players in the top spot of fan voting for the Pro Bowl.

Morning take: The Patriots should get several players in the Pro Bowl, including quarterback Tom Brady, receiver Wes Welker and tight end Rob Gronkowski. But none of them will be playing in Hawaii. The Patriots will be preparing for Super Bowl XLVI instead. (I had to get that in.)

• Speaking of the Patriots, Brady will face a different Miami Dolphins secondary.

Morning take: Brady threw for 517 yards in Week 1. But Miami now is a much different team and playing better football. The Dolphins' defense is forcing turnovers, which is their best chance for an upset.

• Will there be changes forthcoming for the Buffalo Bills?

Morning take: There's been talk among fans in Buffalo about it, but I don't see any major changes this offseason. There may be an assistant coach here or a few players there. But I think next season will be big to see if this regime can take the next step.